Get Involved, Make a Difference, Call the Police Residents Urged

By Allen Payton, Publisher

A standing-room only crowd of about 150 concerned residents and business owners attended the first “Quality of Community” meeting organized by the new group, Take Back Antioch, on Friday night, February 4 to hear what they can do to help stop the crime problems in our community.

The group’s founder, 23-year-old Brittney Gougeon, was joined by Mayor Jim Davis and Acting Police Chief Allan Cantando in welcoming those who attended.

“It brings tears to my eyes to see so many people come out, tonight,” Davis said. “I’m sure you can find something else to do on a Friday night.”

What was stressed continuously throughout the meeting was for residents to call the police when they suspect a crime is occurring or something looks suspicious.

Gougeon outlined existing ways in which residents can get involved, including VIPS – Volunteers In Police Service, G.A.P. – Graffiti Abatement Program, Neighborhood Watch and the community clean-ups.

Dennis Jeglum of the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission provided information on starting a Neighborhood Watch program and encouraged citizens to call the police and report suspicious activities.

“You are the eyes and ears for our police department,” he said. “Will they come every time you call? Absolutely. But right away? Not necessarily. It depends on if the crime is in progress. They’ll respond to that first.”

If it’s not an emergency, he encouraged residents to call the police department’s Non-Emergency number, 778-2441.  It was later suggested that everyone put the number on speed dial in their cell phones.

Jeglum, a retired police officer, then defined what an emergency is. “Life threatening or a crime in progress,” he said.

Then he shared why sometimes a crime or suspicious activity doesn’t get reported. “People will say ‘I didn’t call because I thought he was gonna call’ or ‘I didn’t think it was important,'” Jeglum said.

“We have about one percent of our community who doesn’t want to be a part of it,” he added.

Jeglum then gave one simple way to improve neighborhood safety. “Make it easier for the police to see your address. Turn you porch light on when the sun goes down and off when the sun comes up. It costs you less than a latte a month.”

For those interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch, they were told to call 779-6980 and leave a message. “[Commissioner] Hans Ho will call you back,” Jeglum added.

He also encouraged everyone to attend a commission meeting, usually held the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the police department’s Community Room. However, the next one will be held Wednesday, February 23.

Cantando said he wants volunteers, “as we have a diminished budget.”

“This is the largest turnout I’ve ever seen. It makes my heart warm,” he added.

He spoke of the need to reduce “Part 1 Crimes” in our city. “We had a spike in homicides [last  year]. But violent crimes were down. What were up were burglaries. (They were up almost 32% according to the city’s website, see http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/CityGov/Police/crime-maps/crime-maps.htm)

“People think they’re bothering us by calling in or they’re embarrassed if what they observed doesn’t turn out to be a crime,” Cantando shared. “We would rather you call in and let us prioritize them. We want you to call us.”

Gougeon then shared some details on the city’s G.A.P. to clean up or paint over graffiti in Antioch.

Residents were encouraged to call the city’s Public Works Department at 779-6950 to report graffiti and within 24 to 48 hours the G.A.P. team will remove or paint over it. She also asked for volunteers to give two to 1o hours per week to help.

Photos from the group’s website were shown of recent graffiti, some of which had already been cleaned up, including a 300-foot long section of fence on Empire Mine Road, near Golf Course Road, that had been spray painted.

She shared a bit about the VIPS program, which assists the police department in handling abandoned auto abatement, handicapped parking enforcment, illegal sign abatement and traffic control. Volunteers are asked to give four hours a week to the program.

Then Gougeon shared a few new ideas, including establishing volunteers to bring back Code Enforcement and to combat blight, and to have a “Community Watch” mentality. She cited the fact that the city of Garden Grove, California has a volunteer code enforcement team. Currently Antioch has no staff in Code Enforcement/Neighborhood Improvement Services.

If residents see things dumped they were urged to call the city’s garbage collection company, Allied Waste at 1-800-NO-DUMPING (663-8674).

And if residents smell something suspicious, they’re encouraged to call Air Quality Control at 1-800-334-6367.

She announced that the necessary funds to pay to formalize the group as a 501c3 non-profit organization, had been raised in a matter of two weeks.  Gougeon shared the reasons why:  “It formalizes our goals, establishes formal structure, allows for securing grants and accepting tax deductible donations.”

She encouraged everyone to attend the next City Council meeting, Tuesday, February 8 at 7 p.m. at City  Hall.

She then introduced the group of residents who helped get the organization started. Four of them then formed a panel for a question and answer time, which proved to be lively and caused some debate among those in attendance.

The primary matters of discussion were forming Neighborhood Watch programs and G.A.P.

Suggestions offered were: invite your neighbors to your home for a meeting, including those who are problem neighbors; have your meeting in your driveway; come out of your homes and walk your neighborhood; place a “Pay or Put” situation on a home owner with problem tenants; personally give your flyers announcing the meeting, to you neighbors; meet your neighbors, especially new ones moving in. Say “Hi,  my name is…We have a Neighborhood Watch. Would you like to join us?”; wave to your (problem) neighbors, kill them with kindness, make them feel uncomfortable, was another suggestion; participate in National Night Out in August.

Some individuals offered one woman, who was afraid, help distributing flyers to form a Neighborhood Watch. “We’ll walk door-to-door with you,” one said.

When the panel was asked  by another attendee “what are your long term goals,” Gougeon responded, “creating the kind of community we all want to live in.”

When asked “what are the consequences of tagging, are there talks in schools?” Cantando responded that he wants to get some ordinances passed by the city council to help address graffiti.

One woman, a local hair salon owner, said to a round of applause, “Make the kids and hold their parents accountable and make them paint over the graffiti.”

“Get a van, pile them up on Saturday and Sunday. They’re not going to church, anyway,” she added to laughter from the audience.

Gougeon also shared “we’re considering funding other things” with funds raised by the new non-profit.

She mentioned the police cars with eight-to-nine year old equipment. “Our police cars don’t have Google Earth to track our cars,” she stated. “It costs $10,000 per car.”

She also mentioned a security camera system that covers a wall and provides deterrence in areas where there is heavy graffiti.

Bari Costello shared what she and her neighbors have been doing through the Rivertown Preservation Society, in cleaning up painting the graffiti in the city’s historical downtown area. She invited people to attend their meetings the first Monday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Woman’s Club, 509 G Street, Antioch.

A video tape of the meeting was made by Bob Butler and will soon be available on the group’s website at www.TakeBackAntioch.com. For more information or to get involved, visit their website, click on their ad on the left side of this page or email info@takebackantioch.com.

 

The Public Protection Committee of the Board of Supervisors will hear a plan to help recently released inmates to transition back into society.

“We either find a way to ease the inmates’ reintegration into their communities, or we face the strong possibility that they will return to their life of crime and back to the prison,” said Supervisor Federal Glover, chair of the committee. The recidivism rate for former inmates is 70-75 percent.

Spurred by a 2009 federal court order to reduce the state prison inmate population by releasing thousands of inmates, Contra Costa County agencies and community-based organizations have been taking part in a planning process to create the infrastructure to help former inmates adjust to life outside of prison.

The strategic plan produced by consultant Urban Strategies will be unveiled and discussed at the Public Protection Committee meeting on Feb. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., room 101, 651 Pine Street, Martinez.

Also First Saturday – Community Clean Up Day on February 5th

By Donna Wilson

Take Back Antioch (TBA) is holding its first “Quality of Community” meeting on Friday, February 4th at 7pm in the Antioch Police Department’s Community room located at 300 “L” Street.

We invite you to join us in this forum style community feedback meeting. Members of our leadership team will lead the meeting and discuss many of the topics that have already been addressed on our Facebook page.

Please join us in coming up with lasting solutions that will lead to positive change in our city!

To learn more about Take Back Antioch, you can visit the fan page on FB. As of this morning, there are 1,597 supporters. For those who are not FB fans you can also check out the main website at the www.TakeBackAntioch.com or just click on the ad on the left side of this page.

Take Back Antioch was created to promote SOLUTIONS to the growing problems of our community, and it cannot exist unless we support each other for the common goal(s). Please help be a part of the solution and help get involved.

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Don’t forget that there is also a community clean up – AKA First Saturday Clean Up – scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5th from 9-11 am at Meadow Creek Park on Vista Grande (behind Carmen Dragon Elementary School).

We have bags, gloves and supplies so just bring your friends, neighbors, family!

By Allen Payton, Publisher

The new, grass-roots organization, known as “Take Back Antioch” formed under the leadership of Antioch resident Brittney Gougeon is now seeking formal, non-profit status and needs your help.

They’re raising $850 to pay the registration costs.  According to a post on Facebook, today, they raised 13% of that in just one evening, for a total of $119.

To learn more about the group visit their website at www.TakeBackAntioch.com. If you’d like to contribute to the effort, simply click on the “Chip In” button in the “Non-Profit Status (501c3)” box on the lower right side of the page.

In addition, supporters can purchase “Take Back Antioch” shirts in either black or red, by clicking on the “Store” button at the top of the page.

For more information, contact Gougeon at info@takebackantioch.com.

On January 20 at approximately 11:20 a.m., Antioch Police were notified of an occupied suspicious vehicle in front of a house in the 4500 block of Imperial Way. The concerned reporting party stated that the vehicle was unfamiliar to the neighborhood.

Upon arrival, patrol officers located the vehicle and contacted a sole male inside. The male stated he was there because he was hired to clean up a house. Officers went to the house to confirm the story, and were greeted at the front door by another male. Patrol officers immediately recognized evidence of a marijuana grow operation inside of the house. Three males were inside of the house.

Detectives were called to the scene and determined the operation to be an illegal grow that had recently been processed. The occupants inside of the house were in the process of dismantling the equipment. The marijuana grow had consisted of approximately 500 plants. Several bags of the plants were still on scene, yielding approximately two pounds of finished product.

While on scene, a fifth individual arrived in a moving truck, and was arrested along with the four individuals being detained. The house appeared to be a rental. The actual owner has yet to be determined.

Arrested were Duong Tran, 44; Thiet Nong, 46; Vinh Tran, 46; and Cuong Hoang, 28 – all San Francisco residents  They were sent to the Martinez Detention Facility on charges of illegal marijuana cultivation – with the exception of the subject in the suspicious vehicle, who was released pending further investigation.

This is another example of teamwork between the alert citizens of Antioch and the Antioch Police Department.

On Jan. 12 Antioch police arrested  Alvin Harvey, 22, of Pittsburg, for the murder of  Jason Reddic, 28, on December 29 at 1504 Sycamore Drive in Antioch.

Antioch officers spotted Harvey, who was wanted on a parole violation, riding as a passenger in a vehicle in Brentwood. The car was being driven by Harvey’s girlfriend, Jeffintae Westbrook, 22, of Concord, according to police.  The vehicle pursuit went from Brentwood to Pittsburg, where Harvey fled the car on foot.

Harvey was apprehended by assisting Pittsburg PD officers.  Westbrook was also arrested. Harvey was found to be in possession of cocaine. He was arrested and booked at Martinez Detention Facility for the parole violation and cocaine possession.

Harvey has since been questioned by homicide detectives about the murder of Jason Reddic. On Jan. 18 Harvey was subsequently booked for this murder.

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The following was released by the Antioch Police Department on Friday, January 14:

Community involvement and support is at the heart of our Community Policing efforts. With community interaction Antioch residents can and do help us fight crime.

We would like to share a success story from today which epitomizes the spirit of community policing.  This story is just one of many examples which demonstrate just how hard our citizens and the men and women of the Antioch Police Department are working to make Antioch a safer community.

The officers and dispatchers assigned to work today will handle many calls for police assistance before their work day is over. Some days are busier than others. For example, just yesterday, during their 12 hour work shift, the same group of officers and dispatchers handled 214 calls for police assistance.

Today started off like any other day and at approximately 10:27 a.m. an attentive neighbor from the south east area of Antioch called 911 to report two male suspects had just broken into his neighbor’s home. The caller provided crucial descriptive information and described the actions of the suspects. At one point in time, 9 officers and 3 dispatchers worked on this call. As a result of a caring and attentive neighbor and the hard work of the officers and dispatchers, two suspects were apprehended for a residential burglary.  At the peak of this crime, which involved the apprehension of the suspects, all of the police department’s resources were utilized.  Officers were able to apprehend the suspects within 15-20 minutes of receiving the call from the neighbor. Some of the officers who were involved in this case will have many more hours of work to do on this case.

At approximately 11:17 a.m., at the opposite end of Antioch, another caring and attentive neighbor reported two male suspects going from home to home knocking on doors. The caller stayed on the phone with dispatch and also gave descriptive and detailed information about the suspects; even to the point of witnessing the suspects enter a home. At one point in time, 7 officers and 3 dispatchers worked on this call and we even enlisted the assistance of an air plane from the CHP to aid in the search for the suspects. Again the vigilance of the reporting citizens and police personnel resulted in the arrest of a burglary suspect. Although one suspect evaded arrest, there is no doubt our follow-up investigation will lead to his identity and ultimate arrest.

These cases are classic examples of the community and the Police Department working together to fight and solve crime. The men and women of the Police Department work very hard day and night while serving the citizens of Antioch and continually strive to fulfill their mission, which is to partner   with the community to promote the quality of life in Antioch by proactively reducing crime with integrity and commitment to excellence.

As a result of the economic crisis we have lost valuable personnel and resources and may lose more. We need the public’s help more than we ever have and we strongly urge our citizens to get involved and become part of our Community Policing Team.

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Says Public Safety Is Number One Priority of Local Government, Pledges to Fight for Funding

By Allen Payton, Publisher

After a hard-fought, vitriolic campaign, underdog candidate Mark Peterson, a 25-year deputy district attorney, 15-year Concord councilman and three-time mayor, won by an 18% margin in November and was sworn in as Contra Costa County’s new District Attorney, yesterday to an overflow room filled with deputy district attorneys, judges, law enforcement personnel, elected officials including Congressman John Garamendi as well as many supporters.

After speeches by one of his court-room opponents in the Public Defender’s office, David Headley, former council colleague and now State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, former Concord Mayor and Retired General Dan Helix, Sr., as well as Appeals Court Judge Mark Simons, the 52-year-old Peterson was given the oath of office by Contra Costa Superior Court Judge John Kennedy and then had his turn at the podium.

He gave a gracious speech, speaking to those in the DA’s office who supported him, as well as those who didn’t, as well as in the Public Defender’s office and on the bench, and thanked the Concord Police Officers Association and Contra Costa Firefighters who supported him in his campaign. Peterson also recognized, his opponents Dan O’Malley and Elle Fallahat, who were given a round of applause.

“We were never enemies. We were political opponents,” Peterson said. “We were colleagues then. We are colleagues, today.”

Peterson also introduced and thanked his wife Penny, daughters, one of whom did led the Pledge of Allegiance, and one who sang the National Anthem, and parents (it was his mother’s 81^st birthday), who he credited for teaching him the value of hard work, which he applied during his campaign and it paid off.

“My parents are great heroes to me. They were missionaries in a small town in Alaska …where I was fortunate enough to grow up,” he stated.

Peterson then asked and answered the question, “how did I get here?”

He also thanked the Seeno and Garaventa families, who supported his campaigns, financially.

He quoted President George Washington, who said, “The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.”

He acknowledged the seven new Deputy DA’s he had the privilege of swearing in, earlier in the day.

He mentioned lists of individuals in both the DA’s and Public Defender’s offices, as well as judges he appeared before, and the court staff who have had an impact on him and his career.

“Each one of those is a part of who I am, today,” he said. “Each one of those cases has helped influence who I am today.”

“And I know the criminal justice system is not a perfect system,” Peterson added. “But it’s an inherently a very, very good system and the system works because everyone in this room who’s a part of it does such a great job. And of course we have a Court of Appeals here to tell us when we’re wrong. (To laughter). And hopefully we don’t do it too often.”

He then recognized the DA’s office, including the 85 Deputy DA’s, the 25 investigative staff and the over 40 support staff and had them stand, which they did to applause.

“We have an excellent staff,” Peterson acknowledged. “I know during these last couple of years that we’ve had some bad publicity and we’ve had challenges in our office and there’s things we want to improve and want to work on and make better. But we have an excellent office. We do a very good job protecting this community.”

“The people in our office are committed to public safety and committed to keeping our community safe,” he added.

“So each one of you has contributed to who I am. Each one of you has shaped the perspective I bring to the District Attorney’s office. So in a very really sense each one of you will be helping me in lead that office.”

“So when I screw up it’s your fault,” Peterson joked. “ Not really. I hope that doesn’t happen. I really do mean that each one of you is part of me leading this office.”

He mentioned his service on the Concord City Council and the successes in reducing crime by over 40% and adding 29 police officers to the department.

“I’m very proud of that relationship. I think I learned a great deal from it and it was a privilege to serve in that capacity,” Peterson shared. “Although I was mayor and you might think I got a little prideful, I take the job seriously, but I don’t take my job too seriously.”

He then read some responses and one letter he framed which he received after he proposed fast food restaurants post calories next to a list of food items on the wall, so people can know.

A note from his staff said, a man had called to voice his opinion and said “he’d rather see the I.Q. of those running for office posted on election night, so he would know if he’s voting for a moron or not.”

Peterson said, “I got a big kick out of that so I framed it and it hang in my office. So I will take my job seriously, but I hopefully won’t take myself too seriously.”

He then touched on budget concerns the county and his department currently face.

“I know these are tough economic times. I pledge to work with the county to look for ways to save money,” Peterson exclaimed.

“But I want to remind everyone that the number one priority in local government is public safety. I pledge to work collaboratively with the Board of Supervisors,” he stated. “The Board has a difficult task ahead of them. I will fight for funding. I have a responsibility, a duty to represent every citizen, every voter in every city and every unincorporated area of this county.”

“I promise to speak professionally, but forcefully for those citizens and voters,” Peterson said. “Our office is understaffed and underfunded. I believe we must look for structural changes to the county budget.”

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