“The first thing I just want to say is I’m sorry,” said Councilmember Kristen Sneddon this week after scores of Santa Barbarans again took to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd and the historic killings of unarmed black Americans by white police officers. “I’m sorry to everyone in the community who has to fight so hard to be heard. Who has to raise their voices so loud and in such numbers to feel that we will act.”
Sneddon and her colleagues voted unanimously Tuesday for a resolution condemning police brutality and declaring racism a public health crisis. The only proposed change to the resolution came from Councilmember Michael Jordan, who asked that the word “national” used to describe police violence be replaced with another term that hits closer to home. “It seems like an attempt to distance the issue away from us,” Jordan said, “rather than recognizing it’s also our issue.” His colleagues agreed to revise the language.
The council also vowed to begin the processes of creating an independent police review board and preserving landmarks of historical significance to Santa Barbara’s black community. “I am extremely proud of my community for speaking up,” said Councilmember Alejandra Gutierrez. “I remember when I was young and loud, and I think a lot of my motivation to sit here now was exactly that drive of wanting change, wanting to be heard.”