Antioch Police K-9 Officer Purcy sits proudly with his catch for the day. Photo by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

Monday, May 11, 2020, APD Detectives along with Canine Purcy executed a search warrant at the residence of a suspected drug dealer. During the search, over two pounds of marijuana and more than $13,000 was located. The suspect was booked into the County Jail and the cash was seized as proceeds of the illegal drug dealing.

This is part of an ongoing commitment to address drug dealing in our community by conducting complex investigations and seeking search warrants. This case will be presented to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

#AntiochStrong #AntiochPD #AntiochPDK9 #CaninePurcy

Traffic stops reveal stolen mail and illegal dagger. Photos by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

We’re listening Antioch!!

APD’s Traffic Unit had a busy day responding to your concerns about speeding vehicles, stop sign violations, and reckless driving. Our focus areas on Friday, May 8, 2020 included East 18th Street, Lone Tree, Putnam, and Highway 4.

While patrolling Cavallo, an officer spotted a reckless driver traveling in excess of 65 MPH, and causing other motorists to take evasive action to avoid a collision. After stopping said vehicle, the officer noticed an illegal dagger in the center console. The vehicle was whisked-off to car jail and a search revealed a bag full of stolen mail. The driver was sent to people jail to receive remedial education on shelter in-place.

One driver was nailed going 84 MPH. Photos by APD.

Reminder: The US Postal Service has a FREE service called Informed Delivery. This service provides a daily email preview of mail and packages arriving at your address . For more information, check out this link: https://informeddelivery.usps.com

Stay-tuned for more traffic enforcement on James Donlon and many other areas you’ve contacted us about! #AntiochPD #APDTrafficUnit #AntiochStrong #WeAreListening

Photos by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

“I only had one beer…”

That’s what the driver of this car told officers after crashing into a light pole and three trees at James Donlon Blvd. and Hummingbird Drive. By the looks of things, you’d expect to see major injuries, or even worse. The driver, who was placed under arrest for DUI, escaped with only minor cuts and scrapes. Her car is totaled, and if convicted, she faces fines/fees of approximately $10,000, loss of her license, DUI offender classes, and jail or community service. Thankfully, no innocent bystanders were hurt from this incident.

Photos by APD.

I don’t know how many times we gotta say this – PLEASE DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE! Tens of thousands are injured on our roadways from DUI drivers each year. THERE IS NO EXCUSE!!!

What can you do if you spot an impaired driver? First, maintain a safe distance, try to get a license plate, and call 9-1-1. You never know who you might save by doing this.

New Antioch Police Officer Dustin Dibble is given his oath of office by Police Chief Tammany Brooks on Monday, May 4, 2020 in the Antioch Police Facility Community Room. Photo by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

After completing a very extensive hiring process (written and physical tests, interviews, background checks, medical and psychological exams), entry level officer applicants are sent to a Police Academy. The Academy is 40 + hours a week for 6 months. Many people do not make it through to graduation day (some quit after the first day), but when they do, it’s quite an accomplishment.

Usually graduation is a huge event, attended by Police Chief’s and the Sheriff as well as friends and family members of the graduate. A swearing-in follows with a badge pinning and the newly appointed officer meeting many of their new co-workers.

Class 189 at the Law Enforcement Training Center was different. So very different. They were halfway through the Academy when the COVID-19 pandemic began. They were forced to quickly change the format of the Academy so they could continue attending. There would be no huge graduation or public badge pinning, just a quiet acknowledgement of a job well done and a private oath in front of the Chief.

With that, we would like to welcome Officer Dustin Dibble, who was sworn in on Monday, May 4, 2020, to the Antioch Police Department Family. Here is a little info about Dustin:

Dustin was born in Manteca and raised in Tracy, California. When Dustin was growing up, he was very active with travel baseball and spent a lot of his free time outdoors. He graduated from Tracy High School in 2014 and went on to receive an AA in Social Sciences from Folsom Lake College in 2018. Dustin was raised around family members and close friends who worked in law enforcement and admired the positive impact they had on people’s lives. For this reason, he chose this career. Dustin loves what the Antioch Police Department stands for and was immediately drawn to the city. He is excited for a long career ahead serving the community of Antioch.

So, if you see Officer Dibble around town, please give him a hearty and maybe a “congratulations!” He has definitely earned it! According to Police Chief Tammany Brooks, that brings the total sworn officers on the force to 114.

“On Monday the 18th we’ll be at 115,” he shared. “We already have two more that started the academy, last week and three additional laterals in our hiring process.”

“I’m expecting a couple of medical retirements, shortly. But this should keep us at or near fully staffed, even when they leave,” Brooks added.

Photo by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

Did you know APD has three different shifts for patrol operations? Our shifts are normally 10 hours and provide for some overlap to ensure maximum coverage.

On Saturday, APD Swing Shift was conducting crime suppression efforts in response to citizen complaints of drug dealing and other illegal activity in the Sycamore area. A little after 7 pm, officers saw three individuals dealing drugs in a shopping center near L Street and Sycamore. Officers swooped-in and detained the involved people in a vehicle before they could slip away. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded pistol under the seat, along with marijuana and promethazine cough syrup for sale. All three were arrested and another illegally possessed gun was taken off the street.

Promethazine cough syrup, known by the street-lingo “Purple Drank” and “Sizzurp,” is a commonly abused opioid-based controlled substance, especially among our youth. When mixed with alcohol or flavored sodas, it is said to have mind-altering effects. In 2017, the United States Department of Health and Human Services reported 11,000 emergency room visits related to the misuse of this drug. Certain brands of this syrup are known to sometimes sell for thousands of dollars on the street.

If you are struggling with drug addiction, or know someone who is, there is help available. The US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) maintains a website and toll-free hotline with addiction program resources across the country:

https://findtreatment.gov or 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Opioid addiction has torn apart many families and destroyed many lives across our country. Our officers carry lifesaving “Narcan” to help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. APD is here for you even if you struggle with these problems. Please help us stop drug dealing in our neighborhoods by reporting suspicious behavior, which you can do so anonymously by calling (925) 778-2441 or texting 274637 (CRIMES) with the keyword ANTIOCH. #AntiochStrong   #AntiochPD   #APDSwingShift

Photos by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

Are you ready for another Chronicle of Canine Purcy???

Officer Amiri and his partner Purcy were on-duty Saturday night in the area of L and West 7th Streets. At about 3 am, they saw a motorist driving down the road talking on a cellphone. Said driver wasn’t using the hands-free, so Officer Amiri (or was it Purcy?) flipped on the red and blues to have a conversation. During the chat, it was learned said driver didn’t have a license either. Purcy asked if he could sniff around and alerted to the presence of narcotics from inside the vehicle. Our best pals at the Pittsburg Police Department sent us Officer Oreja (also a canine handler) to help with a search of our license-lacking lady. What did we find? Glad you asked, because it turned out she possessed numerous ecstasy pills, cocaine, and heroin for sale. A reservation was made to shelter in-place at the county jail and free shuttle service was provided.

Did you know the average canine’s sense of smell is tens of thousands of times more sensitive than our own? Canine Purcy is a five-year-old Belgian Malinois who came to us from the Netherlands. He is trained in apprehension, tracking/trailing, and narcotics detection. He’s also a really really good boy!

Police canines are a force multiplier and an indispensable part of our mission to PROTECT ANTIOCH! Remember to give Purcy an “Atta boy!” if you see him sniffing around your neighborhood! #CaninePurcy #AntiochStrong #EastCountyStrong #AntiochPD #PittsburgPD #AntiochPDK9

Two of the six arrests and the stolen motorcycle recovered Friday night, May 1, 2020. By APD.

By Antioch Police Department

Gooooooood Morning Antioch and fans of Antioch PD!!! APD Night Shift was SUPER excited to follow our Chief’s latest directive to resume proactive policing. Last night, Friday, May 1, 2020, we made 34 traffic stops, 14 suspicious vehicle contacts, and five pedestrian stops. The result? We recovered three stolen vehicles, made six arrests, and wrote several traffic citations on James Donlon, Gentrytown and Somersville (including one for doing 76 MPH in a 45!)

Photo by APD.

Here are the highlights:

Around midnight, an officer attempted a traffic stop on a car for several vehicle code violations, but he decided he didn’t wanna pull over like you’re supposed to, and led us on a slow-speed roll to an alleyway off Lemontree Way. The driver, who had a suspended license, was placed under arrest and the vehicle was impounded to car jail.

Shortly before 1 am, an officer patrolling East 18th Street and Marie Avenue saw a subject on a bicycle acting suspiciously. When the officer stopped to have a chat with the fella, he had a really hard time remembering how to spell his name, which set off a few alarm bells. The forgetful felon decided he would hop on his bike and lead our copper on a little chase, however, this officer never skips the gym or cardio days, and was able to halt his failed application at social-distancing. After learning his real name, he was found to have a warrant for parole violation, and given a location to shelter in-place at the County Jail.

An about 2:20 am, a southeast officer spotted a stolen Porsche on Highway 4 headed toward Oakley. Thanks to a little help from our friends at the City of Oakley Police Department, we stopped the vehicle in their city, placing the driver under arrest, with a reservation to shelter in-place at the County Jail.

At about 3:30 am, an officer patrolling Auto Center Drive near Century Blvd. spotted a motorcycle with no license plates, and stopped to have a chat. The seemingly minor traffic violation turned into a full-blown investigation when officers noticed the vehicle identification number (“VIN”) was scratched off. After some ingenuity, officers found a hidden VIN after removing a few of the motorcycle parts. It was then, we learned the motorcycle was stolen from Walnut Creek. The driver of said motorcycle had a warrant for his arrest, and was brought to the County Jail to learn about sheltering in-place.

A ConFire firefighter extinguishes one of three fires in Antioch Friday night, May 1, 2020. Photos by APD.

And last – but not least, at about 5:20 am, an officer patrolling Verne Roberts Circle (near West 10th Street) found several small fires in the parking lot of a business under construction. The responsible person fled the scene, but officers located several surveillance cameras, and made a few phone calls. An awesome business owner met officers and showed us the video, which helped us identify the suspect, who we found in a field near the scene of the crime. This fire bug was turned over to arson investigators at the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District and will join the others at the County Jail for a lesson on sheltering in-place.

APD Night Shift is super tired from all the paperwork and will now head to bed. Fear not, APD Day Shift is on-duty and taking the reins from here! Call us if you need us because we aren’t standing down when it comes to protecting OUR CITY!!!

#AntiochStrong #AntiochPD #APDNightShift

Photos by APD.

By Antioch Police Department

Attention Speed Demons and Stop Sign Scofflaws.

APD has resumed MAXIMUM enforcement of traffic violations within our city. So far, our traffic unit has written 40 citations and made one arrest. Please lighten your lead foot, buckle-up, put down your phone, and obey the signs – unless you like seeing an assortment of red/blue lights in your rear-view mirror.

The leading cause of death and injuries on our roadways is speed, distracted driving, and DUI. Remember, impaired driving doesn’t just involve booze – if you drive high, you’ll get a DUI.

78 MPH on Lone Tree Way = $489 fine, points on your license, a mandatory court appearance, and an unhappy insurance company.