(From left to right) Nikki Jones, Ph.D., Major David Hughes and Jennifer Cobina, Ph.D., will join Geoff Gibbs, J.D., M.B.A., for an upcoming BSFO panel focused on reimagining public safety.

Calls to “defund the police” dominated headlines in 2020, following the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and many other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement.

This Wednesday, Feb. 17, BSFO brings together a panel of experts from academia and law enforcement to envision an equitable design for the future of public safety, “Defund the Police: Reimagining Public Safety.”

Download an event flyer for “Defund the Police: Reimagining Public Safety” (PDF)
Download a Black History Month events flyer (PDF)

Speakers

Moderator: Geoff Gibbs, J.D., M.B.A., UC Legal

Geoff Gibbs joined UC Legal in 2015 with more than 25 years’ experience in commercial, regulatory and public-policy law. He currently serves as a commissioner on the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission and is a member of the Board of the San Francisco Planning & Urban Research Association (SPUR).  He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University; master’s degree in international relations from Oxford University, where he studied as a Rhodes Scholar; law degree from UC Berkeley and executive master’s degree in business administration from UCLA.

Panelist: Nikki Jones, Ph.D., UC Berkeley

Nikki Jones, professor of African-American Studies at UC Berkeley, studies the experiences of Black women, men and youth within the criminal legal system, policing and violence. Professor Jones has authored two books, “Between Good and Ghetto: African American Girls and Inner-City Violence” — winner of the 2009 New Scholar Award from the American Society of Criminology’s Division on People of Color and Crime — and “The Chosen Ones: Black Men and the Politics of Redemption.” Her current research focuses on systematic analysis of routine encounters between the police and civilians within the Black community.

Panelist: Major David Hughes, Newport News Virginia Sheriff’s Office

Major Hughes, professional standards bureau chief of the Newport News, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office, is an experienced law enforcement professional with more than 30 years’ service. He is a strong advocate for reforming police practices from within, and his opinion piece, “I’m a Black Police Officer. Here’s How to Change the System,” was featured in the New York Times in July 2020. Major Hughes has also shared his perspectives on policing and reform on podcasts such as “The Well” and “The Purple Conversation.”

Panelist: Jennifer Cobbina, Ph.D., Michigan State University

Jennifer Cobbina is an associate professor in the School of Criminal Justice at Michigan State University. Her primary research focuses on corrections, prisoner reentry and understanding recidivism versus desistance among recently released female offenders. Her secondary research examines how race, gender and neighborhood context impact victimization risks among minority youth. Professor Cobbina is the author of “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot: Why the Protests in Ferguson and Baltimore Matter, and How They Changed America.” Read the NPR book review.

Join us

What: Defund the Police Panel: Reimagining Public Safety
When: Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2 – 3:30 p.m.
Zoom: https://ucop.zoom.us/s/97308791915

• Webinar ID: 973 0879 1915
• Passcode: 532507
• One tap mobile: US: +16692192599,,97308791915#
• Dial In: +1 669 219 2599

For questions regarding this event, contact Ghanya Thomas or Latascha Magness-Cotton.

Save the Date: Fireside Chat with UC President Michael V. Drake, M.D., Moderated by Dr. Yvette Gullatt, Ph.D.

Feb. 24, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. | Fireside Chat Zoom link

Look for an event description in next week’s Link!

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