NAACP-Organized Rally Brings Calls for Police Reform

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This week the city of Santa Rosa rolled out its Community Empowerment Plan, an attempt in the wake of recent protests to engage a diverse group of citizens in a discussion of racism and law enforcement reform.

At a Tuesday virtual public forum, city councilmembers listened as scores of community members demanded police deparment reform, and called for defunding of the department.

On Thursday, the Sonoma County chapter of the NAACP held a rally at Courthouse Square at which those same issues were front and center. As part of the rally speakers described their often violent encounters with police and sheriffs officers, and demanded change and an end to racial profiling.

Sonoma County NAACP chapter president Rubin Scott has emerged as a leader in fostering meaningful communication between the region’s communities of color and city and police officials.

He told those gathered that the police department and its officers must work to engage people of color in order to build trust, foster real communication and offer a “safe space” that doesn’t currently exist.

The afternoon rally also included meetings with a Community Engagement Team assembled by the city of Santa Rosa, and a short march from Courthouse Square to City Hall.