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We have seen the recent effects of crime in our community. This is hurting our city, our ability to feel safe, and it’s hurting our local business owners.
We all want to feel safe in the community in which we live and work. Safe to walk the streets at night, dine, shop and take public transportation. Safe for our kids to walk to school. Safe to pursue happiness free from discrimination, harassment and bigotry.
Prop 47 was passed in 2014. It made some non-violent property crimes, where the value does not exceed $950, into misdemeanors. This was a complex piece of legislation and well intended but it has had some unintended consequences that need to be revisited.
In recent years we have seen many law enforcement officers retire, leave the profession or choose other career paths. Combined with a lack of funding many police departments across the Bay Area are understaffed and stretched thin.
I’ve met with Chief Knox, Captain Hibbs and Sergeant Ha. I’ve been on ride-alongs with Officer Blatz and Rosenbusch, and I’ve spoken with numerous other Police Officers regarding the state of affairs in the Walnut Creek Police Department and listened to their needs. I am impressed with how professional and approachable our department is. One consistent theme our officers have reported is that the Walnut Creek Police Department is a desirable place to work with a healthy culture. Our Officers want to work in Walnut Creek. The department cares about our community and serving our needs.
The current police wages in Walnut Creek are under market for the area. We should be open to increasing police wages to be in line with or above our surrounding communities. This will allow us to keep the experienced officers we have and allow Walnut Creek PD to continue to recruit top talent. We also need to continue to invest in technology and equipment that will make policing more effective and efficient.
We have lost many of the specialty assignments like our school officers. I would like to bring these assignments back.
I’ve seen tremendous collaboration between the Police Department, The Homeless Task Force and The Trinity Center to address our unhoused population in a way that is compassionate and proactive. I advocate looking at more ways we can address our public safety needs through collaborative frameworks like this.
I want to expand on the efforts of people like Kurtis Rees who helped create the Chiefs Advisory Board, improving the relationship between law enforcement and the community following the tragedies of Miles Hall and George Floyd. We need ongoing transparency, accountability and public engagement.
I also support increasing the police presence downtown to address the retail theft issues.
I am happy to hear we have recently hired a fourth motor Traffic Enforcement Officer which means they are fully staffed.
My vision for Walnut Creek is a city that is admired for an exceptional quality of life; a beautiful, diverse, sustainable city, with a thriving innovative economy, beautiful open space and arts, a downtown with unique experiences, dining and shopping, top notch healthcare and education.
We have all witnessed the recent disturbing trend in politics. The most extreme voices from the fringes have begun to dominate the conversation. We’ve seen what has happened in our neighboring bay area communities when the rational voices from the middle are lost and I know we don’t want that to happen here.
I believe my 20+ years of experience in the ER provides the skills of leadership, listening, empathy, problem solving and collaboration that are required to serve on the City Council.
Did you know that 28% of the companies in Walnut Creek are in healthcare? When forming a leadership council I believe great value comes from leaders with a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experience. Currently there are no members of the City Council with a Healthcare background. I believe my experience and perspective will be a valuable addition to our current council.
I have spent the last 23 years practicing medicine. My experience in the ER is not just about medicine, it is about empathy, listening, digesting large quantities of information in a relatively short period of time and solving problems.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596