Santa Cruz Police Chief and Mayor make national headlines

2 local leaders kneel in solidarity during weekend George Floyd protest in Santa Cruz

ONE OF THE MOSTPOIGNANT IMAGESCAPTURED OVER THEWEEKEND... THE MAYAND POLICE CHIEF OFSANTA CRUZ SIDE BY SIDEAT A PROTEST.ACTION NEWS EIGHTREPORTER PHIL GOMEZSHOWS US THE NATIONALIMPACT OF ONE PICTURE.##"A CANDID PHOTOGRAPHTAKEN BY LOCALPHOTOGRAHER SHMUELTHALER, HAS REACHED THEEYES OF THE WORLD"JOY FLYNN DIDN'T FEELENOUGH WAS BEING SAIDABOUT THE HORRIFICDEATH OF GEORGEFLOYD SHE SENSED THECOMMUNITY WAS FEELIGTHE GAMMUT OFEMOTIONS, ANGER,SADNESS, DISMAY SHEDECIDED TO TAKE ACTIONAND GET THE WORD OUT" I SENT OUT A TEXT TO AGROUP OF WOMEN THAT I'MA PART OF 'BLACK GIRL MAGICSANTA CRUZ" I SAID TTHEM, MEET ME AT THECLOCK TOWER AT 9:00,SATURDAY.WE'LL KNEEL IN SOLIDARITWORD SPREAD QUICKLYTHROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA.ABOUT ONE THOUSANDPEOPLE TURNEDOUT--SOCIALDISTANCING--ANDCOMING TOGETHER ASONE VOICE BUT THISPOWERFUL IMAGE--TAKEN BY SHMUELTHALER CAPTURED THEREAL MOMENT WHENSANTA CRUZ POLICECHIEF ANDY MILLS ANDSANTA CRUZ MAYORJUSTIN CUMMINGS KNELTSIDE-BY-SIDE DURINGTHAT ACTION."AND I WAS REALLY PROUD TOSEE, THAT OUR POLICE CHIEFWAS ONE OF THE FIRST TOCOME OUT AND SAYSOMETHING ABOUT IT""I REALLY DIDN'T EVEN KNOWTHE CAMERA WAS THERE.THIS WAS TRULLY AHEARTFELT RESPONE TO A TRUTRAVISTY IN THE MURDEROF, GEORGE FLOYD"IN THEIR SOLIDARITYBOTH MEN REALIZETHERE'S MORE THAT CANBE DONE TO BRINGCHANGE AND HAVE AVIRTUAL COMMUNITYMEETING SCHEDULED FORTHIS WEEK."THE POLICE CHIEF AND IARE GOING TO HAVE ADIALOGUE WITH THECOMMUNITY TO UDNERSTANDWHAT CHANGES THECOMMUNITY WOULD LIKE TOSEE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'SREALLY GOING TO GET USMOVING FORWARD""ONE IS TO HEAR THE INPUTFROM THE COMMUNITYMAYBE THEY HAVE IDEASTHAT I HADN'T THOUGHTABOUT.WE HAVE A LOT OF SMARTPEOPLE IN OUR TOWN ANDSO THEY MAY BE ABLE TOTELL US THINGS WE COULD DOBETTER"THEIR SPONTANEOUSREACTION HAS BECOMEA SYMBOL FOR PEACEFULPROTESTS AND KEEPINGPEOPLE SAF"I'M SURPRISED THAT'S REALLYCOOL.

I WAS INVOLVED INSOME ASPECT TO BE ABLETO CREATE THAT MOMENT.

IMEAN, I FEEL THATMOMENTI WASSO GLAD THAT THEYPARTICIPATED""THE VIRTUAL TOWN HALLMEETING IS SHEDULED TOTAKE PLACE THISWEDNESDAY FROM 6-TO-8PM IN SANTA CRUZ, PHILGOME, KSBW ACTIONNEWS 8"