Speaking at a community forum Wednesday night, new San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman was quoted as saying: “If your perception is that you don’t feel safe, then that is the reality. We want to know how we can improve our relationship with all our communities.”
U-T San Diego reported that more than 150 residents and officers attended the City Heights meeting, where Zimmerman acknowledged cases of officer misconduct.
“It takes years upon years to build the trust of our community,” Zimmerman said at Cherokee Point Elementary School. “And in just seconds, that trust can start to erode.”
The U-T also reported:
The chief encouraged residents to take part in Neighborhood Watch, sign up for a community-based Nextdoor.com website for sharing crime information, and to report all officer misbehavior for investigation. “If someone has a complaint, we want to know about it,” Zimmerman said.
Is the successor to Police Chief William Lansdowne making a dent in any trust gap? Or does she have miles to go before all San Diegans feel comfortable with local officers?
This is the latest in a series of weekday polls in Times of San Diego. For earlier posts, visit Opinion. To suggest poll topics, write contributing editor Ken Stone.