Posted inCity, Crime & Safety

‘Unconstitutional police attacks’ in December Berkeley protests spur civil rights lawsuit

Lawyers Rachel Lederman and James Chanin (left) and plaintiffs Joseph Watkins, Moni Law, Rasheed Shabazz and Cindy Pincus during the Monday press conference in front of Berkeley Police headquarters. Photo: Lance Knobel Lawyers Rachel Lederman and James Chanin (left) and plaintiffs Joseph Watkins, Moni Law, Rasheed Shabazz and Cindy Pincus during the Monday press conference in front of Berkeley […]

Posted inSchools

Principal restricts access to Berkeley High because of reports that a fight might break out

BHS principal Kristin Glenchur is asking students to stay on campus for lunch and is limiting outside visitors because of rumors of a brewing brawl between kids from area high schools. Update, 8:10 p.m.: BHS acting principal Kristin Glenchur sent out an email to the school community at around 5:30 p.m. to report on the […]

Posted inCity, Community, Crime & Safety

Mental health calls #1 drain on Berkeley police resources

Thirty-five percent of calls to the Berkeley Police Department are for people who are having a mental health crisis. Here, police officers restrained a man who was later taken for a mental health evaluation as two mental health workers (left), try to calm him down. Photo: Emilie Raguso Responding to people with mental health issues […]

Posted inCommunity, Crime & Safety

Police release redacted reports on Berkeley protests

After denying a Public Records Act request from a local police watchdog group, the department responded with heavily redacted documents. The Berkeley Police Department has released two operational plans about protests in the city Dec. 6-7, but most of the wording was blacked out and redacted, so minimal information was revealed. Andrea Prichett, co-founder of Berkeley Copwatch, […]

Posted inCrime

Neighbors talk surveillance, robberies, code enforcement at community crime watch meeting

Thefts and burglaries from vehicles from Jan. 29 to Feb. 25. The blue hexagons show unlocked vehicles. Source: BPD Berkeley residents who participate in community crime prevention efforts met with police this week to share concerns and learn about recent crime trends. Block captains and members of the Berkeley Safe Neighborhood Committee shared updates on […]

Posted inCommunity

Berkeley’s Sacramento Street corridor on the rise

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QAGuiQ1sro Berkeley city staff are taking aim at a South Berkeley neighborhood that has struggled economically in recent years by teaming up with residents, as well as business and property owners, to make improvements hoped to make a difference in the near-term along Sacramento Street. Last week, some 30 people attended a meeting at San […]

Posted inCrime, Crime & Safety

Council highlights gangs, staffing during crime report

Pedestrian robberies in Berkeley from January to June 2013 mapped by location. (Click to see the full report.) Source: Berkeley Police Department The Berkeley Police Department’s mid-year crime report drew compliments from city officials regarding the city’s approach to crime fighting, as well as requests for more information in the future about case closure rates, […]