Black and Brown in Blue is a lecture series that builds a bridge between the community and law enforcement for a more inclusive community environment. The program was designed to encourage open and honest dialogue in order to reduce barriers and misperceptions.

Jillian Van Riper is 25 years old and was born and raised throughout Sonoma County. Jillian’s interest in law enforcement was sparked at a young age, when she became an “explorer” for the Cotati Police Department in 2012. After graduating from Analy High School in 2015, Jillian attended the University of the Pacific where she played collegiate soccer. Eventually, she transferred to Sonoma State University to finish her educational journey, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology in 2019. Jillian attended the police academy in 2020, and has been employed as a police officer with the Petaluma Police Department for just over 2 years. Additionally, she was recently assigned to the Hostage Negotiations Team. Jillian is also a liaison for her department with a program called “Mentor Me”, a non-profit restorative justice program for juveniles. 

For more information about this event, contact mo.phillips@sonoma.edu.