Members of the Santa Rosa City Council and City Manager Maraskeshia Smith invite residents to participate in the first series of community meetings to share comments and feedback about policing in Santa Rosa with OIR Group, the city’s contracted Independent Police Auditor (IPA).
As outlined in the IPA Scope of Work, the community meetings will be facilitated by the City Manager and held twice a year. These meetings will engage and inform residents about the role, work, and findings of the auditor. For this first series of meetings there will be multiple opportunities to participate to engage more Santa Rosa residents including an evening meeting, a weekend meeting, and an informal “office hours” window of opportunity with the IPA.
“The City of Santa Rosa is committed to giving residents a voice in enhancing public safety,” says City Manager Maraskeshia Smith. “These meetings are another way for the city to ensure that trust and legitimacy between residents and the Santa Rosa Police Department are maintained.”
“We are here to make sure our work is informed by Santa Rosa resident perspectives, feelings, and experiences," explains OIR Group's Michael Gennaco. “We believe that such insight is instrumental in helping tailor our oversight responsibilities to the needs of Santa Rosa's public.”
The schedule of police oversight community meetings is as follows:
- Police Oversight Community Meeting #1, August 4, 2022, 6 - 7:30 p.m. at Sheppard Accelerated Elementary School (1777 West Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95407)
- Morning Drop-In Meeting Hours with OIR Group, August 5, 2022, 8 - 10 a.m. at Tia Maria Panaderia y Pasteleria (44 Sebastopol Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95407)
- Afternoon Drop-In Meeting Hours with OIR Group, August 5, 2022, 3 - 5 p.m. at Victory Outreach Church (4042 Sebastopol Rd. Santa Rosa, CA 95407)
- Police Oversight Community Meeting #2, August 6, 2022, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Person Senior Wing at the Finley Community Center (2060 W College Ave. Santa Rosa, CA 95401)
Questions or concerns about policing in Santa Rosa may be submitted in advance of the first meeting online at letsconnectsr.com/independent-police-oversight. More information about the Independent Police Auditor and the scope of work is available at srcity.org/PoliceOversight.