Ventura County Sheriff Bill Ayub, Chief Public Defender Claudia Bautista and County Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Phin Xaypangna will be among speakers at a community forum in line titled “Public Safety and Local Policing Reform” at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 19. Zoom.
Vanessa Valdez, president of the Ventura County Latinx Bar Association, will also participate.
Cynthia Salas, president of the town hall of Santa Paula Latino, will moderate the forum.
The forum will serve as a progress report on steps the county has taken to improve public safety and racial equity in its workforce, programs and services, including local policing reforms and what which might be needed.
The county established the Employee Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force in 2017.
Xaypangna will report on the formation and mission of the Public Safety Racial Equity Advisory Group, which the county established last year.
Bautista, co-chair of the advisory group, will talk about the group’s progress and plans.
Ayub will discuss local police reform efforts and Valdez will speak about community experiences and perceptions.
Spanish interpretation of the program will be available.
To register for the online forum, go to forum.chaliceuu.org.
The forum is a program of Chalice Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Conejo Valley.
The program is free; donations will be accepted.
For more information, visit the website above, email Randall Edwards at forum@chaliceuu.org, or call the church office at (805) 498-9548.
