San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi has hosted the San Francisco Justice Summit for more than a decade, but this year, in explicitly examining "Use of Force" at the free event — while the Department of Justice reviews SFPD policy and cries for Chief Suhr's removal get louder — the summit may prove more vital than ever.

Held in the San Francisco Public Library next Wednesday, May 25, the event's keynote speaker offers another reason to attend. Melissa Harris-Perry is a Wake Forest University Professor once described by the Atlantic as America's "foremost public intellectual." After parting ways with MSNBC — the channel cancelled her show according to the New York Times amidst a somewhat public, somewhat acrimonious feud about her editorial authority — Harris-Perry joined Elle.com where she is editor at large.

According to the event schedule, little is off the table in a broad ranging series of discussions. Those are to include a panel on Taser use as well as a direct discussion of recent SFPD shootings with expert analysis presented by former Boston homicide inspector Ken E. Williams.

"When it comes to criminal justice reform," a release quotes Adachi, "San Francisco is at a crossroads. The Summit is a chance to have difficult but important conversations about racism, use of force, and innovative solutions to make our city safer for everyone."

Related: 20 Questions With SFist: SF Public Defender Jeff Adachi