George Villas, a local activist and a member of the Flagstaff and Ferguson panel, said he was not surprised by the Dallas police shootings in light of recent controversial killings by police. In 2014, he called for the creation of a citizen review board that would have oversight of FPD discipline, policies and procedures. He is not satisfied with the Citizen Liaison Committee, which has none of that oversight power.

“The police are doing exactly what they have always done and are trained to do,” Villas said. “It is time for us as a community to stop trying to negotiate with police and call for their immediate disarming and disbanding."

Citizen Liaison Committee members said they don’t have to be on an oversight committee to make positive changes.

“Some people may be afraid to go to the police, so we need this committee to be there to be a bridge to the police,” said committee member Rose Toehe, formerly of Native Americans for Community Action. “I think the main thing is to have a trust factor around the committee so that people can trust us to speak for them if it’s needed.”