VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) - Video of a violent arrest by San Diego Sheriff’s Deputies in Vista has renewed calls for better community engagement by local law enforcement.
Rev. Shane Harris said that push was galvanized last July after Jonathon Colonel was shot and killed by a Deputy after a foot pursuit.
While the Sheriff’s Department said Colonel was a documented gang member, he was not armed at the time of the shooting. His family said he was shot 17 times. The Sheriff’s Department said he had been reaching under his shirt when the deputy opened fire.
After that shooting, Harris said the captain of the Sheriff’s station in Vista, Charles Cinnamo, promised to create a community advisory committee.
Harris said the group would be composed of various community members who could offer perspective on issues ranging from racial profiling to police brutality.
“Conversation lowers tension, automatically,” said Harris.
Capt. Cinnamo issued a statement to 10News on the progress of the committee:
"Since meeting with the family of Jonathan Coronel, the Vista Station has been in the process of building and growing a community advisory group within the city of Vista. While there seems to be some confusion as to the terms being used by the National Action Network (NAN) to describe this group and its intentions, this group was by no means intended to be a "review board" in the sense of the Citizen's Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB). This group was pledged and intended as a means to bridge the communication gap between the community and law enforcement, as well as improve the relationship with the community we serve. While it is still in its infancy, this group, as it stands, is committed to this mission."
