The City of Walnut Creek is committed to making our community safe and equitable for all.

Equity Initiatives

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force

The City established a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force with a group of diverse voices from our community. The Task Force met monthly for more than a year and a half, developing a series of recommendations that were presented to the City Council on April 18, 2023.  Learn more about the DEI Task Force. 

An internal Task Force has also been created to examine City polices and training needs. The City has created a dedicated staff position to oversee our internal and external DEI efforts.

Community Listening Sessions

The City of Walnut Creek held a series of discussions with a community group formed in response to the death of Miles Hall, a resident of Walnut Creek. The group, known as the Friends of Scott, Alexis and Taun Hall, often called FOSATH, requested that we establish a series of community listening sessions to address concerns of residents. The City and a committee comprised of FOSATH members jointly interviewed and selected consultants to serve as facilitators for the listening sessions.

The sessions were held throughout the month of November, 2020, and they provided people personally impacted by mental illness, racism/anti-blackness, and/or the intersection of these two experiences with the opportunity to express their perspectives and opinions. The secondary goal was to hear from the broader community on issues surrounding public safety and the wellbeing of all residents.

Information from the listening sessions and a community questionnaire was collected and analyzed by the consultants.  Findings were complied in a report and presented to the public and City Council during a Special City Council Meeting.  Findings will aid the City in shaping policies and services to better and more equitably serve our community. Additionally, after the sessions, the City established the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force (noted above) to further refine and refocus efforts in equity in the Walnut Creek community.

Findings from Community Listening Sessions

• City of Walnut Creek Listening & Dialogue Session Report Out
• Special City Council Meeting Presentation of Listening & Dialogue Report Findings

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Implicit Bias Trainings for City Employees

The City of Walnut Creek evaluated proposals from consultants to assist with the planning, delivery, and evaluation of Diversity and Inclusion and Implicit Bias trainings for City employees. These trainings are designed to encourage informed dialogue, promote a more inclusive organizational culture, and embrace cultural differences among employees and in service to the community of Walnut Creek.  The initial round of implicit bias training has been completed for all employees, commissioners and City Councilmembers. Additional training is planned to become part of the City's training platform.

Public Safety Initiatives

Community Update on Hiring of New Chief of Police

The City reviewed and summarized the results of the various efforts aimed at gathering community input as part of the recruitment process for the Chief of Police. Considerable stakeholder input was the focus of these efforts, with a large community voice providing guidance as to the characteristics Walnut Creek residents desired in their next Chief of Police.  The focus group conversations included input from members of the Chief’s Community Advisory Board, leaders from our business community, and voices from such groups as the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa, Trinity Center, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.  Additional input from the public was collected through a community survey and online town hall.

San Leandro Police Captain Jamie Knox was selected with the feedback from the community in mind, and began serving as Chief of Police in July of 2021. A news release announcing his selection can be found online.

Chief’s Community Advisory Board

In February of 2020, the City of Walnut Creek Police Department's Chief’s Community Advisory Board  held its inaugural meeting. The Board is a resource for the Walnut Creek Police Chief in the formation of strategies, development of community policing concepts, increasing public awareness, furthering engagement and transparency efforts and identifying best practices.  The Board is comprised of 16 stakeholders, featuring a diverse cross-section of active community members throughout the City of Walnut Creek.  The CAB meets monthly.

Public Safety Initiatives and Expanding Mental Health Resources

In response to improving the City's ability to serve the community following the officer involved shooting of June 2, 2019,  the City has launched multiple initiatives for public safety and expanding mental health resources.  The City has partnered with Contra Costa Health Services to bolster mobile crisis response resources, and has been part of the development of the expanding "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" countywide program to provide appropriate and timely mental health response.  Find out more about the "Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime" initiative on the County's website.