Brookhaven’s new Social Justice, Race and Equity Commission named staff liaisons for its speciality topic subcommittees at its second meeting on Jan. 21.
The commission was established in September to address diversity and social justice in the wake of months of protests against police brutality and racial injustice. The commission is scheduled to next meet on Feb. 18.
The commission will include four subcommittees designed to review the city’s mission statement and vision; hiring and retention practices; procurement processes; and police department accountability in regard to use of force.
The staff liaisons for each subcommittee are as follows:
- Vision/Mission subcommittee staff liaison: City Manager Christian Sigman.
- Contracting subcommittee staff liaison: Steven Chapman, assistant city manager and chief financial officer.
- Hiring subcommittee staff liaison: Helena Kallas, a human resources professional.
- Continuum of Force subcommittee staff liaison: Maj. Shameta Jones-Harrell, commander of the Support Services Division for the Brookhaven Police Department
Co-chairs for the subcommittees will be selected at a later date and will serve on an executive committee with Chairman John Funny.
“They’re going to be the ones that are going to be answering a lot of questions with regards to the different departments that they’re working with,” Funny said. “So we’re very pleased to have the staff liaisons working with this commission.”