East Palo Alto's police chief says his city is ready to provide a continuum of services for former inmates re-entering civilian life under the state's realignment plan.

Chief Ron Davis plans to outline the realignment effort, as well as discuss "Operation Ceasefire" and other violence-reduction strategies, at a "Chat With the Chief" community forum tonight.

Davis said the estimated 120 nonviolent offenders who are expected to return to the East Palo Alto community annually under realignment will be served by a variety of organizations that help former inmates find educational opportunities, counseling, and jobs.

"We believe that re-entry is a community effort," Davis said in a phone interview today.

"We have health clinics to provide medical care, job training programs, and faith-based organizations that teach cognitive life skills," he said.

Davis said a pilot prisoner re-entry program that operated for three years in East Palo Alto from 2007 until funding ran out in 2010 helped create a community-based coalition that reduced recidivism locally by up to 70 percent.

"It's not the lack of services that contributes to the failure, it's navigating through the bureaucracy," he said.

Davis said the re-entry effort in East Palo Alto is supported by the City Council, law enforcement and the community.

Tonight's "Chat with the Chief" forum is open to the public and starts at 6 p.m. at East Palo Alto City Hall, located at 2415 University Ave.

--BCN