By Sergeant James Stenger #3604, Violent Crimes Unit (Investigations Bureau) Antioch Police Department

Kelandre Dunn. Photo by APD.

On Saturday, October 3, 2020, at approximately 03:54 AM, 39-year-old Dmar Tucker of Vallejo was shot and killed in the 700 block of Hap Arnold Street. Detectives with the Violent Crimes Unit were able to identify 32-year-old Kelandre Dunn of Concord, as a suspect in this case. It was determined through the investigation that Dunn and Tucker were both in a relationship with an unnamed female. (See related article)

Dunn waited for Tucker to park his vehicle on Hap Arnold Street and when Tucker stepped out of his vehicle, Dunn fired numerous shots at Tucker. Tucker was struck one time and died at the scene from his injuries. Dunn fled to Stanislaus County where Detectives with the Antioch Police Department Violent Crimes Unit, Special Operations Unit and Officers from the Problem Oriented Policing Team were able to take Dunn into custody without incident in the City of Modesto.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2020, this case was presented to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office and Dunn was charged with murder while lying in wait and for personally using a firearm during the commission of a murder. Dunn is currently being held at the Contra Costa County Jail without bail.

The Antioch Police Department would like to thank the US Marshal Service, along with Modesto and Vallejo Police Departments for their assistance during the investigation of this case.

George Young III for Antioch School Board, Area 1

George Young.

Current Position: Staff Sergeant, United States Army Reserves, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (USACAPOC) – Trainer / Team Lead

georgeyoung4change.com

Facebook: georgeyoung4change

george.young4change@gmail.com

925.783.5663

Students First: providing students with the resources they need to be successful in their current education and career paths for their future.  This includes restoring bilingual staff at all school sites to assist families with translation so that all community members can access the school’s resources for their children.

School Site Safety: Creating organizations on Middle School and High School Campuses that are comprised of students, teachers, aand SROs.  This organization will be tasked with creating a safety/security plan that students can be a part of, gain future job experience, and take an active part in their school security, resulting in pride and ownership of their schools.

Community Voice: Bringing a    community voice to the board, creating a gateway for parents, students, school staff and teacher’s voices to be heard, and the confidence to know their needs are truly being considered as the board makes the decision for their schools, that will affect students not only today but for future years to come.

Parent Schooling Choice: Parents have the right to choose how their children are educated, be it public, private, charter, or homeschooling. Parents should also have a say and be an active part of their child’s success.

Chief T Brooks and new Antioch Police Officer Steven Miller. Photo by APD.

He’s an identical twin whose brother is a police officer in Mountain View; brings force to 118 sworn

By Antioch Police Department

Officers Danny and Steven Miller. Photo courtesy of APD.

Please join us in welcoming Officer Steven Miller!

Steven was born in Palo Alto and grew up in San Jose. He attended Santa Teresa High School, where he played baseball and was one of the captains of the varsity team for his junior and senior year. After graduating high school, Steven attended Mission College where he played baseball at the college level. Steven graduated from Mission College with his Associate degree in Social Sciences. Steven then transferred to San Francisco State University to continue his baseball career. After a short time at San Francisco State he transferred to Chico State University to focus on his education. Steven graduated from Chico State University with his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.

After graduating college, Steven was a baseball coach before he was hired by the Palo Alto Police Department. Steven attended the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Academy and worked for the Palo Alto Police Department for three years. During his free time, Steven enjoys working out, working on cars, playing slow pitch softball, and spending time with friends and family.

A fun fact about Steven is that he has an identical twin brother, Danny, who is a police officer with the Mountain View Police Department

Welcome to the Antioch Police Department, Officer Miller!

“That brings the department to 118 sworn officers,” said Chief T Brooks.

Alexis Medina for Antioch Unified School District Trustee, Area 1

Alexis Medina from her campaign Facebook page.

Top Priorities – Culturally Responsive Community Engagement & Partnership

The most effective school boards actively engage their stakeholders and aim to cultivate student centered, asset-based collaborative solutions. They respond to unique and shifting educational needs, demonstrating thoughtful and clear rationale to the communities in which they serve.

As a Board Trustee, I will take an asset-based approach to development, amplifying both capable and exemplary people, places, and programs, and providing technical and material-based support to strengthen existing opportunities and programs for students and staff members.

Top Accomplishments

I am a first-generation college graduate and a return Peace Corps volunteer. I have over 15 years of experience in K-12, as an after-school program lead, classroom teacher, and instructional coach.  I have also worked in community development as a program coordinator, building relationships with a variety of community stakeholders and developing programs.

I have the experience and technical expertise required to excel if elected.  More importantly, I have a deep pride and respect for the families, students, staff and community of Antioch and it would be an honor to serve as your representative.

www.medinaforantioch.com

Facebook: @medinaforantioch

medinaforantioch@gmail.com

(925) 948-6670

Program promotes racial equity in prosecution and reducing the use of jails; only one of seven DA’s offices in the nation; will host six weekly podcast-styled video discussions beginning Wednesday

By Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer, Office of the District Attorney, Contra Costa County

Martinez, Calif. – Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton announced, Monday the next phase of work with the Vera Institute of Justice. The DA’s Office first partnered with Vera in 2018 to take a critical look at the inner workings of the office through a data driven focus. Vera’s Reshaping Prosecution program offers reform minded prosecutors to opportunity to analyze their own data, policies, and practices with a lens toward reducing racial disparities and mass incarceration, delivering justice, and pursuing public safety.

According to the organization’s website, “Vera is partnering with prosecutors to put their campaign promises into action as concrete, data-informed policies and practices.”

The website continues with, “Across the country empowered communities have demanded a new approach to criminal justice by electing prosecutors committed to change. Standing on forward-looking platforms including promises of bail reform, diversion, and ending mass incarceration, a new generation of prosecutors in Chicago, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Orlando, Contra Costa, Denver, St. Louis and elsewhere are part of a small but growing cadre who understand what many Americans have also learned: that ‘tough on crime’ does not equal public safety.”

According to the organization’s Facebook page, it was founded in 1961 and “works to secure equal justice, end mass incarceration, and strengthen families and communities across America.”

The DA’s Office has shared data from the Office’s case management system from the time period of January 1, 2014 to July 30, 2019. Once the data and policy analysis are complete, Vera will present their findings and recommendations to DA Becton. After the findings have been analyzed internally and shared officewide, they will be publicly released.

“Our community is calling for a more transparent and equitable criminal justice system. I am excited to partner with Vera to work on those long-standing issues, especially around the analysis of our data. Data from any law enforcement agency tells a story,” Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton stated. “We need this data analysis to improve our communication with the public and our law enforcement partners. As a former judge and now district attorney, I understand the systemic issues in our county with racial disparities. We must think critically about how best to improve our operations and work with our law enforcement partners to ensure our prosecutions are just. With this partnership with Vera, we can shine a light on our practices and make informed decisions to better protect the public.”

Contra Costa is one of only seven prosecution offices nationwide participating in the Reshaping Prosecution program. Each office will have a designated internal working group that will reflect on a range of topics including: a deeper dive into the historical role of the prosecutor, working with your community and exploring what justice looks like, and discussions around building group cohesiveness to lay the foundation for successful implementation of reforms.

“Vera applauds District Attorney Becton’s commitment to racial-equity and transparency,” said Jamila Hodge, Director of the Reshaping Prosecution Program at the Vera Institute of Justice. “Our partnership will address the disparities that have impacted Black, brown, and Indigenous communities in Contra Costa County by providing analysis and policy solutions, critical steps to reduce harm, rebuild trust, and deliver the safety and justice our communities deserve.”

Training and exposure to different ways of thinking is also an important component of the partnership. For six weeks, beginning October 7th, Vera will host a weekly podcast-styled video discussion series focused on why racial equity is integral to the prosecutorial role, and how prosecutors can center racial equity in decision making. The series will feature criminal justice experts from across the country who will cover a range of topics including: Origins of the Criminal Justice System; Centering Human Dignity; Accountability vs. Punishment; Restorative Justice; Community Well-Being; and Action Steps for Prosecutors.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Antonio Hernandez.

I love Antioch because it has given my family the opportunity to prosper for the past 25 years. My parents worked as a dishwasher and fry cook for as long as I can remember to achieve the American dream, providing a brighter future for their children. They succeeded.

Here, I received my K-12 education and went on to earn a degree in Economics at Stanford University. Now, I am a quality improvement professional at UCSF San Francisco General Hospital, where I collaborate with the brightest minds in pediatrics on projects that impact children’s wellbeing.

I also work as a youth leadership teacher with TEAMTRI where I mentor our student leaders.

As your representative on the school board I will use my background in education, economics, and healthcare, to fight for evidence-based solutions to the problems facing our community.

We can invest in school safety solutions and get at the root of the problem so that we stop the violence years, not seconds, before it happens.

It is imperative that we adapt to the latest recommendations from health experts to protect our teachers and students from COVID-19.

Let’s make Antioch a better place for every child to get an education, together.

Photos courtesy of San Francisco Zion Church.

By Greg Bernard

In light of the COVID-19 outbreak that has devastated communities around the world, churches and religious institutions have had to shut their doors and services for several months. Congregants have been unable to gather together to fellowship or worship, leaving members feeling isolated and disconnected from their community.

But one church has found that the best way to re-engage members is to get them involved in giving back. San Francisco Zion Church, a Christian church that serves the Bay Area, held a letter-writing campaign for the firefighters of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area this past weekend. Members who participated in the letter-writing campaign hailed from cities and counties across the Bay Area and Northern California: from Contra Costa, Solano, Alameda, San Francisco, and as far as Sacramento.

Local church members and their children wrote cards for the brave men and women who have been fighting the State’s worst wildfires in over a century. Some of these heartwarming letters found their way to Contra Costa’s Fire Departments. The words of encouragement were warmly received, with some firefighters commenting that it was the first public appreciation they’ve gotten for their service in the fires.

Their next major volunteer campaign will be in collaboration with the Red Cross. According to the World Health Organization, blood donations have been in short supply since the beginning of the pandemic. As a result, San Francisco Zion Church resolved to partner with the Red Cross to host a series of blood drives. The first of these drives will begin in November.

“We’ve received over 30 recognitions from local businesses and neighboring cities in the Bay Area in the past few years for our volunteering,” says Adam, a resident of Antioch and member of San Francisco Zion Church. “Next week, we’re raising support for the families affected by the fires and reaching out to the elderly who suffer the most when they are socially isolated from their family members. With everything that’s going on right now, there’s so much need for volunteers.”
For the past five years, San Francisco Zion Church has been active in volunteering and helping people throughout the greater San Francisco Bay Area. Members of the church hope that their volunteerism and donation drives will encourage other churches and organizations in the area to gather together and contribute.