Reso 2021-035 Steven Taylor & Sanctity of Every Human Life Day

Home

the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Housing" (Chronology of the City of San Leandro Efforts to End Housing Discrimination and Promote Community Diversity, San Leandro.org, https://www.sanleandro.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?blobid=3761 (last visited Jan 24, 2021)); and WHEREAS, on August 19, 2019 California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 392, authored by Assembly member Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), which enacts one of the strongest use -of force laws in the country. The State law regarding use of force remained largely unchanged since 1874. In San Leandro, the City's use of force policy was amended and put into effect in accordance with State law, case law, and best practices most recently in May 2017, February 2020, and September 2020; and WHEREAS, Senate Bill (SB) 230 (2019), which was passed contingent upon enactment of AB 392, requires officers to use other techniques to address threats instead of using deadly force when safe to do so, requiring law enforcement to receive training on and use de-escalation techniques like verbal persuasion and other crisis intervention methods; and WHEREAS, AB 392 declares and finds that individuals with physical, mental health, developmental, or intellectual disabilities are significantly more likely to experience greater levels of physical force during police interactions, as their disability may affect their ability to understand or comply with commands from peace officers. It is estimated that individuals with disabilities are involved in between one-third and one-half of all fatal encounters with law enforcement; and WHEREAS, when signing AB 392 Governor Newsom stated, "This bill goes to the heart of some of our most sacred principles, in which force should be exercised judiciously, with respect to human life and dignity. The bottom line is that deadly force should only be used when absolutely necessary"; and WHEREAS, when signing AB 392, Assembly member Weber stated, "With the Governor's signature, we are closer to a culture of policing in California that values and preserves human life. Working on this policy has been a high hill to climb, but what has lifted me up is the energy and devotion of the families who have lost loved ones to these shootings. Our hope all along has been to save lives and finally establish trust between law enforcement and communities of color"; and WHEREAS, the Justice for Steven Taylor Group and Steven Taylor's Grandmother, Addie Kitchen, have worked tirelessly seeking justice for Steven Taylor and to ensure another life is not needlessly taken at the hands of the San Leandro Police Department or any other law enforcement agency; and WHEREAS, subsection (a)(1) of California Penal Code Section 835a. provides, "That the authority to use physical force, conferred on peace officers by this section, is a serious responsibility that shall be exercised judiciously and with respect for human rights and dignity and for the SANCTITY OF EVERY HUMAN LIFE. The Legislature further finds and declares that every person has a right to be free from excessive use of force by officers acting under color of law"; and RESOLUTION NO. 2021-035 2