A Davis City Councilmember suggested that his town start its police reform efforts by getting rid of the word "police" and renaming the agency "the department of community safety."
Councilmember Will Arnold said the name change would only symbolize a commitment to reform.
"If all we did was change the name, that’s a failure," Arnold said. "Changing the name will help us make the serious real changes and get us to where our community wants to be."
Arnold added that he pictures a restructuring of police, so they’re not used as social workers and mental health counselors.
"Our police officers are tasked with too many varying responsibilities, several of which they're ill-trained or under-equipped to address," Arnold said. "And I come to this from many conversations with officers themselves."
Arnold's father was a police officer in San Francisco in the 1970s. The Councilmember said this measure would support officers and would not mean defunding the agency.
"At least initially, this mission may require more funds and not less," Arnold told KCBS Radio. "Particularly, our partnership with Yolo County is very important as we look to staff and fund positions within the new department."
He added that he is still working out legal issues before presenting the proposal to the council.
"Some parts of state law do refer specifically to police, do refer specifically to a police chief as a city employee that a city must have," said Arnold.
KCBS Radio has reached out for comment, but has not yet heard back from the Davis Police Department.