POMONA (Sept. 17, 2015) – The Board of State and Community Corrections is moving forward on a new grant designed to help strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The Board voted to approve establishment of an Executive Steering Committee that will develop requirements for the $6 million in funding that will be available through the new Strengthening Law Enforcement and Community Relations grant. The Board selected as Chair new Board Member David Bejarano, chief of the Chula Vista Police Department. The Budget Act of 2015 established the grant to provide law enforcement training on issues such as implicit bias and assessing the status of law enforcement-community relations, and to establish problem-oriented initiatives such as Operation Ceasefire, behavioral health programs and restorative justice programs. It also provides for funding for research to examine how local policing services currently are being delivered and to assess existing relationships, among other things. The BSCC plans for the Executive Steering Committee to develop its Request for Proposals by early next year. The RFP is expected to be released to the public after the Board’s February 2016 meeting. Applications for funding will be due in April 2016, with contracts starting July 1, 2016. The BSCC will accept statements of interest from members of the public who would like to serve on the Executive Steering Committee from Sept. 18, 2015 to Oct. 9, 2015. Please visit www.bscc.ca.gov For more information please contact: Ricardo Goodridge at 916-341-5160 or at ricardo.goodridge@bscc.ca.gov