Close to Home: Changed by Andy Lopez tragedy

Santa Rosa is my home and community. You are my neighbors, my co-workers and my friends. I take great pride in my city and couldn’t think of living anywhere else. Santa Rosa is a rural town at heart and not typically impacted by truly tragic events.

On Oct. 22, that changed. We changed.

Last October, our community experienced a tragedy that sent shock waves throughout the entire region. A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by a deputy sheriff. The grief and loss suffered by the family, friends, classmates and neighbors of Andy Lopez is unimaginable.

Part of any healing process involves the restoration of health and balance. As the city transitions into this next phase, there are opportunities for positive development. For example, the city is working on the annexation of the Roseland area. This effort will build upon the unique assets in Roseland and, by adding more services, will improve quality of life.

In addition to annexation, evaluating and promoting best practices for the Santa Rosa Police Department is critical. They have an established proactive approach to officer training and education, are committed to officer accountability, offer training specifically geared to de-escalation and have allocated funds to begin outfitting officers with body cameras. In addition to these established practices, they have expanded school outreach efforts to further rebuild relationships with the community. Two-way communication between our government and residents is also a key priority. We have been looking at ways to improve communication.

Toward this end, we have established the Mayor’s Open Government Task Force to do an exhaustive review of applicable city policies and practices and make recommendations for improved transparency. We realize we can no longer afford to rely on communication techniques that worked 10 or 20 years ago. It’s time to shift the culture of local government.

The task force recommendations will be included in a report scheduled for a City Council meeting in early December. This report will help inform new council members and the city manager as we move forward.

Reflecting on the events of a year ago, even when tension and potential for conflict was high, our community demonstrated a commitment to peaceful, civic demonstrations while respecting the rights of others.

This speaks to the character of our community as a whole and gives us the hope and inspiration we need to continue building a better future for our youth, families and residents - together.

Scott Bartley is the mayor of Santa Rosa.