Leadership Profile: Dr. LaTesha Watson seeks to build trust between public, police

Friends-

Sacramento (March 8, 2021) March is Women’s History Month, and my office is celebrating by highlighting the amazing group of women who are leading change in the City of Sacramento. We’ll be running short profiles on each of them and featuring them in live discussions broadcast on our Facebook and Youtube channels.

We’re kicking off the series today, International Women’s Day, with a feature on Dr. LaTesha Watson, who was hired by the City last spring to run the Office of Public Safety Accountability, which investigates complaints about police misconduct and has the authority to recommend systemic change in police practices. Dr. Watson will also oversee our new Inspector General, who will conduct independent, publicly released investigations of officer use-of-force incidents.

Name: Dr. LaTesha S. Watson

Education: I am currently pursing another doctorate degree. This will be a Ph.D. in International Psychology with a concentration in Organizations and Systems. All course work is complete and I will graduate upon completion of writing the dissertation. In 2010, I obtained my 1st Ph.D. in Management and Organizational Leadership. I completed a Master’s of Science degree in Criminology in 2003 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice.

Hometown: My father served in the U.S. Army. I was essentially a military brat and was born in Germany. Our family moved to Dallas, Texas once my father decided not to reenlist. 

Years in Sacramento: 10 months

Years in the position: 10 months

What do you view your mission as the head of the Office of Public Safety Accountability?

Leading the Office of Public Safety Accountability during such turbulent times requires a renewed focus on enhancing transparency and accountability. Our oversight responsibilities must place an emphasis on the  development of sustainable community relationships as well as relationships with internal and external stakeholders in order to improve public trust and legitimacy in the City of Sacramento. During this global pandemic, a key issue that has pushed to the forefront is engaging the community with so many restrictions and limitations. The City of Sacramento can not have an engaged community without an informed community.

 In your mind, what would Sacramento look like in 10 years?

Ten years from now, the City of Sacramento will have successfully completed the hard work necessary to improve police-community relations. The Truth, Reform, & Reconciliation Project, which I will have spearheaded in the summer of 2021, will have placed the Sacramento Police Department, Sacramento Community Police Review Commission, and its public on the pathway to working more collaboratively together in seeking solutions to problems in the community.

 What is the biggest challenge you face in your position?

Improving police-community relations in the City of Sacramento

 What is the biggest opportunity?

Improving police-community relations in the City of Sacramento

 Describe a memorable experience or person in your life that had an influence on where you are now?

The most memorable experience in my career occurred when I was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief of Police and attended my first community back-to-school event as a Deputy Police Chief in the organization. I was to assigned to lead the oldest and lowest socio-economic area in the City of Arlington (TX) as well as the most diverse area.

While interacting with the community members t the back-to-school event, I was approached by two little girls with huge, puffy ponytails. One of the little girls, who looked to be approximately 6 years old, asked me if I told boys what to do because the male officer standing at the door told her that I was his boss. I replied to her that I was the officer’s boss and that I did tell boys what to do. The look in her eyes was unforgettable. She seemed to be in shock. She then asked how many boys I told what to do and I told her that I told hundreds of boys what to do. Her eyes remained huge and she looked at her sister and told her that she didn’t know that girls could tell boys what to do. The girls’ mother ran over to us and apologized for her children bothering me but they had not been in the presence of a female in charge. The youngest child then advised that she was going to kindergarten on Monday and do I think that she could tell the boys in her class what to do. I replied, “Of course, you can tell the boys in your class what to do!”

I wish that I would have gotten her mother’s contact information to find out if any chaos occurred the first day of school. I am convinced that she went to school and was telling all of the boys what to do! LOL

I will always be inspired after meeting those little girls and experiencing their fascination of meeting a minority female leader that looked just like them.