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Public Safety Commission chair urges positive messaging after local homicide, calls for training and mentorship
Summary
Bishop LJ Guillory, chairperson of the Public Safety Commission, told the council the commission has pushed for ordinance changes and asked the city to highlight positive work after a recent homicide drew a multagency response; he said commissioner stipends are nominal and emphasized mentorship for young leaders.
Bishop LJ Guillory, chairperson of the Public Safety Commission, used the workshop’s public-comment period to urge the City Council to promote positive messages about Compton and to invest in training and mentorship for commissioners.
Guillory praised the meeting’s communication and recounted a past homicide that drew a multiagency task force response, saying that the city has at times hosted coordinated enforcement that included many outside departments. "Every time someone Google our city, the first thing that pops up is what is said in these public hearings and what is said in the news about our city," he said, urging the council to send out positive messages.
Why this matters: Guillory said the Public Safety Commission has brought items that led to ordinance amendments and efforts to address crime, and he argued for stronger training and recognition for commissioners to sustain civic involvement.
Key claims and requests
- Multiagency response cited: Guillory described a task force that included "almost 37 other police departments around the state" and named federal partners (DEA, FBI) in recounting a focused response to a local murder; he presented this as context for the commission’s public-safety work.
- Commissioner support and stipend: Guillory said commissioner stipends are minimal—"it's not even gas money"—and suggested that training and mentorship are more important than pay; he said he would not object to giving up a stipend if it meant preserving city staff jobs.
- Commission impact: Guillory credited the Public Safety Commission with bringing requests that led to ordinance amendments and to actions involving multiple agencies.
Council response and next steps
Council members thanked Guillory for his remarks; staff did not indicate a formal policy change at the workshop. Guillory’s statements were delivered as public comment and did not trigger an immediate formal council vote or directive during the session.
The council and staff noted they had taken the public’s feedback and would continue to work on commission outreach, training proposals and vacancies as part of the broader workshop follow-up.
