5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins @ 3:30 p.m.) [Updated 10/10/2022 @ 11:20 p.m.]
Meeting Time: 10-11-22 17:00
eComments Report
Meetings Meeting
Time
Agenda
Items
Comments Support Oppose Neutral
5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins
@ 3:30 p.m.) [Updated 10/10/2022 @
11:20 p.m.]
10-11-22
17:00
45 38 12 15 5
Sentiments for All Meetings
The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown.
Overall Sentiment
5PM City Council (Closed Session Begins @ 3:30 p.m.) [Updated 10/10/2022 @ 11:20 p.m.] 10-11-22 17:00
Agenda Name Comments Support Oppose Neutral
01. City Clerk’s Log of Councilmember Pending Requests File ID: 2022- 00132
24 5 14 1
17. Contract and Fund Transfer for Mangan Park Improvements Project File ID: 2022-01635
1 1 0 0
18. Renewal Agreement: Sacramento County Sheriff’s Work Project Program (Two-Thirds Vote Required) File ID: 2022-01533 1 0 1 0
22. Vacation of a Portion of a 50-Foot-Wide and 6-Foot-Wide Public Utility Easement South of Broadway at Land Park Drive, Proceeding No. VAC22- 0005 [Noticed 09/26/2022 & 10/03/2022] File ID: 2022-01683 1 1 0 0
23. Temporary Street Closure Time Extensions of 108 Alleys/Streets in Council Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Proceeding No. TSC22-0001 [Noticed 09/30/2022] File ID: 2022-01726
2 2 0 0
Public Comments-Matters Not on the Agenda 9 3 0 4
Sentiments for All Agenda Items
The following graphs display sentiments for comments that have location data. Only locations of users who have commented will be shown.
Overall Sentiment
Agenda Item: eComments for 01. City Clerk’s Log of Councilmember Pending Requests File ID: 2022-00132 Overall Sentiment
Alexis Covey
Location:
Submitted At: 9:46am 10-11-22
I strongly oppose the proposed removal of Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Police Review Commission. The proposal of his removal by Council member Harris is a retaliatory attack for critical remarks Bliss has made of the Council as a whole and Harris specifically. The comments and behaviors Harris cites were not made while Keyan was part of the SPRC and are protected by his free speech rights.
It is also telling that CM Harris is more interested in the way in which Keyan expresses his frustration than with the underlying issues that create that frustration. Harris is using petty and juvenile grievances to turn public attention away from the valid criticism Keyan made of the Council when they ignored public concerns with the Military Equipment Use Policy and voted to approve it without including any of the recommendations made by the SPRC. In addition it is pulling attention away from the City Council's lack of action to deal with misconduct by Council Member Loloee.
As a member of the Sacramento Police Review Commission, Keyan provides a much needed intelligent and diverse voice to their oversight of the Sacramento Police Department. His work on the Commission holds police to a higher standard than simply uncritically applauding anything they do and is a crucial perspective for the Commission.
Patrick Corcoran
Location:
Submitted At: 9:43am 10-11-22
Violating the “Council Rules of Procedure” feels a little bit like the arbitrary broken taillight enforcement of city council politics. Can Councilmember Harris recall any other instances of this remedy being sought? Stop wasting everyone’s time, there is work to do.
Cecily Hastings
Location: 92102, San Diego
Submitted At: 9:31am 10-11-22
I support removal of Mr. Bliss from the Sacramento Police Commission. His anti-public safety actions and behavior are unsuitable for such an important appointment. Thank you.
Dave Kempa
Location:
Submitted At: 9:27am 10-11-22
If Councilmember Harris would remove his hood for a moment, he might see that he is trying to infringe on Keyan Bliss's First Amendment rights. This is clearly a racially motivated parting shot by a sad old man who is bitter about losing his council seat. Nothing more.
Keyan is an incredible community leader who is unafraid to call out white supremacy. While conservative folks in Land Park may prefer a paler, more cop-friendly police commission, that is not what this city needs. Our police need oversight.
City Council needs to reject this request, censure Councilmember Harris for his racist and spiteful behavior, and move on to the issues that actually matter to their constituents.
Shannon Dominguez-Stevens
Location:
Submitted At: 9:19am 10-11-22
Time and time again CM Harris has demonstrated his fragility when it comes to accepting feedback that is not in line with his own privileged agenda. His request to use his position of power to call for the removal of Commissioner Keyan Bliss is yet another example of his unacceptable leadership and providing an audience to entertain such a request is a total misuse of public funds. Keyan has dedicated countless amounts of time and energy not only to share his own experiences in an effort to urge our city to move toward restorative acts but he has amplified community voices. Keyan brings with him an imagination for a future of Sacramento where folks thrive and his critiques, while uncomfortable for some to hear, are steadfast in that vision. CM Harris' request is surely a attack on representation in this community and exemplifies just how right Keyan was when he called him racist. This request is an egregious attempt to silence a valuable community member and actively puts the city in a space where they are approving of the erasure of Black voices. Don't do it, Sacramento! Deb Sigman
Location:
Submitted At: 9:14am 10-11-22
Please REMOVE Keyan Bliss from SCPRC. Having observed Mr. Bliss, both in his commission role and his advocacy role, I believe he can not bring an unbiased nor equitable perspective to the commission. Mr. Bliss has one purpose - defund the police and continue the decline in safety in the city of Sacramento. For three years, we have watched this city deteriorate into a cesspool of crime and unsafe conditions. At what point will you, our city council, prioritize the safety of all its citizens? We've seen plenty of talk and little action. Removing Mr. Bliss would be a start. Send a message to the people of this city that you care about its citizens and their safety, that you support the police, and that you understand Mr. Bliss cares only about promoting himself and his unsafe ideology.
PLEASE REMOVE KEYAN BLISS from SCPRC.
Liz Blum
Location:
Submitted At: 9:13am 10-11-22
For people who claim to love law enforcement so much, this action would be breaking so many laws.
Y ou can't just remove someone from a commission because you don't agree with them.
Tibby Wroten
Location:
Submitted At: 8:59am 10-11-22
I strongly oppose Keyan Bliss being removed from the Sacramento Police Review Commission. The proposal of his removal by Councilmember Harris is a retaliatory attack for critical remarks Bliss has made of the Council as a whole and Harris specifically. The comments and behaviors CM Harris cites were not made while Keyan was part of the SPRC and are protected by his free speech rights.
It is also telling that CM Harris is more interested in the way in which Keyan expresses his frustration than with the underlying issues that create that frustration. Harris is using petty and juvenile grievances to turn public attention away from the valid criticism Keyan made of the Council when they ignored public concerns with the Military Equipment Use Policy and voted to approve it without including any of the recommendations made by the SPRC. In addition it is pulling attention from the lack of action on the part of the City Council to deal with misconduct by Councilmember Loloee.
As a member of the Sacramento Police Review Commission Keyan provides a much needed intelligent and diverse voice to their oversight of the Sacramento Police Department. His work on the Commission holds police to a higher standard than simply uncritically applauding anything they do and is a much needed perspective for the Commission.
Nick Kufasimes
Location:
Submitted At: 8:47am 10-11-22
As a resident of District 4, I ask that you remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission.
The Sacramento City Commissioner handbook can be found at the following link:
Commissioner-Handbook.pdf (cityofsacramento.org)
The Code of conduct for each commissioner is the following:
VII. Responsible Conduct As an appointed representative of the City, commission members are expected to maintain an impeccable level of personal integrity and responsible conduct. The City Council has adopted Council Rules of Procedure which also apply to City commissioners.
Keyan Bliss has demonstrated he is not following the Responsibility Conduct.
He clearly supports defund, anti-police policies. I personally witnessed this on Saturday, September 10th at a friendly protest that Land Park neighbor’s (District 4) held at the corner of Land Park and Broadway in support of Sac Pd and against crime in their neighborhood. Keyan Bliss associated himself with the group that was chanting “ F--- the police” and demonstrated he was against the District 4 neighbors that were there is support of having a safe neighborhood.
Moiz Mir
Location:
Submitted At: 8:41am 10-11-22
This attempt to remove Keyan Bliss is a racist attempt to silence an outspoken community leader and is a matter of violating free speech protections. As a volunteer and Vice Chair of the Commission, Keyan has poured hours and expertise into improving the Sacramento community. He exemplifies the best of public service and accountability, asking the questions our community needs answers to. His work deserves celebration, yet both he and the Commission at large (and their service to our city) have been substantively ignored by the Sacramento City Council except when politically convenient. In calling this out and describing the reality by which the City Council has repeatedly ignored the recommendations of the Commission, Keyan is now being targeted for removal by the very Council Member who ignored and refused to meet with or even acknowledge his presence as Vice Chair of the Commission. This is racist retaliation against a Black leader in our community and a shamefully political attempt to silence the proceedings of the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. In a City with as poor a history of community engagement and relations as ours has on the matter of policing, Keyan's voice is one of the few exceptions that stands out as bringing legitimacy to any conversation of accountability and community review.
This is a weaponization of the Council's Rules of Procedure being applied as a politically convenient tool, for a Council Member who has himself failed to comport himself with any manner of professionalism in developing a working relationship with the Community Police Review Commission. The City Council has far more pressing and legitimate causes for removal to consider, namely another of its own members' ongoing investigations at multiple levels of government. It is despicable for the City Council to ignore community members and constituents at large by continuing to delay, deflect, and distract from its own matters of accountability.
Manifestations of the culture of white supremacy are being brought to light in cities across California, like the recent revelations of deeply racist remarks coming from members of LA's council. Keyan's is a needed voice, and this proposed removal is a transparently political and racist move that would seek even further distrust from Sacramentans.
Sandy Black
Location:
Submitted At: 8:29am 10-11-22
The removal Keyan Bliss would say a lot about the morality of this coucil. No one is above criticism including Council members and Mr. Bliss. We should not as a city go about creating conditions where citizens and elected are afraid to say they’re truth and or be critical of policies or the people upholding polices. Crisis does not equal removal.
Nicholas Rotas
Location:
Submitted At: 7:44am 10-11-22
Please REMOVE Keyan Bliss from SCPRC. Someone who looks for confrontation when peaceful protest is being done to save businesses has NO business in helping dictate safety for our city constituents. How much further down the slippery slope of defunding and not allowing police to do their work do we have to go as a city!!. The city leaders have failed us on MANY Levels. Leadership is lonely at the top. Doing the right thing takes courage.
PLEASE REMOVE KEYAN BLISS from SCPRC.
Kristina Rogers
Location:
Submitted At: 7:01am 10-11-22
As a resident of District 4, I ask that you remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. I have seen Mr. Bliss’s conduct several times and his words and actions do not represent my community. He clearly supports defund, anti-police policies that will only harm the innocent and make more victims in Sacramento. Instead of aligning with families and local business owners, Mr. Bliss prefers to attack anyone who is deeply concerned about the crime and drug dealing closing our local businesses and harming citizens. In September he led a group of anti-police advocates to a peaceful protest. My neighbors were protesting the crime and drug dealing closing our local businesses. Mr. Bliss’ group bullied, threatened and insulted our neighbors who were peacefully demonstrating. He can be an anti-police advocate OR on the SCPRC, but he cannot do both. Keyan Bliss has made his choice. Please remove him and find someone with more common sense, intelligence and empathy to represent our district. Thank you! Crystal Sanchez
Location:
Submitted At: 11:20pm 10-10-22
We oppose the removal of Keyan Bliss Vice Chair of the Community Police review commission Keyan Bliss should remain on the community police review commission and it is absolutely appalling to see people organizing around his removal. There is what appears to be an obvious agenda of a certain council member who continues to perpetuate white supremacy culture, hate, fear mongering,exclusion , attempted social cleansing in our community of those he sees not desirable especially those in poverty and those of color.
Councilmember Jeff Harris has continually organized the East Sacramento Community that has negatively commented to promote his agenda once again with no bases. The fact of the matter is in the title.. community Police review commission- community that means all of us, police review which means reviewing police activity and having input from people like Keyan who is a voice of the people being oppressed often times in the system and also a voice in accountability which is what the commission was made for. If council member Jeff Harris and the East Sacramento folks spent as much time as they do continually working on creating chaos and a hate narrative instead of actually coming together to create solutions we might get something done. Just because somebody doesn't agree with you doesn't mean you have the right to go in and remove their voice! That's not how democracy works! How do we come up with a real solution if only people with a one-sided agenda are at the table? As for the protest that people are talking about above that was a peaceful protest and unfortunately East Sacramento residents were unhappy that unhoused and poor people took to the streets to stand up for themselves and I the President of Sacramento Homeless Union take full responsibility for that counter protest. I would also like to point out that the only violent incident that took place happened on video and has been posted to Twitter. As you can see in the video the only person being violent is a former Sacramento Police Department Officer putting her hands on an unhoused woman holding a sign. Enough with the fake narratives this is why we must have all sides of the table. We need to really ask these questions as to who is pushing the agenda and the attempts of removal of decision making people. Crime and homelessness which is as connected as crime and people living in houses is not Katie Valenzuela or Keyan Bliss fault and to pretend that it is shows the intelligence of those pushing this agenda. In fact homelessness has been a result of people saying not in my backyard in other words a lot of the people that commented in this thread. We are in a sad state where white supremacy and hate is guiding our decisions. I will repeat this part accountability only comes when all voices and or representatives are at the table. The thought or action of Removing Keyan only shows that people are afraid of real accountability. Also if you listen to the media around the protest he was the voice of reason speaking with both sides of the community regarding statistics. Removing him would also require that you remove any of the people that were at that protest in general from any and all boards or commission. We were all out there practicing our constitutional first amendment rights and the only violence that came forward again was from a former law enforcement officer.....
“For, if liberty and equality, as some persons suppose, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” —Aristotle
Cory Copeland
Location:
Submitted At: 9:38pm 10-10-22
I think it's inappropriate to remove someone for "blatant disregard" for council or committee rules without explaining the cause or investigation. For example, while there is credible reporting that council member Loloee doesn't live in Sacramento, you're not removing him on a consent calendar item.
This process appears to be quite inappropriate and inadequate given the severe allegations. Worse, as a member of the public I've been hearing rumors that Keyan simply criticized a council member. If we're being frank, you cannot find a person who belongs on any city committee who has never criticized at least one council member for something big or small.
If the grounds of his removal are that he criticized a member that seems like inadequate grounds for removal. If the accusation is more severe it deserve a real open and transparent process not just a consent calendar item.
Devan Miller
Location:
Submitted At: 9:35pm 10-10-22
I strongly oppose Keyan Bliss being removed from the Sacramento Police Commission. Who cares if he isn't an uncritical cheerleader for Sac PD at all times? If they want that kind of support, they should try earning it, perhaps with some of the disproportionate amount of budget they've siphoned off of Measure U and the COVID relief packages. Our lives are on the line when police don't hold up their end of the social contract, and I'm profoundly glad that there is at least one voice in the Commission that respects the gravity of that reality, and that isn't interested in a PD that experiences zero stringent oversight and gets nothing but blank checks and military weaponry every time they ask.
Jennifer Larr
Location:
Submitted At: 9:25pm 10-10-22
I am strongly opposed to the removal of Keyan Bliss from the Police Review Commission. It is not the place of a lame duck council member to be proposing the make up of commissions or committees that ought to be determined by council members who will have legitimate duties associated with representing the Sacramento constituency. This is very clearly the last desperate act of a politician who is exercising obvious racial and special interest biases that do not serve the community. The sheer over reach of this motion is honestly shocking even for someone as self-important and entitled as Jeff Harris.
Keyan has been a dedicated member of the commission who regularly fulfills his duties and exceeds expectations. He is a true public servant who works tirelessly for the people of Sacramento and we are lucky to have his time and attention on such important issues that concern us all.
Paul Andrews
Location:
Submitted At: 9:07pm 10-10-22
As an active community member I appreciate a diversity of voices when it comes to a wide range of subjects.
One of these voices I have come to very much value is that of Keyan Bliss.
One of the ways that constituents are silenced is when the methods they use to speak are criticized in how and what they say. This is the method that Jeff Harris is currently employing in an attempt to silence a voice that he doesn’t like hearing from.
Given the day, given the urgency, given the impact of events both long ago and very recent; it is of utmost importance to hear the voices of those most impacted by negative repercussions surrounding policing in their communities. Hearing the negative impacts is important to ensure that a critical eye is kept on police activities and our ability to ensure their continued compliance with not violating our rights.
Such an item should never be agendized as it smacks of silencing dissent by the govt of a citizen’s free speech and should never be used as a remedy.
Jenn Knapp
Location:
Submitted At: 9:06pm 10-10-22
I ask that you remove Vice Chair Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission.
Keyan Bliss does not support my community or my values around public safety. Mr. Bliss is an anti-police activist who is focused on pushing a personal agenda during his tenure on the commission. Mr. Bliss' anti-law enforcement comments and unreasonable demands suggest he has goals that do not align with the commission's intent. Through his conduct on and off the CPRC, Vice Chair Bliss' participation degrades and diminishes the commissions’ core purpose. I would like someone on the committee who understands public safety and true collaboration with Sacramento law enforcement. Please remove Vice Chair Keyan Bliss from the CPRC so another, more reasonable community member, can represent the District 4 community.
AV Sliman
Location:
Submitted At: 9:00pm 10-10-22
Please remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. The community is tired of hearing Mr. Bliss and his anti-police rhetoric. His stance of defunding the police has shown to be counterproductive. Cities where this has happened, crime has exploded. Mr. Bliss runs around Sacramento screaming F*&K the Police. How can you have someone on an "anti-political" city police commission who is so unabashedly biased? He needs to be removed and someone who is willing to work with the police in a civil manner should replace him. And, by the way, the city has a policy on decorum and Mr. Bliss refuses to adhere to it.
Aimee Hernandez
Location:
Submitted At: 8:35pm 10-10-22
At the last City Council meeting, CM Jeff Harris made a proposal that the City Council discuss the removal of Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission (SCPRC). I fully support this. Mr. Bliss has a history of fighting to defund and dismantle law enforcement. In September, I attended attended a a neighborhood protest at Broadway where Keyan Bliss led a group of anti-police protesters in opposition of the neighborhood protestors. The neighborhood protest was peaceful and focused on the crime destroying local businesses. Mr. Bliss’s group approached peaceful protestors to shove, threaten and shout insults, chanting "F--- the police!". His behavior at City council meetings is deplorable and embarrassing. He does not represent Sacramento and is not interested in strengthening community-police relations. On the contrary, he actively works to weaken the relations. Please remove him from the commission. josh peters
Location:
Submitted At: 8:33pm 10-10-22
The fact that Councilmember Harris is trying to have Commissioner Keyan removed is completely unacceptable and EXTREMEL Y telling of the politics at play here. There is no ground for dismissal and this attack is solely based on the fact that he was utilizing his first amendment right to free speech to point out the racist disgusting nature of police and politics in this city. Removing a black man with more intelligence and knowledge on the issues in this city than anyone who sits on that city council board sends a clear cut signal that what he was talking about was completely on point. Y ou don't like what he is saying because its rings true and too close to home, so you try and remove him? We have people like Sean Loloee who aren't removed for CLEAR evidence of misconduct but CM Harris is quick to remove from the police review commission someone who is impacted by the racist white supremist system we have in this county and city and choses to call it out ? SHAME on you.
Sly Ink
Location:
Submitted At: 8:24pm 10-10-22
Please remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. The community is tired of hearing Mr. Bliss and his anti-police rhetoric. His stance of defunding the police has shown to be counterproductive. Cities where this has happened, crime has exploded. Mr. Bliss runs around Sacramento screaming F*&K the Police. How can you have someone on an "anti-political" city police commission who is so unabashedly biased? He needs to be removed and someone who is willing to work with the police in a civil manner should replace him. And, by the way, the city has a policy on decorum and Mr. Bliss refuses to adhere to it.
Dr. Corrine McIntosh Sako
Location:
Submitted At: 7:44pm 10-10-22
Councilmember Harris' request for the City Manager and City Clerk to prepare an item for council that is a discussion of grounds for removal of commission members which includes a vote on whether or not to remove Commissioner Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission is at best a retaliatory attack against the Commissioner for demonstrating feedback that is in opposition to CM Harris' agenda, and at worst is a blatant act of racial aggression against a Black man that utilizes his freedom of speech to advance antiracist & equitable policies, programs, and resources for the Sacramento community.
Taxpayers' funds are better spent on the City Clerk and City Manager preparing an item for council that is a discussion of grounds for removal of city Councilmembers which includes a vote on whether or not to remove CM Loloee - in California, if a city council member does not reside or have a domicile in the district they represent, the council can vote to declare the seat vacant, and the member would be replaced.
Agenda Item: eComments for 17. Contract and Fund Transfer for Mangan Park Improvements Project File ID: 2022-01635 Overall Sentiment
Caity Maple
Location:
Submitted At: 8:03am 10-11-22
Glad to see Mangan Park is receiving funds for these needed upgrades! This park is such a value to the community and the projects being funded are a long time coming. Thank you Councilmember Schenirer and staff for working hard to make this happen.
Agenda Item: eComments for 18. Renewal Agreement: Sacramento County Sheriff’s Work Project Program (Two-Thirds Vote Required) File ID: 2022-01533
Overall Sentiment
Matthew Kessing
Location:
Submitted At: 8:57am 10-10-22
This practice is simply using the justice system to continue the institution of slavery in the United States. The City should not, with a good conscience, continue to use forced labor in any capacity. Everybody on the council should oppose this agreement.
Agenda Item: eComments for 22. Vacation of a Portion of a 50-Foot-Wide and 6-Foot-Wide Public Utility Easement South of Broadway at Land Park Drive, Proceeding No. VAC22-0005 [Noticed 09/26/2022 & 10/03/2022] File ID: 2022-01683 Overall Sentiment
Matthew Kessing
Location:
Submitted At: 9:46am 10-11-22
I fully support the City surrendering the easement for development. This is a perfect location for dense mixed-use development.
Agenda Item: eComments for 23. Temporary Street Closure Time Extensions of 108 Alleys/Streets in Council Districts 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Proceeding No. TSC22-0001 [Noticed 09/30/2022] File ID: 2022-01726 Overall Sentiment
Sarah Phillips
Location:
Submitted At: 11:39am 10-10-22
I support alley closures. Please reconsider your policy allowing homeless pedestrians in the alleys. Upon calling police, I wad told homeless people in the locked alleys was ok, because alleys are public property. Residents do not expect random pedestrian access, assuming any person in the alley is authorized City employee or resident abutting alley. Otherwise, the closure is not enforced.
The ordinance states closure to vehicular and PEDESTRIAN traffic. This closure should also include bordering properties to fence and maintain their fencing to ensure closure is continuous along the alleys. Thank you! Marjorie Katz
Location:
Submitted At: 2:42pm 10-06-22
Please continue to keep alleys in Colonial Heights closed. There are already so many issues with tents in front of the gates that if the alleys are opened, it will cause a huge safety issue. Please focus on providing services to the people who are unhoused as this is not how they want to live. We must do better as a society and a city.
Agenda Item: eComments for Public Comments-Matters Not on the Agenda Overall Sentiment
Richard Estes
Location:
Submitted At: 8:39am 10-11-22
As a Land Park resident, I hope that the Council does not remove Keyan Bliss as Vice Chair of the Community Police Review Commission. He is an essential voice for people who are most adversely affected by actions of the police department in this city. His removal would establish that only people who are acceptable to reactionary people in the most privileged neighborhoods of this city can serve in an oversight role over the police. I find it humorous that people in East Sacramento are complaining that he doesn't speak for them. I'm not what people in East Sacramento think beyond those commenting here, but the comments tend to suggest that there are some people in East Sacramento, as in my neighborhood, Land Park, who believe that their voice is more important than everyone else's, and sadly, that tends to be politically true a lot of the time. Let's not prove that again in this instance.
Hallee Caron
Location:
Submitted At: 8:34am 10-11-22
I am writing to support Mr. Keyan Bliss and oppose his removal from the Community Police Review Commission.
As a resident of the City of Sacramento, I feel that my perspective and values are already extremely underrepresented in city government and removing Mr. Bliss for consistently expressing the frustration and outrage of so many constituents like me feels like yet another way the city is attempting to silence dissent with increasing, unjustified police militarization.
As a policy evaluator and former auditor with actual experience evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of police review commissions across the entire state, I see the removal of members like Mr. Bliss from police review commissions (i.e., members that are not explicitly pro-law enforcement) as a key tactic in further neutralizing an already largely ineffective (by design) advisory body. The problem with the police review commission is not members like Mr. Bliss but the lack of empowerment the commission has in the first place to hold law enforcement accountable to the community they are supposed to serve and protect. The removal of Mr. Bliss will serve as confirmation that the police review commission is nothing more than a box checking exercise to cynically placate community members who have legitimate grievances and valid perspectives. Silencing these (dissenting) voices is a subversion of representative democracy and will only serve to further disenfranchise and disengage community members who already feel they are not listened to or represented.
Because it is unlikely that appeals to democratic values or humanity will move nearly anyone on the city council, I’d also like to make the point that having a critical voice on a police review commission can also help identify issues that will likely lead to more expensive litigation for the city (i.e., patterns of excessive use of force). So even if you don’t like to hear the critiques, it’s much better (for the city’s reputation and budget) for issues to be identified and dealt with early in-house and this is more likely to happen when the review commission is not just a rubber stamp for extant policy.
Crystal Sanchez
Location:
Submitted At: 10:59pm 10-10-22
We support KeyBank Bliss remaining the Vice Chair of the Community Police review commission Keyan Bliss should remain on the community police review commission and it is absolutely appalling to see people organizing around his removal. There is what appears to be an obvious agenda of a certain council member who continues to perpetuate white supremacy culture, hate, fear mongering,exclusion , attempted social cleansing in our community of those he sees not desirable especially those in poverty and those of color.
Councilmember Jeff Harris has continually organized the East Sacramento Community that has negatively commented to promote his agenda once again with no bases. The fact of the matter is in the title.. community Police review commission- community that means all of us, police review which means reviewing police activity and having input from people like Keyan who is a voice of the people being oppressed often times in the system and also a voice in accountability which is what the commission was made for. If council member Jeff Harris and the East Sacramento folks spent as much time as they do continually working on creating chaos and a hate narrative instead of actually coming together to create solutions we might get something done. Just because somebody doesn't agree with you doesn't mean you have the right to go in and remove their voice! That's not how democracy works! How do we come up with a real solution if only people with a one-sided agenda are at the table? As for the protest that people are talking about above that was a peaceful protest and unfortunately East Sacramento residents were unhappy that unhoused and poor people took to the streets to stand up for themselves and I the President of Sacramento Homeless Union take full responsibility for that counter protest. I would also like to point out that the only violent incident that took place happened on video and has been posted to Twitter. As you can see in the video the only person being violent is a former Sacramento Police Department Officer putting her hands on an unhoused woman holding a sign. Enough with the fake narratives this is why we must have all sides of the table. We need to really ask these questions as to who is pushing the agenda and the attempts of removal of decision making people. Crime and homelessness which is as connected as crime and people living in houses is not Katie Valenzuela or Keyan Bliss fault and to pretend that it is shows the intelligence of those pushing this agenda. In fact homelessness has been a result of people saying not in my backyard in other words a lot of the people that commented in this thread. We are in a sad state where white supremacy and hate is guiding our decisions. I will repeat this part accountability only comes when all voices and or representatives are at the table. The thought or action of Removing Keyan only shows that people are afraid of real accountability. Also if you listen to the media around the protest he was the voice of reason speaking with both sides of the community regarding statistics. Removing him would also require that you remove any of the people that were at that protest in general from any and all boards or commission. We were all out there practicing our constitutional first amendment rights and the only violence that came forward again was from a former law enforcement officer.....
“For, if liberty and equality, as some persons suppose, are chiefly to be found in a democracy, they will be attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost.” —Aristotle
Angela Gianulias
Location:
Submitted At: 9:04pm 10-10-22
Keyan Bliss should resign because he has failed to advocate for the safety of residents. Crime and dispatches are reported by the police.
Sacramento’s crime and homeless rate is now a crisis for the city. On June 2, 2022, Sacramento Police Department reported shootings are up 25%, murders up 32%, rapes up 31%, robberies up 27%, and assaults up 16%.
Aimee Hernandez
Location:
Submitted At: 8:28pm 10-10-22
At the last City Council meeting, CM Jeff Harris made a proposal that the City Council discuss the removal of Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission (SCPRC). I fully support this. Mr. Bliss has a history of fighting to defund and dismantle law enforcement. In September, I attended attended a a neighborhood protest at Broadway where Keyan Bliss led a group of anti-police protesters in opposition of the neighborhood protestors. The neighborhood protest was peaceful and focused on the crime destroying local businesses. Mr. Bliss’s group approached peaceful protestors to shove, threaten and shout insults, chanting "F--- the police!". His behavior at City council meetings is deplorable and embarrassing. He does not represent Sacramento and is not interested in strengthening community-police relations; On the contrary, he actively works to weaken the relations. Please remove him from the commission.
Sly Ink
Location:
Submitted At: 6:40pm 10-10-22
Please remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. The community is tired of hearing Mr. Bliss and his anti-police rhetoric. His stance of defunding the police has shown to be counterproductive. Cities where this has happened, crime has exploded. Mr. Bliss runs around Sacramento screaming F*&K the Police. How can you have someone on an "anti-political" city police commission who is so unabashedly biased? He needs to be removed and someone who is willing to work with the police in a civil manner should replace him. And, by the way, the city has a policy on decorum and Mr. Bliss refuses to adhere to it.
Kristina Rogers
Location:
Submitted At: 6:04pm 10-10-22
As a resident of District 4, I ask that you remove Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission. I have seen Mr. Bliss’s conduct several times and his words and actions do not represent my community. He clearly supports defund, anti-police policies that will only harm the innocent and make more victims in Sacramento. Instead of aligning with families and local business owners, Mr. Bliss prefers to attack anyone who is deeply concerned about the crime and drug dealing closing our local businesses. In September he led a group of anti-police advocates to a peaceful protest. My neighbors were protesting the crime and drug dealing closing our local businesses. Mr. Bliss’ group bullied, threatened and insulted our neighbors who were peacefully demonstrating. He can be an anti-police advocate OR on the SCPRC, but he cannot do both. Keyan Bliss has made his choice. Please remove him and find someone with more common sense, intelligence and empathy to represent our district. Thank you!
AV Sliman
Location:
Submitted At: 5:27pm 10-10-22
I ask that you remove Vice Chair Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission.
Keyan Bliss does not support my community or my values around public safety. Mr. Bliss' anti-law enforcement comments and unreasonable demands suggest he has goals that do not align with the commission's intent. His outward hatred of law enforcement diminishes the commissions’ core purpose. I would like to see someone take his place who is willing to work with and collaborate with the Sacramento Police Department. Participating on a City of Sacramento Public Commission requires a code of conduct that Mr. Bliss does not adhere to. Public officials are stewards of the public's trust in the public's governing institutions. In short, public service ethics is not only about doing the right thing, but also about the public's confidence that indeed the right thing has been done.
Public servants must maintain a high standard of ethical conduct that promotes public confidence. Unfortunately, the public does not trust Mr. Bliss.
Jenn Knapp
Location:
Submitted At: 3:09pm 10-10-22
I ask that you remove Vice Chair Keyan Bliss from the Sacramento Community Police Review Commission.
Keyan Bliss does not support my community or my values around public safety. Mr. Bliss is an anti-police activist who is focused on pushing a personal agenda during his tenure on the commission. Mr. Bliss' anti-law enforcement comments and unreasonable demands suggest he has goals that do not align with the commission's intent. Through his conduct on and off the CPRC, Vice Chair Bliss' participation degrades and diminishes the commissions’ core purpose. I would like someone on the committee who understands public safety and true collaboration with Sacramento law enforcement. Please remove Vice Chair Keyan Bliss from the CPRC so another, more reasonable community member, can represent the District 4 community.