Roger Dickinson: Candidate for Sacramento City Council, Dist. 2

Name: Roger Dickinson

Occupation: Policy Director, CivicWell

Political Party: Democrat

 What is your vision for District 2 and why do you want the job?

I am running for this office because for far too long D2 has been overlooked and neglected. Looking around and seeing the problems is easy, but we need solutions. Address homelessness by providing a full spectrum of services and housing and by supporting our neighbors before they become homeless. Make our streets, businesses, and homes safe by investing in true community-based interventions and policing and identifying the appropriate first responders for each situation. Bring home private and public investment for our neighborhoods and businesses to provide the vitality, quality, and character our communities deserve. Embrace all, especially our young people, with the opportunity and resources to contribute and flourish in building a stronger community.

How can you keep your constituents safe and promote business?

To increase safety, we should adopt a community-oriented policing approach that will allow officers to engage in a proactive posture to reduce crime in our neighborhoods and around our businesses.  We should have the District Attorney re-establish a community prosecutor for North Sacramento and restore the Neighborhood Accountability Board to provide restorative justice involving youthful offenders.  We should also invest in our young people to give them alternatives to engaging in criminal activity and to provide pathways to higher education and vocational and technical education.  Establishing both the reality and the reputation as a safe area is one element of promoting local business but we must also work with businesses themselves to identify and connect with their potential markets; to publicize and highlight the goods and services they offer; and support and bolster business organizations such as the Del Paso Blvd. Property Based Improvement District (PBID); the Greater Sacramento Urban League, the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, and others. We can also invest in infrastructure that will allow us to attract new businesses and development and create our area as a destination for food, shopping, and entertainment for those who live outside the area. 

What does police reform look like to you?

The residents of North Sacramento and the City of Sacramento need law enforcement services.  I do support improved training of law enforcement personnel to give them a greater ability to respond appropriately to different circumstances.  I also strongly support a community policing approach to build trust between residents and local businesses and law enforcement. Where the officers that patrol specific neighborhoods have connections to those communities and do not simply come there to work and “be tough on crime.”  I also strongly support implementing a system of response that ensures the appropriate responses with properly trained personnel, both law enforcement and non-law enforcement, to particular incidents such as mental health episodes. We must invest in true community-based interventions and policing and identify the appropriate first responders for each situation.  I also strongly support cultural competency training for law enforcement personnel and targeted recruiting to increase the number of  recruits from different walks of life in the police department in both line and management positions.

Why should African Americans vote for you?

There are several reasons why I believe I have earned the support of African American voters:

Representation: I understand the importance of representation in government. As a County Supervisor and Assemblymember, I had a number of African Americans on my staff, including chief of staff, and appointed numerous African Americans to boards and commissions.  I met with faith, business, and community organizations from the African American community and worked with community associations.  I will continue to ensure that the voices and concerns of the African American community are heard and addressed in the decision-making process.

Equity and Justice: I am committed to advancing policies that promote equity and justice for all Californians.  As a County Supervisor and Assemblymember, I championed affirmative action and minority and women-owned business enterprise programs.  I worked with the Black Chamber of Commerce to provide jobs and contracting opportunities.  I authored AB 218 (2013) which prohibits state and local governments from asking about criminal history on a job application (Ban the Box).  I will continue to address systemic racism, advocate for criminal justice reform, and fight for economic opportunities that uplift African American families and communities.

Education and Opportunity: I believe that every child deserves access to a quality education and the opportunity to succeed.  As an Assemblymember, I authored AB 420 (2014) which eliminated willful defiance as a basis for suspending or expelling students from school in grades K-3.  As a County Supervisor, I established Yes to Youth, a coalition to help young people with child development and empowerment, and led the effort to create the Sacramento County Youth Commission.  As your representative, I will prioritize investments in education and job training programs that empower African American youth and provide pathways to economic prosperity.

Healthcare and Social Services: Access to healthcare and social services is essential for the well-being of our communities.  As a County Supervisor, I chaired First Five Sacramento for 10 years to support early childhood development and led the effort to create Birth and Beyond, a home visitation program to help at-risk families and reduce child abuse and neglect.  I fought to maintain community safety net clinics to provide health services to African American and other minority communities.  As a County Supervisor and Assemblymember, I championed the Black Infant Health program (forerunner to the Black Child Legacy program).   I will work to expand access to affordable healthcare, address healthcare disparities, and strengthen social safety net programs that provide support to those in need.

I am proud to have been honored by The Sacramento Observer as one of 50 Sacramentans who have been champions for the African American community in Sacramento.