Quotes Dr. Martin Luther King – “A riot is the language of the unheard.”

By Lamar Thorpe

I was a nine-year-old when I saw Rodney King viciously assaulted on Univision 34 in Los Angeles. I remember everyone seemed to be in disbelief, but I wasn’t sure why.

For a little over a year, the Rodney King beating and subsequent trial became part of our daily lives. As the days and weeks progressed, I was confused by the public’s outrage regarding the King beating. Having grown up in a Mexican foster home, discrimination towards Black people wasn’t always apparent to me. After seeing the video over and over on TV, I personally felt the police were just doing their job. Some of my peers expressed different sentiments, while others were indifferent.

After the verdict, my city literally went up in flames. School was cancelled. Some businesses closed. It snowed ash. We lived under a strict curfew. I can distinctly remember the smell of burnt charcoal, like what many Americans cities are experiencing today.

While my immediate family felt differently, how my community seemed to feel about Black people was clear. We talked about Black people like they were the scum of the earth — except those who entertained us on TV. As we saw it, Black folks were just lazy, living on government handouts, and prone to criminality. Therefore, as a young child, I believed Rodney King, nor I, deserved to be treated with dignity.

My lack of empathy stemmed from my deep seeded hatred for Black people. Obviously, retrospectively, I hated Black people because I always felt abandoned by Black people. I did not have Black parents, Black siblings, Black friends, or Black neighbors. Growing up in East LA, all I had was “la raza.” As a result, I was embarrassed to be Black, I hated being Black, and I certainly didn’t feel Black.

After I moved to New England, the world started to box me into Blackness, whether I liked it or not. I could feel people looking at me with suspicion. I could feel my senior chief in the Navy look at me as undeserving and lazy. I could feel white people’s discomfort in elevators. I could feel I did not belong in certain places, especially predominantly white establishments. This feeling is so overwhelming, you internalize it and move through life avoiding it.

It is not to say these forms of discrimination did not happen in East LA, but no one imagined I spoke Spanish; I was able to make them feel uncomfortable and turn it into a joke. The world outside of my sheltered East LA existence, however, was very different. And no matter how hard I wished away my Blackness, to the world, I was just another suspicious Black man. I bought a U.S. Navy license plate holder for my car in the event I would get pulled over by the police. I thought maybe just maybe they will see me as anything other than Black. It never failed but once.

To say the least, race in America is complicated. So, I’m not going to write pointless political platitudes that mean nothing to those seeking change and make white people feel comfortable. Instead, let’s be honest with ourselves. From peaceful protests and demonstrations to looting and violence, the consciousness of America is on full display all across this Nation. The fabric of this collective consciousness is laced with race as a concept, racism as an institution, and racist people. As a result, today, that conscious is angry, sad, disappointed, grieving, complicit, sorrowful, mad, enraged, willing to look the other way, unable to look the other way, and God only knows what else.

It’s the story of America, and it’s not always pretty. It can be downright stank.

Today, I’m 39 years old and a proud Black American. Three decades have passed since I first saw a “brotha” get brutally beaten at the hands of police. In those 3 decades, it hasn’t stopped. Here we are today, bearing witness to another unnecessary, cold blooded murder of George Floyd by police, Ahmad Aubery by wannabe police and so on. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once lamented, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” For three decades people have gone unheard. We’ve allowed this to fester in our consciousness long enough.

And now, our collective consciousness is being manifested by our young people in the streets of many cities throughout this country. They are fed up. I am fed up. You should be fed up. And, we all should be willing to acknowledge that the racist ideas we’ve been raised to believe created this moment.

As we move through this time, I’ll be expanding the focus of my “Community Conversations” to include youth voices and topics related to the current unrest. Join me in figuring out how we realize our aspirations of wanting to be a full just and fair society.

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Contra Costa District Attorney

Today, Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued a statement regarding the murder of George Floyd:

“I am heartbroken and horrified by the murder of George Floyd and the other unjust deaths of Black men and women in this country. As the chief law enforcement official of Contra Costa, I took an oath to ensure justice for everyone under the law. The fight for justice does not end at the borders of our County or in our communities. We all have a responsibility to speak out against and eradicate injustices wherever we find them. The officers responsible for the murder of George Floyd must be held accountable.

The right to peacefully assemble and protest are a vital part of the fabric of this nation, and the majority of participants have been peaceful and even inspiring. I am disappointed that the righteous marches and gatherings are being infiltrated and hijacked by a small minority of people with other agendas. The individuals who are exploiting the pain, and the cause of so many in our community by committing acts of violence and destruction will be held accountable. We must not let the acts of the detractors deter us from the issue at hand. We must never stop working to eradicate racism and bring about systematic change throughout all systems, especially in our criminal justice system. I will continue to fight for criminal justice reform not only just in Contra Costa but throughout this nation.”

Applies to everyone; but cities can have more stringent terms and stricter time limits – Antioch’s curfew begins at 6:00 p.m.

By Susan Shiu, Director, Office of Communications and Media, Contra Costa County

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a proclamation of local emergency, Tuesday morning, June 2, 2020, in response to civil disturbances after peaceful protests in the county following George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The Board also adopted an order imposing a curfew in Contra Costa County due to civil unrest to begin Tuesday, June 2, 2020 at 8:00 pm. The curfew requires people in the county to stay indoors from 8:00 pm until 5:00 am the following day, until further notice.

“These are challenging times. The sorrow and pain that have filled our hearts here in our Bay Area home cannot be denied. The need and right to protest and be heard are ones that we all support,” said Supervisor Candace Andersen, chair of the county Board of Supervisors. “Today’s emergency proclamation and curfew order will help the county respond to looting, vandalism and any violence that should not be part of peaceful protests. That we do not support, as they only hurt our communities. We want peaceful protests, and we want all members of the public to be safe.”

The proclamation states that “Conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property, including to public facilities, have arisen within the County, caused by civil unrest, commencing in the County on or about May 31, 2020. Civil unrest in the form of riots and looting have arisen from protests in response to the tragic death of an unarmed man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while being detained by a police officer. The majority of protestors have acted peacefully and lawfully. But some protests throughout the nation, including in cities such as Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, have given rise to injuries, looting, and property destruction.”

“Mr. Floyd tragically died just over a week ago. We recognize the importance of peaceful protests,” said County Administrator David J. Twa, who serves as the Administrator of Emergency Services. “We also want to emphasize the need for residents to stay home in the evenings and at night to stay safe. Our job is to protect lives, all lives. We want all people to stay safe during these difficult times.”

In response to a question about the jurisdiction of the order and whether it only applies to unincorporated areas in the county outside city limits, Shiu responded, “The Order provides that, ‘In the event that the terms of the County’s curfew order are more stringent (e.g. that the start time is earlier or the end time is later) than any city’s curfew order within the County, the County’s curfew order will apply within that city and supersede the city’s order to that extent.’ And if a city’s order on time is stricter, the city’s stricter curfew time will be in place.”

See Emergency Order of Curfew.

EMERGENCY ORDER IMPOSING A CURFEW WITHIN THE COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA DUE TO CIVIL UNREST

WHEREAS, on June 2, 2020, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Contra Costa proclaimed, pursuant to Government Code section 8630 and Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Chapter 42-2, the existence of a local emergency because the County of Contra Costa (“County”) is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity due to conditions of disaster or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property arising as a result of civil unrest in the County.

WHEREAS, Government Code Section 8634 authorizes the Board of Supervisors to promulgate orders and regulations necessary to provide for the protection of life or property during a local emergency, including imposing a curfew where necessary to preserve the public order and safety.

WHEREAS, there exists imminent danger to life and property during the hours of darkness, and it is especially difficult to preserve public safety during these hours.

WHEREAS, a curfew is necessary to preserve the public order and safety in the County.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED THAT:

1. A curfew is imposed Countywide, within the unincorporated and incorporated areas of the County.
2. The hours of curfew are between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day.
3. No person, except as set forth in Section 4, below, shall be upon a public street, avenue, boulevard, place, walkway, alley, park or any public area or unimproved private property within the boundaries of the County between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day.
4. This Order shall not apply to peace officers, firefighters, and National Guard deployed to the area, individuals traveling to and from work, people experiencing homelessness and without access to a viable shelter, and individuals seeking medical treatment.
5. This Order shall be effective immediately as of June 2, 2020, commencing at 8:00 p.m. and extending until the termination of this Order. The County Administrator is authorized to amend and terminate this Order in accordance with Government Code Section 8634.

Any violation of this Order is a misdemeanor as provided by Government Code section 8665 and any applicable state or local law, and violators may be subject to immediate arrest.     In the event that the terms of the County’s curfew order are more stringent (e.g., that the start time is earlier or the end time is later) than any city’s curfew order within the County, the County’s curfew order will apply within that city and supersede the city’s order to that extent.

Dated: June 2, 2020

See Proclamation of Local Emergency (Resolution No. 2020/155).

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY Resolution No. 2020/155

IN THE MATTER OF Proclaiming the Existence of a Local Emergency (Gov. Code, § 8630)

The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County RESOLVES as follows:

Contra Costa County Ordinance Code Chapter 42-2 empowers the Board of Supervisors to proclaim the existence or threatened existence of a local emergency when the County is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity.

The Board of Supervisors has been requested by the Director of Emergency Services of the County to proclaim the existence of a local emergency therein.

The Board of Supervisors finds as follows:

1. Conditions of disaster or extreme peril to the safety of persons and property, including to public facilities, have arisen within the County, caused by civil unrest, commencing in the County on or about May 31, 2020. Civil unrest in the form of riots and looting have arisen from protests in response to the tragic death of an unarmed man, George Floyd, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, while being detained by a police officer. The majority of protestors have acted peacefully and lawfully. But some protests throughout the nation, including in cities such as Walnut Creek, San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, have given rise to injuries, looting, and property destruction.
2. These conditions, by reason of their magnitude, are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of this County, and will require the combined forces of other political subdivisions to combat.
3. These conditions fit the circumstances described in Government Code section 8558.

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY PROCLAIMED that a local emergency now exists throughout the County; and

IT IS FURTHER PROCLAIMED AND ORDERED that, during the existence of the local emergency, the powers, functions, and duties of the emergency organization of this County shall be those prescribed by state law, and by ordinances and resolutions of this County, and by the County of Contra Costa Emergency Operations Plan, as approved by the Board of Supervisors on June 16, 2015.

PASSED on June 2, 2020, on a unanimous 5-0 vote.

ATTEST: David J. Twa, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Plus, small outdoor gatherings, childcare and camps for all children, and libraries with curbside pickup; protests of up to 100 people with social distancing and masks also allowed (LOL – no, seriously. They’re “allowed” now)

By Kim McCarl, Communications Assistant, Contra Costa Health Services

Thanks to substantial progress being made in the fight against COVID-19, Contra Costa County residents can go back to work, shop at local retail stores, get childcare and hang out with small groups of loved ones starting June 3.

Indoor retail shopping, business offices, outdoor museums and pet grooming are among the businesses that will reopen in Contra Costa County under the latest shelter-in-place order released today. The order also permits services that don’t require close customer contact, such as housekeeping, car washes, plumbing and pet grooming.

The new health order also allows small outdoor social gatherings, as well as childcare and camps for all children, not just children of essential and allowed workers. Those childcare services and camps still can only have up to 12 children in stable cohorts.

Libraries can reopen for curbside pickup service and protests of up to 100 people will also be permitted. Religious services will be able to resume on June 15, although with some limitations. In the coming days, the County will be consulting with the state about reopening swimming pools and outdoor dining.

“This latest step toward reopening our county is a reflection of our successful collective effort as a community to limit the spread of the virus,” said Dr. Chris Farnitano, the county’s health officer. “I know there’s a lot of frustration out there, but it’s important to keep in mind that interventions like social distancing have saved lives.”

To date, 37 people have died from COVID-19 in Contra Costa, a county with a population of 1.15 million people. Dr. Farnitano said had the county had not acted early and aggressively, enacting the initial shelter-in-place order on mid-March, ten times as many people would have died from the virus.

Contra Costa has made significant headway in meeting its five indicators for reopening. Aside from new cases and hospitalizations not increasing, all eight hospitals have attested they now have a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment, one of the five reopening indictors. Hospitals also have sufficient capacity to handle more patients. While progress has been made in testing, the county still needs to triple the amount of tests being done to reach its goal.

The latest health order follows previous relaxations of the shelter in place that allowed construction, real estate transactions, curbside retail and manufacturing, recreational activities like golf and tennis and reopening of outdoor businesses like nurseries.

This Order supersedes the May 18, 2020, Order of the Health Officer directing all individuals to shelter in place (“Prior Order”). This Order continues to restrict most activity, travel, and governmental and business functions to essential needs and to the Outdoor Activities and Outdoor Businesses that the prior Order allowed to resume.  But in light of progress achieved in slowing the spread of COVID-19 in the County of Contra Costa (the “County”), the Order allows a limited number of Additional Businesses (as described in Section 15.n…and in Appendix C-1) and Additional Activities (as described in Section 15.o…and in Appendix C-2) to resume operating, subject to specified conditions and safety precautions to reduce associated risk of COVID-19 transmission.

What’s Allowed Now

Businesses include indoor retail, shopping malls, shopping centers and swap meets, manufacturing and logistics and warehouse facilities.

The additional activities now allowed include social gatherings of persons in a Social Bubble, as defined below, may take place if: the gathering takes place outside only, and the participants comply with all other applicable requirements under this Order. In addition, persons in social bubbles over 12 years of age are strongly encouraged to maintain social distancing from each other w ear face coverings

Finally, protests are also allowed now. Subject to requirements and restrictions of the local jurisdiction in which the protest takes place, persons may participate in protests if they wear Face Coverings and comply with Social Distancing Requirements, and attendance does not exceed 25 percent of the area’s maximum capacity or 100 persons, whichever is lower. (Editor’s Note: Seriously, that’s what the order includes. We will see if that part of the order is enforced).

As a condition of operating under this Order, the operators of all businesses must prepare or update, post, implement, and distribute to their personnel a Social Distancing Protocol for each of their facilities in the County frequented by personnel or members of the public.

An email asking if churches can reopen their administrative offices was sent to the spokesperson for the county health services. No response was received prior to publication. Please check back later for updates to this report.

To see the full order, click here. To see additional details on orders from the county health officer visit https://www.coronavirus.cchealth.org/health-orders. For more details about COVID-19 in Contra Costa County, visit cchealth.org/coronavirus.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

While continuing to protect the community

These are among the most challenging times our community has ever experienced. We will continue to do all that we can to protect the most vulnerable and keep everyone safe. Thanks to the commitment of our communities to practice social distancing and follow public health guidance, we expect to move forward with additional openings starting this week.

As we proceed through the uncharted territory of reopening businesses and activity in the midst of a global pandemic, the Public Health Officers across the Bay Area continue to work in close collaboration on how to best protect the residents of our region. Each decision we make involves difficult trade-offs and affects the community’s wellbeing in many different ways. As we open additional sectors, we are relying on businesses to consistently follow social distancing protocols and public health guidance to protect their employees and customers. Bay Area residents should still stay home as much as possible, wear face coverings, frequently wash hands, stay home when feeling ill, get tested if exposed, and follow the other precautions that have helped our region make such outstanding progress to slow the spread of COVID-19.

We are carefully tracking data related to the spread of COVID-19 in our region and in each of our own communities. We are encouraged by what we are seeing in some areas and concerned about what we are seeing in others. As we move forward together, we will each make choices about what to reopen and how quickly to do so. Those decisions will be based on the data related to the specific conditions in our communities, as well as our joint assessment of broader regional trends.

Although the specific path forward and timeline in each community may vary slightly, we are united in our commitment to work together as a region; to ensure our decisions are data-driven; to take steps that are measured, careful, and to allow sufficient time between significant changes to understand their effects.

A Message from Chief Tammany Brooks:

Police officers swear an oath and have a duty to preserve the sanctity of life, and to protect and serve every member of the public with professionalism, integrity, and respect. The murder of George Floyd by the police officers in Minneapolis hurts my heart, and I extend my deepest condolences to George Floyd’s family and loved ones. If you know me, you already know how I feel. For those who don’t, and I say this without any reservations, I absolutely condemn the actions (and inactions) of those former police officers. They were revolting and deeply disturbing.

As the Chief of Police, I believe it is my responsibility to talk about these events with my officers, ask the hard questions, and reflect on our own values and efforts to ensure our Police Department operates consistent with the values and expectations of our community. Our ongoing desire and effort to provide fair and impartial public safety services to EVERYONE in our community is founded on honest and genuine community relationships.

On behalf of the dedicated men and women of the Antioch Police Department, we want our community to know that that our core values include: Integrity, Professionalism, Accountability, Openness and Sensitivity. Each member of our Police Department is expected to understand and reflect the meaning of these values in their day-to-day work.

The hiring process for anyone looking to become an Antioch Police Officer is rigorous. If you are a bigot, racist, or a bully, then you will not work for the City of Antioch. Continuous training is also a top priority, and includes proper use of force, interpersonal communications, fair and impartial policing, and de-escalation techniques. None of our Police Officers has ever been trained to kneel onto anyone’s neck, and ALL are required to intervene if they see another Police Officer acting in a dangerous manner or behaving improperly.

During my 25 years in this profession, I have seen my share of tragedy and improper policing. I understand the damage that poor leadership, misaligned organizational culture, and inadequate training can do to a community, a police department, and individual Police Officers. I know the trust and support of our community is not to be taken for granted. When issues do arise, they are investigated and addressed appropriately. This is my commitment to you. Always has been – and always will be.

Being a Police Officer is a difficult but honorable profession. I am proud of the men and women who serve and protect the City of Antioch day-in and day-out. Every day we strive to improve community relationships, increase transparency, and earn the public’s trust. You deserve it.

Sincerely,

Chief T. Brooks

Call on state bar to create a new ethics rule claiming it “would help restore the independence, integrity, and trust of elected prosecutors by preventing them from taking donations from police unions.”

“They’re trying to hamper pro-law enforcement candidates who will run against them” – law enforcement official (who chose to remain anonymous)

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, Monday, June 1, 2020, in the wake of mass protests following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, a coalition of current and former elected prosecutors representing millions of Californians in diverse counties banded together to call on the California State Bar to cure the conflict of interest created by police unions’ outsized influence in local elections.  The new rule would explicitly preclude elected prosecutors – or prosecutors seeking election – from seeking or accepting political or financial support from law enforcement unions. (Read letter, here).

“The legal representation of an accused officer is generally financed by their law enforcement union,” said Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton.  “It is illogical that the rules prohibit prosecutors from soliciting and benefiting from financial and political support from an accused officer’s advocate in court, while enabling the prosecutor to benefit financially and politically from the accused’s advocate in public.”

“District Attorneys will undoubtedly review use of force incidents involving police officers,” said San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin. “When they do, the financial and political support of these unions should not be allowed to influence that decision making.”

“When videos emerge like the one depicting the killing of George Floyd or Ahmaud Arbery, the damage it does to the entire criminal justice system cannot be overstated,” said former San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón. “That damage, however, is further compounded by delays in the condemnation, arrest, and charging of the involved law enforcement officers. These feelings, these protests, and the pain we’re seeing, would not be as raw and widespread if we had seen police held accountable by local prosecutors quickly and with regularity.  An important step in curing this pain is curing the conflict of interest that gives, at minimum, the appearance that police do not face consequences swiftly – or at all – due to the proximity and political influence of their union.”

“We have a tremendous amount of work ahead of us to restore trust in our profession, but trust must be earned, it cannot be demanded,” said San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar.  “The first step to earning that trust back is ensuring the independence of county prosecutors is beyond reproach.”

Prosecutors are in a unique position of having to work closely with law enforcement and simultaneously evaluate whether crimes have been committed by these same officers.  Recent events involving police misconduct in which prosecutors either delayed or failed to file charges have shined a light on the importance of prosecutors making decisions regarding law enforcement officers’ conduct without any undue influence or bias.  Yet when prosecutors initiate an investigation or prosecution of an officer, the law enforcement unions often finance the legal representation of the accused officer. Prosecutors who have received an endorsement from the entity that is funding the defense of the officers being investigated or prosecuted creates, at a minimum, the appearance of a conflict of interest for elected prosecutors.

By precluding elected prosecutors—or prosecutors seeking election—from seeking or accepting political or financial support from law enforcement unions, the State Bar will reduce the presence of conflicts of interest and ensure independence on the part of elected prosecutors.  This proposal also aspires to help reestablish community trust in the integrity of prosecutors at a time when national events have damaged that trust.

For more information, follow #CureTheConflict.

In response, the following questions were sent to Becton’s public information officer, Scott Alonso:

“Is she saying that currently a prosecutor cannot solicit and benefit from financial and political support from an attorney representing a police officer accused of a crime while in court or during the court case? But the police officer’s attorney can support the prosecutor financially and politically when not in court or during the court case?

Please clarify who the accused is in her comment about the ‘accused’s advocate’. I assume it’s the same accused officer she refers to twice before in her comment. But, not sure.

Also, are she and the rest of the DA’s willing to forgo any financial contributions from criminal defense attorneys and public defenders? How about no financial support from any organization and only from individuals who live within their counties? How far should this go to ensure fairness in prosecutions? Isn’t this really one-sided? Also, if the police unions have so much influence in our county and they all backed Becton’s opponent in the last election how did she still win? Isn’t she in effect attempting to violate the free speech rights – which political campaign contributions have been defined as by the courts – of the police unions?

June 2 UPDATE: Alonso responded with, “Any questions about political contributions I cannot answer as a public employee. You would need to direct those to DA Becton’s campaign.”

This reporter then emailed him, “Please pass on my questions to DA Becton. I’m not asking you to answer them. I’m asking for her to.”

Alonso responded, “Her statement speaks for itself. Not sure what else to provide. Her reference to the advocate is the law enforcement union.”

A further email was sent to him with, “Her statement and the effort is clearly one sided and doesn’t answer my questions that I emailed you. Did you pass on my questions to her?  If not can you, please? I really don’t want to have to write that she’s refusing to answer them. Surely neither you nor she expects the media to just run press releases on controversial matters unchallenged and without question.

Thanks for the partial answer to my one question. But it still doesn’t clarify what she’s saying in that quote. How would a prosecutor solicit and benefit from financial and political support of a law enforcement union in court? I seriously don’t understand that.

I really need to hear back from her on the questions I sent. I don’t want to just write she refused to respond.”

Alonso responded with, “With all respect we do answer your questions. Your comment that this ‘effort is one side’ is odd. Not sure what you mean by that. There are standards in place for prosecutors in terms of receiving or benefitting from opposing defense counsel. This is outlined in the letter that you were provided. In terms of any questions on donations I cannot answer that as I have said.”

This reporter further responded by email with, “Yes, in the past you’ve answered my questions and I appreciate that. But I’m talking about this press release on a very controversial, political issue, which is rare if not the only one I recall ever receiving from you.

About the effort being one sided, that’s because all the DA’s and former DA quoted in the press release are attempting to silence one side in the political battle for who should be elected DA. Diana wasn’t backed by any of the police unions in the county, if I recall. They backed her opponent, DDA Paul Graves. Now she’s trying to prevent police unions from contributing to her potential opponents in future elections in effectively silencing their voice during a political campaign. Yet, I don’t see anything in the press release in which she or the other DA’s call for limiting the contributions to candidates from those on the criminal defense side.

Again, I’m not asking you to answer my questions. I’m asking you to pass along my questions to DA Becton, who as an elected official can answer them and should. You sent out on official CCDA letterhead a press release about a political matter. Frankly, that should have gone out on her campaign letterhead if you or she aren’t going to answer questions about it.

Now, please quit being a gatekeeper for her and pass on my questions to her. Another day has passed since you sent me the press release and I still don’t have but one question answered.

I’m trying not to go around you. I do have her cell phone number and have called her before when it was after hours. But I am avoiding calling her. I guess I’ll have to if I can’t get you to simply forward my questions to her.

So, let’s please stop the back and forth. I’m not asking you any questions about a political matter. I’m asking her.”

No response to that email was received.

When reached for comment, Becton said she was in a meeting and to “send questions to Scott.”

Please check back later for any updates to this report and responses from the DA.

Curfew runs from 6:00 p.m. each night until 5:00 a.m. the following morning and will expire at 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 – applies to residents, visitors and workers within the city limits.

Antioch, Calif., (June 1, 2020 4:30 PM) – Today, the City of Antioch has announced that effective Monday, June 1, 2020, a citywide curfew will be enacted.

UPDATE: June 1, 2020 6:44 PM – The curfew will begin at 6:00 PM on Monday, June 1, 2020 and expire at 5:00 AM on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

A post on the Antioch Police Department’s Facebook page at 5:09 p.m. reads, “It is with heavy hearts that we put this information out, but it is with an abundance of caution for our community that a citywide curfew has been implemented, beginning tonight at 6 PM and ending at 5 AM on Wednesday, June 3rd. This decision was made after we were made aware of credible threats of subjects coming into our community for the purpose of causing damage and committing criminal acts. If at all possible, stay home. If you need police assistance, we are here for you. (Please see related article)

-Details:
From 6 PM 6/1/20 to 5 AM 6/3/20 a citywide curfew has been established for the City of Antioch. It requires residents, visitors and workers within the city to stay indoors during those hours. Exemptions include, public safety personnel, health care providers, people traveling to and from work, the homeless and media representatives. This order is subject to change or be extended.”

If the City determines that the curfew needs to be extended, the City of Antioch will make an announcement on Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

Mayor Sean Wright said it was a joint decision by him, City Manager Ron Bernal and Police Chief Tammany Brooks at about 3:30 p.m., and was sent on to City Attorney Thomas Smith for his input.

“Everyone was holding off on saying things until we heard back from the city attorney,” he continued. “Our PIO said we have to get this out, as it’s getting late and people need to know. Then the press release was issued at 4:30 p.m.”

The only report of any kind of related activity was of two males who were arrested by Antioch Police for attempting to loot one of the outside stores at the Somersville Towne Center earlier Monday afternoon.