Community

Durkan, Best Announce Plan To Relaunch Seattle’s Community Service Officer Program

THE SEATTLE MEDIUM — After extensive input from community, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best announced the City of Seattle will relaunch its Community Service Officer Program and the Seattle Police Department will hire 12 new Community Services Officers (CSOs), including two supervisors, to help residents and businesses involved in non-criminal calls navigate services, engage with communities and neighborhoods, and support programming for at-risk youth.

Published

7 years ago

May 1, 2019

Oakland Post

By The Seattle Medium

After extensive input from community, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and Seattle Police Chief Carmen Best announced the City of Seattle will relaunch its Community Service Officer Program and the Seattle Police Department will hire 12 new Community Services Officers (CSOs), including two supervisors, to help residents and businesses involved in non-criminal calls navigate services, engage with communities and neighborhoods, and support programming for at-risk youth.

The CSO program previously operated for 33 years, until 2004, when it was discontinued due to budget limitations. In the 2017-18 Biennial Budget, the Seattle City Council set aside funding for Community Service Officer (CSO) program development in 2017 and initial implementation in the second quarter of 2018. Mayor Durkan’s 2018 budget provided the resources needed to implement a new CSO Program under the vision of Chief Best.

“We must continue to build trust between communities and the Seattle Police Department, and we must constantly renew our City’s commitment to true community-based policing,” said Durkan. “Relaunching our Community Service Officers Program reflects our promise to make Seattle a safer, more inclusive place for all. With these new Community Service Officers and under Chief Best’s leadership, we can do more to connect residents with the services they need, engage with communities and neighborhoods, and support at-risk youth. I thank the City Council for being stalwart supporters of that program and helping make sure we had these resources.”

“The Community Service Officer program has a rich history within our department and our community,” said Best. “I am pleased that this program is being restored and will once again support our police officers in their work to promote public safety in our neighborhoods.”

“I am excited for the Seattle Police Department to roll out this critical public safety program that will provide a helpful resource to both the community and our police officers,” said Seattle City Councilmember M. Lorena González. “The Seattle City Council has championed the revival of the CSO Unit since 2016, and I believe the program’s renewal will allow Seattleites to receive additional public safety services by these community-based service officers, while sworn officers gain additional capacity to focus on crime prevention and investigations.”

SPD’s Community Service Officer Unit will be staffed by non-commissioned officers who are trained and work as liaison personnel between the community and the SPD, and support SPD’s community-oriented policing strategies. CSOs respond to and address public safety concerns that do not immediately require a police officer or other agency response. CSOs do not carry weapons or enforce criminal laws but will work to bridge the gap between non-criminal service calls and a variety of public safety-related community service and outreach work throughout Seattle’s communities.

To help determine the focus and meet the needs of the communities serviced, SPD in partnership with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), engaged community-based organizations in the process, hosting more than 30 meetings throughout the city. SPD will conduct additional community engagement over the coming months with stakeholders to obtain additional feedback before the City begins the hiring process for the CSO roles.

Community Service Officers will engage residents and businesses across the City and SPD is working with the Department of Neighborhoods (DON) to develop a comprehensive outreach strategy to recruit a diverse applicant pool that is representative of Seattle’s diverse communities. The SPD seeks to fill the open CSO positions with individuals from demographic groups currently underrepresented in the Police department, including elders, immigrants, and individuals with past involvement in the criminal justice system.

The City’s new CSOs have three key responsibilities:

Help Residents Navigate Services: The officers will respond to non-criminal calls that do not require the enforcement authority of a sworn police officer. They will evaluate the needs of residents, including people experiencing homelessness, at-risk youth, individuals struggling with substance use disorder, and the elderly. They will also connect people with available City services and programs like diversion opportunities, youth programming, emergency services (e.g., housing, food or other), elder services, and behavioral health services. They will also help mediate conflict, such as family, landlord/tenant and neighbor disputes, investigates the cause and identifies solutions or refers parties to appropriate services (e.g., counseling or legal assistance).

Engaging with Communities and Neighborhoods: CSOs will help develop and execute outreach plans and maintain relationships with community partners and cultivates new partnerships. They will prepare outreach materials, including but not limited to brochures, pamphlets or other written and web-based materials, attend relevant community events and meetings, and coordinates special events, projects or activities.

Support Programming for At-Risk Youth: CSOs will help develop youth-focused programming, facilitate opportunities for youth to interact with SPD Police Officers, and build and maintain relationships with community-based youth organizations and service providers. They will also provide service referrals for youth and their families, and attend SPD, school and community-hosted events and activities.

When hired, the City’s CSOs work assigned areas of the City on foot or in marked CSO vehicles, responding to radio dispatched calls for service. CSOs may assist with mediating non-violent disputes (for example, family, neighborhood, and landlord/tenant) and provide follow-up on calls for non-criminal emergency services. They will work closely with dispatchers, police officers, parking enforcement officers, crime prevention personnel and various social service agencies to coordinate police and social services and exchange information.

This article originally appeared in The Seattle Medium.

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Community

Mayor Barbara Lee Holds Special State of the City Address in Deep East Oakland

In partnership with Rise East and the 40×40 Council, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee held a special 2026 State of the City East Oakland community conversation on Oct. 14. The purpose of bringing a State of the City address directly to the community was to celebrate East Oakland, highli

Published

5 days ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee, left. moderated a community chat with (l.to r.) Selena Wilson, CEO of the East Oakland Youth Development Center; Carolyn “CJ” Johnson, CEO of the Black Cultural Zone; Dr. Noha Aboelata, CEO of Roots Health Center and Greg Hodge, CEO of the Brotherhood of Elders.

By Special to The Post

In partnership with Rise East and the 40×40 Council, Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee held a special 2026 State of the City East Oakland community conversation on Oct. 14.

The purpose of bringing a State of the City address directly to the community was to celebrate East Oakland, highlight the work underway, and look ahead to what neighbors, local businesses, youth, funders, community organizations, and partners can accomplish together.

Held at the Roots Community Health/Parker Elementary School Campus at 7929 Ney Ave., the event was emceed by special guest Mark Curry, Oakland native, comedian, and actor.

Lee shared how Rise East and the 40×40 Council have brought together the knowledge, relationships, and resources of people and organizations committed to East Oakland.

Residents bring lived experience, community organizations bring trusted relationships and philanthropy, and businesses bring resources and opportunity, she said, then turned to the government’s role: public investment, services and policy.

But, Lee intoned, City Hall has a responsibility to help connect those efforts.

“I am committed to listening to residents, working across departments and sectors, and helping open doors to opportunity. We must connect neighborhood priorities to the decisions we make about housing, economic development, safety, health and our young people.

City Hall “must be accountable for the results,” Lee said. “The measure of success is what families experience: greater stability, more opportunity and a stronger sense that they belong and have a future here.

“Tonight is an opportunity to listen to the leaders doing this work, learn what is making a difference and identify where we can do more together,” the mayor said.

Lee went on to moderate a ‘fireside chat’ on the theme: Building Oakland’s Future Together — From Neighborhood Investment to Community Empowerment with:

Selena Wilson, CEO, East Oakland Youth Development Center
Greg Hodge, CEO, Brotherhood of Elders
Carolyn “CJ” Johnson, CEO, Black Cultural Zone
Dr. Noha Aboelata, CEO, Roots Health Center

Mayor Barbara Lee’s media relations department provided this report.

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Black History

Practitioners of African Traditional Spirituality Offer Ancestral Reverence Ritual Oct. 31

The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence will host “Ancestral Souls Rising” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, featuring a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion. Led by elders and priests across the African diaspora, the seventh annual ritual honors those lost without traditional rites while addressing current social challenges. This year’s event connects ancestral wisdom with contemporary issues, including a two-day conversation inspired by Afro-Beat music focused on Black community solidarity and the sacred importance of voting. Read more for details on the ritual schedule and participants.

Published

5 days ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

Oakland native Nedra Williams writes sacred symbols on the ground in San Leandro. Courtesy photo.

By Special to The Post

The Council for Global Ancestral Reverence (C4GAR), a group of elders who practice African traditional spirituality, will lead a three-day gathering of prayer and discussion from Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

Called ‘Ancestral Souls Rising,’ the council members and 21 priests will lead the prayers from many parts of the African diaspora: Africa, Portugal, and across the U.S. from Maryland to the Bay Area.

Now in its seventh year, the annual ritual began during the 2020 pandemic when hundreds of thousands of people died alone and were buried in mass graves without rites and rituals according to loved ones’ traditions.

This prayer event was and is intended to give peace to the departed and comfort for the living who still mourn. Each year, we gather names of new ancestors from living elders to elevate them into the “Great Hall of the Titans.”

In ensuing years, C4GAR added themes to the prayer gathering that referenced current events. In 2024, before the consequential presidential election, C4GAR called on people to vote, invoking the memory of Civil Rights Movement heroes and heroines like John Lewis, who urged “Good Trouble,” and Fannie Lou Hamer, who famously declared that she was “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

The day of global Prayer on Oct. 31 will be followed by a two-day conversation inspired by “The Blueprint,” an Afro-Beat song by UyiosaEl, to write our new blueprint that supports solidarity and action in the Black community.

“Our elders have, for many generations, known the power of prayer, ritual and breath,” the council said in a statement.

It was and is their intention, then, to use the cultural wisdom, the gift of prayer “and the most sacred thing we have, our breath, to send energy into the world that invokes and honors our ancestors,” the council statement continued.

“Doing this creates a vibration that protects us and employs their ancient wisdom for the well-being of our communities,” the elders said.

The councilmembers, all over the age of 60, recognize that what is now history for so many was once their lived experience. And that history, those joys and sorrows, are now in their bodies.

To them, the uttered prayer and the sacred breath are oaths to an unfolding future that people can still shape.

The council members are Dr. Iyabeji Cathy Royal, Iyalocha Jennifer Dillard, Manbo Charlene Desir (Florida), Nana Sula Spirit (Louisiana), Baba Obafemi Feyemi, Ohen Nedra T. Williams, and Iyalocha Wanda Ravernell-Stewart Emeritus (Oakland).

This year, they also encourage everyone within their reach to VOTE because it is not only a secular and political act, but a sacred one. Remember, the ancestors were denied that right and died for it.

For tickets, go to:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/council-for-global-ancestral-reverence-presents-ancestral-souls-rising-26-tickets-2003127345814?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Community

It’s Time to Lose Weight Before the Holidays

Licensed internist Dr. H. Geoffrey Watson has joined gastroenterologist Dr. Ralph Peterson at Oakland’s MacArthur GI to address the rising obesity epidemic. With U.S. obesity rates reaching 42.4%, the clinic offers supervised weight-loss programs and screenings for fatty liver disease. Treatments include dietary counseling and various medications, such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, which regulate digestion and appetite. As certain populations continue to be disproportionately affected by chronic health conditions, medical experts are highlighting new tools available to help patients reach their goals before the holiday season. Read more.

Published

5 days ago

October 19, 2026

Post News Group

By Special to The Post

Dr. H. Geoffrey Watson, a licensed internist, has joined renowned gastroenterologist Dr. Ralph Peterson at MacArthur GI in Oakland to address obesity, provide supervised weight-loss programs including GLP-1 therapy, and screen for and treat fatty liver disease.

The Obesity Epidemic

Obesity is associated with numerous chronic health problems, including hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, depression, joint disorders, fatty liver disease, and high cholesterol. Its causes include genetics, environment, stress, medication side effects, hormonal imbalances, and other factors.

Since 1999, the prevalence of obesity in the United States has risen from 30.5% to 42.4%. Childhood obesity rates are also climbing, with approximately 19.3% of children and adolescents now affected.

Measuring Obesity: Body Mass Index

Obesity is measured using a formula called the Body Mass Index (BMI). You can calculate your own BMI on most smartphones by searching “BMI calculator” and entering your height and weight. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or greater is classified as obese.

Populations Disproportionately Affected

Obesity affects certain populations at higher rates. Among U.S. adults, obesity prevalence is 49.9% in Black adults, 45.6% in Hispanic adults, 41.4% in White adults, and 16.1% in Asian adults.

Treatment Options

A variety of treatments are available for obesity, including dietary counseling, exercise programs, bariatric surgery, and anti-obesity medications.

Common oral medications include:

• Adipex (phentermine): A stimulant that works by suppressing appetite.

• Contrave (bupropion/naltrexone): A combination of an antidepressant and an anti-addiction medication that helps control appetite and cravings.

• Qsymia (phentermine/topiramate): A combination of a stimulant and an anti-seizure medication that reduces appetite and cravings.

GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists were originally approved to treat type 2 diabetes. GLP-1 is a hormone produced naturally by the body that regulates digestion, blood sugar, and appetite by communicating with GLP-1 receptor cells throughout the digestive tract. These medications reduce cravings, appetite, and food intake by influencing the hunger hormones ghrelin, which stimulates hunger, and leptin, which signals fullness.

What We Offer

Drs. Peterson and Watson provide FDA-approved tirzepatide injections, a GLP-1 receptor agonist medication indicated for weight management. Each patient receives a comprehensive history and physical examination to ensure the safety and appropriateness of the medication as part of an overall weight-loss protocol. Dr. Peterson also offers ultrasound screening for fatty liver disease.

We look forward to helping you reach your weight-loss goals and feel your best this holiday season.

H. Geoffrey Watson, M.D., runs the MacArthur GI Clinic at 10520 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA. He can be reached at (510) 562-7467.