Police Community Relations
Community Safety and Trust
A safe community depends on more than emergency response. It depends on trust, communication, and strong relationships between residents, law enforcement, and community partners.
In my experience, Camarillo is served by dedicated law enforcement professionals who genuinely care about the people in our community. Because Camarillo contracts with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office for local law enforcement services, there is sometimes confusion about the different roles deputies serve. While they wear the same uniform, the deputies assigned to Camarillo are part of our community. They respond to local calls for service, build relationships with residents, and handle everything from theft and traffic collisions to mental health crises and violent crimes.
Recent events have understandably left some members of our community feeling uncertain, fearful, or hesitant to engage with law enforcement. Part of that concern stems from confusion about the different assignments within the Ventura County Sheriff's Office. Residents may see Sheriff's personnel from outside Camarillo working alongside federal agencies and assume they are the same deputies who serve our neighborhoods every day. That distinction is not always clear, and for some residents it has affected trust.
Through my nonprofit, Amazing Grace Connections, I have had the opportunity to work alongside our local deputies to build positive relationships with some of our community's most vulnerable youth. Those experiences have shown me that strong partnerships can make a meaningful difference in the lives of young people and families. They have also reinforced my belief that trust is built through consistent presence, open communication, and working together toward shared goals.
As your City Council Member, I want to continue building on those relationships in a broader role by creating opportunities for residents, local deputies, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations to come together, address concerns, and strengthen trust. I believe listening is the foundation of effective public service, and every resident should feel safe sharing their concerns and participating in conversations about the future of our community.
Together, we can strengthen community safety by:
Building stronger partnerships between law enforcement, schools, nonprofits, businesses, and neighborhood organizations.
Expanding community outreach and opportunities for positive engagement between residents and local deputies.
Encouraging open communication, transparency, and respectful dialogue to strengthen public trust.
Supporting collaborative approaches to mental health, youth engagement, and crime prevention.
Ensuring every resident knows how to access City services, community resources, and opportunities to participate in local government.
Public safety is strongest when every resident feels comfortable reporting crimes, asking for help, participating in civic life, and knowing their concerns will be heard. My goal is to help build a Camarillo where every resident feels respected, every voice matters, and our community grows stronger through trust, partnership, and open communication.