Antioch Police focusing on serious crimes, DA working to lower jail population during coronavirus shelter in place
Wednesday, April 8th, 2020“I’m trying to keep our officers as healthy as possible, for as long as possible, to keep our community as safe as possible.” – Antioch Police Chief Brooks
“We are still filing criminal cases against violent or serious felonies and some misdemeanors like domestic violence,” – Scott Alonso, PIO, CCDA’s Office
Antioch Police Chief Tammany “T” Brooks. Photo by APD.
By Allen Payton
In response to questions asked and concerns expressed by residents about how crime and criminals are being dealt with during the coronavirus pandemic and shelter in place, the Herald reached out to Antioch Police Chief Tammany Brooks and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office.
When asked what the Antioch Police Department is doing right now to fight crime and if they are not responding to certain calls, Chief Brooks responded, “Antioch police officers are still responding to all serious, emergency, and in-progress calls. Other calls for service like suspicious circumstances or low-level crimes without suspect information may result in an officer not responding. Instead, these are being handled by telephone or by filing an online report. When appropriate, we are still taking reports, we are still making arrests, and we are still filing cases with the DA’s office.”
“I can understand residents’ frustration with these new temporary protocols, as they are accustomed to receiving full service from us. However, during this global pandemic, we are all figuring out ways to adjust to the health threat we are facing and change our daily routines to fit current circumstances,” he continued. “The general public is being ordered to stay at home and only go out to conduct essential business. They can control the social distancing around them when out in public or choose what they will or won’t touch. Police officers don’t have those same safeguards.”
“In an effort to keep our officers safe and healthy, we are trying to limit their exposure to situations that are truly necessary. This in turn helps keep our community members healthy as well,” Brooks explained. “Think about it, officers can contact multiple people on duty from various lifestyles, with unsanitary hygiene habits, or who may be sick or have been exposed to someone who was sick. By limiting the number of people officers contact, it reduces the likelihood that the officer will get infected, or the officer infecting others if they are asymptomatic.”
“We have taken several steps to reduce the number of officers who may be quarantined if any of them get exposed to COVID-19 or becomes ill. But there are a number of police agencies that have upwards of 20% of their police officers out of work due to illness or quarantine. For us that would amount to 22 officers out of work. Such a hit would have drastic effects on our ability to respond to emergency or life-threatening calls,” he explained. “So, I’m trying to keep our officers as healthy as possible, for as long as possible, to keep our community as safe as possible.”
“Nothing in our world is normal right now, and we are all being asked to make sacrifices. When this virus is under control and these orders are lifted, service levels will be restored. Until then, I ask for everyone’s patience and understanding as we all do the best we can,” Brooks concluded.
District Attorney’s Office Actions
When asked what is happening with those who are arrested, Scott Alonso, Public Information Officer for the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office responded, “We are working with our justice partners to lower the jail population. As you may know the Judicial Council…issued new rules on bail effective April 13. (See related article) We are still filing criminal cases against violent or serious felonies and some misdemeanors like domestic violence.”
“The local agencies are citing and releasing certain individuals. We are also not filing non-serious cases at this time,” he continued. “Defendants are also making motions in court to be released and plead their case for release pending final disposition. We are usually not objecting to an ‘OR’ release (release on your own recognizance).”
