Police activity on Dohr and Russell on Tuesday morning: The scene as of about 10:45 a.m. Photo: Kester Allen A 50-year-old Berkeley man who threatened to kill himself as he held a knife to his throat surrendered to officers early Tuesday morning after about six hours with a police negotiator, authorities said. The standoff began in the […]
Mental health
Posted inCrime & Safety
Man who threatened family and Berkeley police surrenders after a three-hour standoff
A man who threatened to harm his mother and brother surrendered to police Monday after a three-hour standoff. He lived in the 1500 block of Prince St. Berkeley police spent three hours Monday negotiating with a man who had locked himself in his family’s apartment in the 1500 block of Prince Street after threatening to […]
Posted inCrime, Crime & Safety
Berkeley police emphasize ‘culture of de-escalation’
Berkeley police practice de-escalation skills during a drill in the old Pyramid brewery. (The helmets they are wearing are safety gear due to the type of rounds used in the drill.) Here, officers respond to an armed bank robbery scenario. Photo: Emilie Raguso Two officers pull up to a house in Berkeley. There’s yelling coming […]
Posted inCrime, Crime & Safety
Man arrested outside Berkeley Whole Foods after brandishing knife, resisting arrest
Police took a man into custody Tuesday outside Whole Foods on Gilman Street (file photo). Photo: Emilie Raguso Police took a man into custody Tuesday outside Whole Foods on Gilman Street (file photo). Photo: Emilie Raguso At least two Berkeley Police officers are seeking medical care after being injured during the arrest outside a West Berkeley grocery store of a […]
Posted inCrime & Safety
Woman arrested (again) in Berkeley after arson
Police arrested a transient Berkeley woman in connection with arson Wednesday night. Photo: Paul Kealoha-Blake A transient Berkeley woman who’s had repeated run-ins with police in the past is back in custody Thursday after authorities say she set at least one dumpster on fire by the library Wednesday night. Dawn Carraway, 26, was arrested just before […]
Posted inCrime, Crime & Safety
Teen surrenders after baseball bat attack, police standoff
The Grove Park baseball diamond backstop. Image: Google Maps A 17-year-old male with a baseball bat who authorities say attacked another male, causing potentially life-threatening injuries, then climbed on top of the Grove Park baseball field backstop, ultimately surrendered to officers who focused on talking him down Friday afternoon. At about 12:10 p.m., according to scanner traffic reviewed […]
Posted inCommunity
Thursday: Free mental health screening in Berkeley
Alta Bates Summit Hospital in Berkeley. Photo: Lance Knobel Alta Bates is offering free mental health screenings in Berkeley, Oakland and online Thursday, Oct. 8, the hospital announced Wednesday. Alta Bates Summit Medical Center is offering the free, anonymous screenings in recognition of National Depression Screening Day, which takes place Thursday. According to a statement released by the […]
Posted inCity, Community, Crime, Crime & Safety
Berkeley police chief says Tasers would help his officers
Berkeley Police Chief Meehan Berkeley Police Chief Michael Meehan told the Berkeley City Council on Tuesday night he believes his officers should be granted the option to carry Tasers, which are not currently allowed under city policy. It was the first time Meehan has taken a stand on the issue in a high-profile public forum, though he said he had made similar comments […]
Posted inCrime & Safety
Berkeley council to hear Taser report Tuesday
The Berkeley City Council will consider a report Tuesday on Taser use and policy. Photo: Creative Commons The Berkeley City Council is set to discuss a report Tuesday evening focused on the use of Tasers by law enforcement officers, and whether that might one day be appropriate in Berkeley. Council asked the city manager to […]
Posted inCommunity, Crime, Crime & Safety
25 years later: Henry’s hostage crisis remembered
Henry’s hostage crisis: Berkeley Special Response Team officers move in. Photo: David Yee Henry’s hostage crisis: Berkeley Special Response Team officers move in. Photo: David Yee The shots rang out just after midnight, leaving seven people injured and dozens held hostage in Henry’s Publick House at the Hotel Durant in Berkeley’s Southside neighborhood. One of […]
Posted inCommunity, Crime & Safety
Update: Man comes down from sculpture after 5.5 hours
A man climbed onto a Berkeley bear sculpture Saturday and refused to come down. Photo: William Newton A man climbed onto a Berkeley bear sculpture Saturday and refused to come down. Photo: William Newton Note: An update about this incident appears toward the bottom of this article. A military veteran reportedly having a mental health crisis climbed on top of the […]
Posted inCrime, Crime & Safety
Woman arrested after punching passer-by in the face
A Berkeley police officer was injured while arresting a woman linked to an assault downtown Tuesday. Photo: Emilie Raguso A homeless woman police say punched a passer-by in the head without provocation, and injured an officer who tried to detain her, has been arrested in Berkeley for at least the fourth time since March. Berkeley Police spokeswoman […]
