Communication is fundamental to how we relate to one another. People are able to convey how they see and experience the world through communication. We are able to develop empathy and change our views of the world through listening to other’s perspectives. We also send strong and impactful messages by what we choose Not to say. I have recently listened to, and spoken, much about contemporary policing, police accountability, and how we as an agency respond to the changes in societal norms and expectations. But I would be remiss if I didn’t address a void.
We need to publicly express support for the fine women and men of the Santa Barbara Police Department. What hasn’t been said matters. It matters to the officers and detectives who, day in and day out, respond to our community when they call for help. It matters to the men and women who answer the thousands of calls for help from our community which have not ended up in national controversial social media posts. It matters to the families of these officers, who see all over media outlets, hateful messages about police and threats against their lives because they wear a blue (or tan) uniform. Being proud of our officers and wanting police to evolve as a profession are not contradictory concepts.
The officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department have been practitioners of important concepts such as de-escalation and meaningful community dialogue for years. Yes, we constantly work to improve from evidence-based practices and push ourselves to expand our worldview, as all law enforcement and other government agencies should do. But let’s recognize our local officers for the fine service they provide, while continuing to move forward and participate in nationwide calls for systemic changes in the criminal justice system. Thank you to those individuals in the community who have stopped our officers on the sidewalk to say thank you, and taken the time to send handwritten notes of support.