The Advocate

There has been a lot of discussion about public safety in our city. From frenzied posts on social media of package theft caught on camera to gun violence and gun seizures to homeless encampments to substance addiction problems to police brutality, it is clear that we are all grappling with this in some way. Yet, it's unclear what most San Leandrans actually think about this, even as a number of people allege to speak on behalf of the city as a whole. Indeed, there have been unscientific Nextdoor polls as well as incomplete city surveys that have been used for exactly that purpose, despite missing critical information needed from using best practices in social science. I think it's time we correct this deficiency. There is currently a research project from CSU East Bay aiming to do just this. Here's the pertinent information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdvgKXq5lNgMYqp-i_0W9Xh5V6_YIssB5l0NDTUZS3m6U3kwA/viewform "Data collected from this confidential survey ...

I've been meaning to come back to this video for quite a while. The incident in question happened July 18, 2019. The victim was a Black woman. The perpetrator was a White San Leandro police officer. The video itself is only about 14 to 16 minutes , but the sequence of events can be summarized as follows: The cell phone recording begins with a Black woman in her car being confronted by a White police officer for an alleged traffic infraction. The officer stated the woman was pulled over for not having a front license plate. The woman informed the officer that she actually does have a front license plate. The officer reasserted that there is not front license plate, requested the woman's identification, and attempted to get her to exit the car in order to conduct a search. The woman did provide her identification but did not consent to a search of her vehicle as the probable cause for the stop was false because she did indeed have front license plates. The officer became argument...

(Credit: Banksy) It's a new dawn and a new day in San Leandro as our City Council voted for a slew of progressive initiatives that will bring truth, justice, and support  to our community! To start with, April 18 of every year will now be known as Steven Taylor Day in San Leandro, in recognition "that the City of San Leandro City Council recognizes April 18 as a day to honor the Sanctity of Steven Taylor’s Life and other lives lost to violence ... that the City of San Leandro does not tolerate the use of deadly force by a police officer." Next up was the approval of a Steven Taylor park in the Marina area to honor his life and those of others lost to racism, bigotry, and violence. This park will feature monuments to key ideals such as healing, justice, and learning, as well as the power of nonviolent resistance. There will even be an informational kiosk that can help direct visitors and others to critical community support services! After that, there was an ordinance to...

  FREE WEBINAR! Date: February 27, 2021 Time: 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm Register here: http://bit.ly/SLPDteachin NOTE: the bit.ly link is case sensitive Are you curious about how police funding works in San Leandro? Do you wonder what people mean by the term "defund the police?” Join us to learn more about: -What we spend our money on in the City of San Leandro -How police spend their time and the city’s resources -The relationship between policing and community safety -Movements for change here in San Leandro, regionally, and nationally This webinar is sponsored by a coalition of community members who seek to reimagine public safety through shifting some public resources from policing and reallocating them to community services that prioritize racial equity and social justice in order to ensure the well-being of our entire city. Take note and take care. *Image description: flyer with the above text in black on a yellow background at top and black background with yellow text below, inter...