Nicknamed the “Mayor of Berkeley streets,” Diehl was active in Berkeley politics for decades and provided mental health and counseling services to the poor, the homeless, and the mentally ill.
A federal judge has ruled that Berkeley police officers used “minimal” force that was “reasonable” when they arrested several people who protested or resisted arrest during a homeless camp removal in 2016.
The father of a transgender woman who died in 2013, as police tried to arrest her, failed to provide enough evidence to prove discrimination. A judge has denied his claim.
Available Berkeley police staffing is down to 135 officers, and 80% of the department is investigating whether to leave, a Berkeley Police Association rep said Monday night.