To the Fairfax County Community,
We are all navigating a difficult space right now. Our conversations about systemic inequalities are layered on top of similar problems that were heightened due to COVID-19. People are looking to their local government for leadership as we try to heal and to recover. They are also looking for their leaders to listen.
Today, I introduced several actions at our Board meeting:
- I announced my Taskforce on Equity & Opportunity. It will be guided by the community and will explore a range of situations and policies that contribute to disproportionate trends and simultaneously facilitate shared responsibility and collective action.
- The recommendations of the Taskforce will be presented to the Chairman through a preliminary report in December 2020 and final recommendations by the end of June 2021, with regular updates in the interim.
- The Board unanimously passed my motion directing staff to identify options to fund Phase 2 of the body-worn camera program.
- Phase 1 has been fully implemented. Fairfax currently has 416 cameras issued across the County, but the program hasn't yet reached the whole County.
- The motion also requests a timeline and implementation plan by June 30.
- I brought forward a statement approved by the entire Board about racial injustices occurring both nationally and here at home.
We have work to be done. Action must be taken to implement new policies and change outdated ones. This work won't be simple - it will take time. But these are the challenges we are facing and we must have the courage to fight for what's right.
See below for the full June 9 edition. For the resources mentioned in past newsletters, visit my website. If you have a friend who would like to sign up for this newsletter, they can do so here.