With Just Getting Started, Deputy Mayor and City Administrator Dr. Kanika Tomalin is “telling the St. Pete story” through one-on-one conversations with change-makers. With many exciting plans and projects on the horizon, St. Petersburg’s upward trajectory remains strong. “So much has been done, but here’s the secret: We’re just getting started.”
Dr. Tomalin's guest is Antonio "Tony" Gilliam, St. Petersburg's assistant police chief. They discuss the CAL (Community Assistance Liaison) program, which will augment the police by retaining a social service agency to respond to non-violent calls for service from the public (the pilot program begins Oct. 1). The discussion turns to the national "defund the police" movement (not happening with the St. Pete force), and Chief Holloway's "Park, Walk and Talk" initiative. Getting out of their squad cars and meeting people in the various neighborhoods, Gilliam says, "is the very foundation of law enforcement. Because if they don't know you, and you don't know them, then what are you doing?"
Dr. Tomalin’s guest is Antonio “Tony” Gilliam, St. Petersburg’s assistant police chief. They discuss the CAL (Community Assistance Liaison) program, which will augment the police by retaining a social service agency to respond to non-violent calls for service from the public (the pilot program begins Oct. 1). The discussion turns to the national “defund the police” movement (not happening with the St. Pete force), and Chief Holloway’s “Park, Walk and Talk” initiative. Getting out of their squad cars and meeting people in the various neighborhoods, Gilliam says, “is the very foundation of law enforcement. Because if they don’t know you, and you don’t know them, then what are you doing?”
Some of these calls, we're just not equipped to handle - not in terms of our professionalism or training, but we usually don't come with PhDs or Masters degrees. We're not clinicians or licensed mental health professionals."
We want to be sure that when you call law enforcement to a scene, we are able to resolve that problem."
Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a thought leader, policy-maker, community ambassador, and health advocate.
As the first African-American, female Deputy Mayor and City Administrator of one of Florida’s largest cities, Dr. Kanika Tomalin is a role model for women from all walks of life and an advocate for innovative policies, equitable community revitalization, healthy families, at-risk youth and education.
Her signature initiative, Healthy St. Pete, which launched in 2014, has made community health a priority and impacts the lives of thousands of Sunshine City residents. By creating access to healthy food options, implementing free fitness zones in city parks and adding resources for individuals and families to make healthy living easier – Dr. Tomalin has made a tangible difference.
Dr. Tomalin’s understanding of the critical role health plays as a determinant of overall quality of life was shaped prior to her career in the public sector. She quickly climbed the ranks in the healthcare industry, most recently serving as the regional vice president of External Affairs for the Bayfront Health Network and director of Strategy for Health Management Associates’ 23-hospital Florida Group.
