City Government, Community, Police Department, Public Safety

Public safety and law enforcement in Hayward

September 8, 2020

The City of Hayward invites all residents to participate in a program of community-based conversations and a survey about attitudes, priorities and experiences of Hayward community members related to public safety and law enforcement.

The program, which launches this month, was developed and is being carried out in response to concerns raised by Hayward community members about law enforcement and race following the brutal killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis, Minn., police officer and by recent officer-involved shootings that have taken place locally.

One element of the program is a webpage available here on the City of Hayward website through which community members can learn more, follow progress of the work and get involved.  Community members are invited to join community discussions and interviews through September and October.  To participate, fill out the interest form on the community conversations webpage available here.

Findings from the survey, which will be administered to a statistically significant and representative sample of Hayward residents; information and opinions shared during the community-based conversations; and data on Hayward Police Department funding, staffing, structure and operations all will be presented during a public meeting or meetings of the City Council in mid to late October.

All of the data, information and ideas gathered through the process—including public comment provided during Council meetings—are intended to provide a foundation for future budgetary, policy and administrative decisions by the Council, City Manager Kelly McAdoo and Chief of Police Toney Chaplin.