November 29, 2021

Re: Time to put the CAB back on the shelf

We read with interest this story in the press regarding the difficulty filling vacancies on the Citizens Advisory Board on Police/Community Relations (CAB).

Rather than continue to waste time, effort and money on the CAB, The NAACP San Diego Branch believes the City should dissolve the CAB and invite its individual hard-working members to join their local Captain’s advisory boards, where they can continue to contribute ideas and knowledge.

The CAB, which was revived in 2017, made fifteen specific recommendations, unanimously by its members from north, south, east and west in the City.

What was the result of these recommendations?  The City Council took no formal action on them.  Can our current Mayor, Council or Police Chief point to any of the 15 recommendations that were implemented?  The former Mayor even refused to meet with representatives from the CAB.  

Is it surprising that it is difficult to fill seats on a Board that has been so thoroughly ignored by our City?  Is it surprising that residents don’t take the CAB seriously, when the City never has?  The vital work, supported by good law enforcement officers and the community alike, of building trust through information and reform, is far too important to be symbolized by a Board that is ignored by the City.

There are numerous groups that provide community input to the City.  Individual police captains have community advisory boards.  The Chief of Police has a Black advisory group.  The Mayor has Hispanic, Black and Asia Pacific Islander advisory groups, to name a few.

We ask CAB former Vice-Chair and current District 1 Councilmember Joe LaCava to show bold leadership and convince the Rules Committee and Council President to schedule a public hearing on the status of the CAB.

Now is the time to dissolve CAB and urge its members to move their local Captain’s advisory boards where their voices have a better chance of being heard.