Petition calls for community-based alternatives to security presence
By LAILA AZHAR — features@theaggie.org
As of a few weeks ago, security guards equipped with gear — including tactical vests and tasers — have been present at the entrance of the Davis Food Co-op, a cooperatively owned grocery store in Downtown Davis.
“This partnership with the security company we selected has allowed our staff to refocus on their roles while creating a safer environment for everyone,” a statement released by the Co-op reads.
However, rather than harboring a safe shopping environment, this decision has sparked fear among many community members in Davis.
About a month ago, a petition titled “End the Militarized Security Presence at Our Davis Food Co-op” was released. It has now garnered over 250 signatures.
One of the organizers of the petition, who wishes to remain anonymous for security reasons, explained that the presence of security officers doesn’t necessitate feelings of safety.
“When you’re asking the question about safety, and you do a poll or ranking of what matters to community safety, to families, to friends, you’re often looking at things like shelter, food, income,” the organizer said. “Policing is largely last on that list. And so when we have this modern urge or instinct to equate safety with policing, I think there’s a massive misstep. It perverts the idea of what safety generally means to most of us on the ground level.”
As another organizer of the Davis Food Co-op petition explained, the decision to hire equipped security personnel may be considered especially unsettling in light of the role police forces have played in today’s political climate.
“There’s this kind of irony when you enter a space that’s supposed to be for the public good — supposed to be nurturing, providing care and food supply — and then all of a sudden you’re having flashbacks or your cortisol levels go up because you’re seeing the same kind of equipment that was used on your communities,” the organizer said.
They continued, citing recent United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids as an example.
“People are enduring these raids that are happening especially in city centers, by ICE agents, who are a lot of the time people who are not batched, and might as well be security guards with the same type of equipment or tactical gear,” the organizer said. “[Many] fear leaving their houses or [are more] watchful for their families, and then all of a sudden, they enter a space at Davis and the same type of thing is there.”
The petition calls for the removal of the security personnel, the introduction of workshops and programs to facilitate increased community outreach and input into security decisions, de-escalation training for Co-op staff and more transparent communication about where the Co-op feels security is lacking and how this can be better addressed by the local community.
As a third petition organizer, who also chose to remain anonymous, pointed out, the issues the Co-op has cited as reasons for their decision are likely symptoms of larger issues.
“Some of the issues that the Co-op might be experiencing [may] also be [symbolic] of bigger systemic things going on in Davis,” the organizer said. “There [are] a lot of financial resources available among those three groups [city, county resources and the resources of Co-op patrons] to help some of our more vulnerable neighbors who might be in a situation where stealing food or sleeping outside of a Co-op [are their only options] — which is probably not anyone’s first choice.”
They continued, asking how the money put toward security could be better utilized to benefit community members.
“Loss prevention is a reason given for hiring security, [which may] indicate that people have needs that aren’t being met,” the organizer said. “Maybe the Co-op could instead put more funding into programs to help people get [what they] need. What are the possible ways the Co-op could use the funding they’re using on security in a way that actually helps people in vulnerable positions, [rather than] criminalizing or intimidating them?”
Communication with the Co-op is currently underway. On Sept. 4, 2025, Samantha Conselman, the president of the Davis Food Co-op’s board, contacted the petition’s email address, dfcpetition2025@gmail.com, inviting members to voice their concerns at the Sept. 8 board meeting.
During the meeting, a handful of speakers addressed the Co-op board regarding these concerns; several others submitted written statements. While it is currently unclear what, if any, changes the Co-op will make, the organizers are hopeful that their concerns will be heard.
As one of the mentioned petition organizers pointed out, as a cooperatively owned store, this communication is an essential part of the Co-op’s mission.
“The Co-op is a community-owned, member-owned grocery store, so it feels really important that that democratic process [takes place] and members of the community are consulted when ethical and values-based decisions are made,” the organizer said. “We’re really hoping that the conversation can continue. One of the seven co-operative principles is ‘concern for community,’ and I just don’t feel like we’re seeing that in this decision at all.”
For those interested in signing or reading the detailed demands, the petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/end-the-militarized-security-presence-at-our-davis-food-co-op.
Written by: Laila Azhar — features@theaggie.org
