By Rudabeh Shahbazi
Oxnard police say they're making some changes
following a deadly officer-involved shooting that they call a case of mistaken
identity.
Family members of Alfonso Limon Jr.
previously reached a $6.7 million settlement with the city. That settlement
included establishing a day of commemoration for Limon, who was mistakenly shot
to death by police in 2012.
At a press conference on Tuesday, police and
city officials announced steps they're taking to try to bridge the relationship
with the community.
At the event, Oxnard Police Department Chief
Jeri Williams announced that Oct. 13 will now be known as "Community
Safety and Anti-Violence Day" in honor of the 21-year-old.
"We are committed to healing process
through the open and effective dialogue and lastly it is my hope, it is our
hope, that by all of us working together, in Alfonso Limon Jr.'s memory that we
will achieve that goal," Williams said.
City officials also invited community
involvement and discussion and said they're working to implement body cameras
on police officers.
Also, a memorial plaque will be going up in
Limon's honor. But Limon's family says nothing will ever be enough.
"I don't think there's ever going to be
anything that's going to make a difference for us. There hasn't been any real
accountability," said Rebecca Limon, Limon's sister. "You heard that
the district attorney didn't go with charging these officers, and it's tough to
hear because we lost our loved one."
Community activists held their own press
conference afterward, saying the officers on the street are poorly trained and
not held accountable. Citing other officer-involved shootings in Oxnard,
they're calling for a citizen's oversight committee.
"We've always been advocates of entering
and engaging in discussions with our community to make the city safe. That
being said, I don't believe we need civilian oversight in the Oxnard Police
Department. The community and the City Council are our true oversight,"
Williams said.
Limon's sister said cameras are a good first
step, but she said much more is needed to solve the problem.
"You've seen in other cases, where they
do have body-worn cameras in other police departments, and the evidence
magically disappears or the video stopped recording," she said. "So
we do need something to monitor those body cameras as well."
The officers involved in Limon's shooting were
placed on paid administrative leave. All but one officer, who is retired, is
back at work at the Oxnard Police Department.
