Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Trump Says Many Are Starving in Gaza, Vows to Set up Food Centers

16 hours ago

California Governor Candidate Stirs Outrage With Auschwitz ‘Unemployment Plan’ Post

17 hours ago

Gold Price to Stay Above $3,000/Oz as Flight to Safety Endures

18 hours ago

S&P, Nasdaq at Record Highs as US-EU Trade Deal Sparks Optimism in Pivotal Week

18 hours ago

Trump Warns Iran That Its Nuclear Sites Could Be Bombed Again

18 hours ago

Israel Announces Daily Pauses in Gaza Fighting as Aid Airdrops Begin

2 days ago

California School Board Resigns After Audit Reveals $180M in Improper Funding

3 days ago

A First Look at Fresno State’s Quarterback Battle

4 days ago
'Father of Community Policing' Is Advising Fresno Reform Commission
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 5 years ago on
June 19, 2020

Share

Lee P. Brown, who is among America’s leading experts on community policing, is consulting with the Fresno Commission on Police Reform, the group’s chairman, Oliver Baines, said Thursday.

“We’re truly fortunate to have (Lee Brown) giving us his thoughts and recommendations, and sharing his expertise.” — Oliver Baines, chairman, Fresno Police Reform Commission

“This is a great win for Fresno,” Baines said. “Dr. Brown is considered the father of community-based policing. We’re truly fortunate to have him giving us his thoughts and recommendations, and sharing his expertise.”

Deep Ties to Fresno

Brown’s ties to Fresno run deep. He grew up in Fowler and graduated from Fresno State in 1960 with a criminology degree. Beginning as a patrol officer in San Jose, Brown went on to lead police departments in Atlanta, Houston, and New York City. He also served as President Clinton’s drug czar and is a former three-term mayor of Houston.

Brown has a master’s degree in sociology from San Jose State and a master’s and a doctorate in criminology from UC Berkley.

Began Community Policing in Houston

“I was chatting with him about how community policing evolved,” said Baines, a former Fresno police officer and city councilman. “It was an amazing story of trial and error. He was doing this with police departments more than 30 years ago, and it was very unpopular with the departments. He was such a visionary developing what now is considered the standard in policing.”

Beginning as a patrol officer in San Jose, Brown went on to lead police departments in Atlanta, Houston, and New York City. He also served as President Clinton’s drug czar and is a former three-term mayor of Houston.

As public safety commissioner of Atlanta from 1978 to 1982, Brown and his staff oversaw the investigation of the Atlanta Child Murders case and increased the hiring of African American officers. He resigned that position to become Houston’s first African American police chief. While in Houston, Brown implemented community policing.

In the late 1980s, Brown entered politics and became Houston’s first African American mayor.

Police Reform Commission Members Announced

Fresno Mayor Lee Brown and other city officials announced the names of the reform commission’s 37 members at a 2 p.m. news conference today at City Hall.

The commission includes residents, advocates, and experts on public safety and community policing. It is tasked with making reform recommendations to the Fresno City Council within 90 days.

“This task force is made up of leaders from a diverse collection of stakeholder communities and will put their voices at the center of our in-depth and vital conversations about the future of policing in the city of Fresno,” said Fresno Mayor Lee Brand. ‘’The focus of our discussions will be centered on developing solutions for real and sustained change that make Fresno a better, safer place for all.”

Council president Miguel Arias said, While this commission’s work will be extremely difficult, our community deserves nothing less than our best collaboration. The commission is representative of our diversity and the communities most impacted by public safety. We are honored that they have accepted the call to serve as we take action to improve public safety for our whole city.”

Commission Members

Oliver Baines, chair

D’Aungillique Jackson – president, Fresno State NAACP

Sandra Celedon, executive director, Fresno Building Healthy Communities

Greg Garner, retired Selma police chief

Mariah Thompson, National Lawyers Guild

Todd Frazier, president, Fresno Police Officers Association

Aaron Foster, Faith in the Valley

Ron Manning, sergeant, Fresno Police Department

Bob Mitchell, community leader

Ashley Rojas, executive director, Fresno Barrios Unidos

Michael S. Reid JD, MBA, deputy chief, Fresno Police Department

Luisa Medina, community member

Scott Baly, Fresno County Public Defender’s Office

Angie Isaak, retired Fresno Police Officer

Dr. Joseph Jones, president, Fresno Pacific University

Deep Singh, Jakara Movement

Efrain Botello, Boys and Men of Color

Mark Salazar, captain, Fresno Police Department

Brian King, Fresno EOC Street Saints

Annalisa Perea, trustee, State Center Community College

Dr. James Pitts, Fresno State Criminology professor

Gloria Hernandez, community advocate

Mai Thao, civic engagement director, Hmong Innovating Politics

Grisanti Valencia, Youth Organize California

Pastor DJ Criner, Saint Rest Baptist Church

Pastor BT Lewis, Rising Star Church

Keisha Thomas, trustee, Fresno Unified School District

Veva Islas, trustee, Fresno Unified School District

Marcel Woodruff, Faith in the Valley

Phil Cooley, deputy chief, Fresno Police Department

Adrian Jones, chair, Fresno Housing Authority

Brandon Dixon-James, financial advisor

Rev. Simon Biasell, Woven Community, Westminster Presbyterian Church

Rod Wade Jr., United Fresno

John Leal, trustee, State Center Community College District

Gail Gaston, community advocate

Robert H. Oliver, retired judge

 

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Two Arrested in Dollar General Burglary in Fowler, Third Suspect at Large

DON'T MISS

New York City Mayor Says ‘Active Shooter’ Incident Taking Place in Manhattan

DON'T MISS

Shooting Outside Casino in Reno, Nevada, Leaves 3 Victims Dead, 2 Critically Wounded

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Repeat DUI Offender Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Deadly Crash

DON'T MISS

Venezuelan Little League Team Denied Entry to US Over Travel Ban

DON'T MISS

Fresno Seals Deal with Police Union. No Deal Yet With Firefighters.

DON'T MISS

North Korea Says Trump Must Accept New Nuclear Reality

DON'T MISS

What Does Trump Crackdown on Homelessness Mean for California?

DON'T MISS

Naindeep Singh Joins Fresno City Council Race as Campaign Fundraising Totals Roll In

DON'T MISS

Fresno Home Suffers Major Damage in Saturday Night Fire, Family Cat Rescued

UP NEXT

Fresno County Repeat DUI Offender Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Deadly Crash

UP NEXT

Fresno Seals Deal with Police Union. No Deal Yet With Firefighters.

UP NEXT

Fresno Home Suffers Major Damage in Saturday Night Fire, Family Cat Rescued

UP NEXT

Fox Business News Host Throws Shade at Merced Over High-Speed Rail

UP NEXT

Fresno Man Sentenced to 7.5 Years for Role in Opioid Trafficking Scheme

UP NEXT

Tulare County Wildfire Advisory Issued Near Lake Kaweah

UP NEXT

Fresno’s Mission Thrift Has Its Third Fire in Recent Weeks

UP NEXT

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Barbie Nicole Hall

UP NEXT

Tulare County Authorities Searching for Two Armed Suspects After Terra Bella Carjacking

UP NEXT

State Zeroes In on the Sinking San Joaquin Valley

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

Fresno County Repeat DUI Offender Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Deadly Crash

10 hours ago

Venezuelan Little League Team Denied Entry to US Over Travel Ban

10 hours ago

Fresno Seals Deal with Police Union. No Deal Yet With Firefighters.

11 hours ago

North Korea Says Trump Must Accept New Nuclear Reality

11 hours ago

What Does Trump Crackdown on Homelessness Mean for California?

12 hours ago

Naindeep Singh Joins Fresno City Council Race as Campaign Fundraising Totals Roll In

12 hours ago

Fresno Home Suffers Major Damage in Saturday Night Fire, Family Cat Rescued

13 hours ago

Senator to Unveil Aviation Safety Bill on Eve of Fatal Crash Hearing

13 hours ago

Fox Business News Host Throws Shade at Merced Over High-Speed Rail

13 hours ago

Trump Says He Turned Down Invitation to Epstein’s Island

13 hours ago

Two Arrested in Dollar General Burglary in Fowler, Third Suspect at Large

Two suspects are behind bars after a commercial burglary at a Dollar General in Fowler, the Fowler Police Department said on Monday. Officer...

9 hours ago

Two repeat theft offenders were arrested and a third suspect remains at large after a burglary at a Dollar General in Fowler, police said. (Fowler PD)
9 hours ago

Two Arrested in Dollar General Burglary in Fowler, Third Suspect at Large

New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference at City Hall in Manhattan in New York City, U.S., June 3, 2025. (Reuters File)
9 hours ago

New York City Mayor Says ‘Active Shooter’ Incident Taking Place in Manhattan

The Grand Sierra Resort casino is seen after a fatal shooting in Reno, Nevada, U.S., July 28, 2025 in this still image taken from a video. ABC Affiliate KOLO via REUTERS
10 hours ago

Shooting Outside Casino in Reno, Nevada, Leaves 3 Victims Dead, 2 Critically Wounded

10 hours ago

Fresno County Repeat DUI Offender Sentenced to 15 Years to Life for Deadly Crash

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a nuclear cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (not pictured), at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 16, 2025. (Reuters/Umit Bektas)
10 hours ago

Venezuelan Little League Team Denied Entry to US Over Travel Ban

Fresno City Hall Fresno Police Officers Association
11 hours ago

Fresno Seals Deal with Police Union. No Deal Yet With Firefighters.

Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un attends wreath laying ceremony at Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi, Vietnam March 2, 2019. (Reuters File)
11 hours ago

North Korea Says Trump Must Accept New Nuclear Reality

San Diego Homeless Encampment
12 hours ago

What Does Trump Crackdown on Homelessness Mean for California?

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend