Juan J. Guevara
Born and Raised in San Benito County
My mother immigrated from Mexico to San Benito County where she raised my siblings and I on her own. We went to local schools including Sunnyslope School, Maze Middle School, and graduated from our very own San Benito High School.
Prevention and Protection Matter.
Community Engagement
We need to dramatically increase public safety’s community engagement in San Benito County.
Community engagement is critical because it allows law enforcement to build positive relationships with community members. Unfortunately, building these healthy relationships is difficult when community members may only meet officers when they need to dial 911.
There are simple ways to engage with the community, such as coffee with a cop, shop with a cop, and other similar programs that many departments are already employing. However, the sky’s the limit when thinking of events to foster positive relationships; it requires initiative from the agency and demands going to the public rather than waiting for the public to come to us.
Community engagement is a philosophy that must be embraced on an organizational level, and it needs to be at the foundation of the agency.
Training and Development
If elected, I will prioritize training and development for all members of the sheriff’s office.
In addition to training in areas such as driving under the influence, narcotics, and violent crimes, I will add much-needed training in areas including modern technology, homelessness, and finding the best practices in addressing the rising concern of mental illness. Also, I believe we should improve our collaboration with community members, both on a personal and an organizational level. I will be aggressive in searching for training opportunities that will enable us to deliver an enhanced quality of service to the community.
What I've noticed throughout my career, is that the public is just as interested in training opportunities as law enforcement agencies. Therefore, I will make sure that those in the community who want training will receive it. I promise to be proactive with involving the community by offering presentations, inviting community members to in-house training, and requesting valuable input.
Finally, it is well known that training and development are important when it comes to recruiting and retaining staff. No one likes to feel stagnant or limited in their profession. Prioritizing training and development will not only enable us to better serve the community, but will also help us effectively address the workforce crisis that many agencies are facing.
Accountability
I believe, that in order to further build public trust and improve our relationship with the community, police need to promote a culture that accepts responsibility and embraces transparency.
When issues involving potential police wrongdoing arise, law enforcement agencies need to quickly and publicly address the matter in order to demonstrate their commitment to the community and show accordance with policy.
In order to accomplish this change, we will have to shift our approach to policing. Some call this change embracing a guardian mindset, rather than a warrior or soldier mindset. The difference between the two mindsets makes a fundamental difference in how officers interact with the community. Warriors can be rigid and distant, where guardians are considered members of the community and above all else, responsible for safeguarding others.
We also need to provide the community with the means to communicate their concerns. This can be done by conducting surveys and by holding meetings open to all members of the public. Meetings will also allow community members the opportunity to directly ask questions. Surveys will allow us to measure our performance and guide us to a better relationship with the community.
I am determined to improve public safety’s sense of responsibility to each member and segment of this community. Law enforcement, after all, is a public institution designed to serve.
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My campaign has been about connecting more with all community members. I do this because
I understand how important it is for law enforcement
to have a positive and approachable relationship
with the people we serve.
Calavera Coffee
Calavera Coffee
Calavera Coffee
Farmhouse Cafe
Calavera Coffee
Calavera Coffee
Heavenly Bakery
Calavera Coffee
Heavenly Bakery
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