The BART Police Department is launching a new initiative that gives riders another way to request assistance from officers while they’re in the system.  Text BART Police allows riders, employees, and others to directly contact the BPD Dispatch Center.  The launch builds on the success of the BART Watch app, which has been downloaded 89,000 times.

“I want to give our riders as many ways as possible to reach us while they’re on our trains and in our stations,” said BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez.  “Text BART Police makes it easy for anyone to use their phone to discreetly contact us if a need should arise.”

The number for Text BART Police is 510-200-0992.  Text BART Police is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can also be used to send pictures to BPD.  Much like the BART Watch app, the number should be primarily used for non-emergency reports.  Anyone with an emergency is still urged to call 911 or contact their Train Operator.

By Sergeant Ted Chang #4362, Antioch Police Traffic Unit

On Monday, Aug. 24, 2020 at approximately 11:34 PM, an Antioch Police Officer came upon a major traffic collision between a large pickup truck and a small sedan at the intersection of Deer Valley Road and Asilomar Drive. Several witnesses advised the driver of the pickup truck ran the red light and collided into the sedan in the intersection. The male driver and female passenger of the pickup truck fled on foot. Officers conducting an area canvass located the suspect male and female a few blocks away. The 29-year-old male was placed under arrest and sent to County Jail.

The male driver and passenger of the small sedan, ages 24 and 25, were trapped in their vehicle with serious injuries. Con-Fire responded and took over 30 minutes to extricate them from the vehicle. Both were transported via helicopter to an area trauma center for treatment. Both were admitted with one still listed in critical condition.

The Traffic Unit was called out and took over the traffic collision investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Antioch Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 778-2441. You may also text-a-tip to 274637 (CRIMES) using the key word ANTIOCH.

Drugs, illegal gun and $3,000 taken from suspect by Antioch’s new POP Team. Photo by APD.

By Antioch Police

Did you know APD has a newly formed Problem Oriented Policing unit known as the “POP Team?” Their focus is crime reduction in areas of our city identified through police investigations and from citizen complaints, while seeking long-term solutions through enforcement, outreach and community involvement (that’s a mouthful!).

A short time-ago our POP Team was patrolling a motel parking lot near East 18th Street and Cavallo Road to address complaints of human trafficking, drug sales, and stolen vehicles. They spotted an individual (who they knew was on parole for manslaughter) and stopped to check on him. Said parolee decided he did not want to comply with the terms of his early release, which require him to submit to compliance checks by law enforcement. Instead, he tossed a pistol under a parked vehicle and tried to run away. I can personally attest to every single member of this team (including the sergeant) utilizing our own APD gym on a regular basis (and never skipping cardio), so his attempt was quickly thwarted.

Once officers got their bracelets on him, a search revealed he was in possession of approximately 23 grams of cocaine and around $3,000. When they recovered the discarded pistol, it was revealed the serial number had been scratched-off, which is a condition commonly found with stolen firearms. The arrestee is currently on his way to the County Jail, and you better believe we’ll be sending the gun to the Crime Lab to cross-check against any open cases (and to see if they can restore the serial number).

This incident highlights one of the ways APD (specifically our new POP Team) will work to reduce crime in our city, including patrolling areas in need, having a working knowledge of recently released offenders, and conducting street-level investigations. If you have a tip on something that needs our attention, you can send us a text to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword ANTIOCH in the body of the text. All texters remain anonymous unless you choose to give us your contact information.

Together we can work to keep Antioch safe and stay #AntiochStrong. #APDPOPTeam

Car driven by suspected drunk driver (right) struck and landed on the front of the other vehicle (left) on James Donlon Blvd. in Antioch Saturday night, August 6, 2020. Photos: anonymous source.

By Allen Payton

According to Antioch Police, about midnight Saturday night, August 6, 2020 a female driver hit the median of James Donlon Blvd. causing her vehicle to rollover. She was ejected from the car through the windshield.

She is suspected of being drunk and was taken to the hospital. The incident is still under investigation.

According to a source who chose to remain anonymous, the driver’s car hit another vehicle with two people inside, causing “front end and hood damage.”

“Yes, she got ejected. She did have vomit on her and it looked like a head injury,“ the source wrote about the driver who caused the accident, adding that her car “knocked down a pole” and “ended on its roof.”

The driver and passenger of the other car “are doing fine” the source shared.

Stolen car crashes into median at Contra Loma Blvd. and Buchanan Road following a chase with Antioch Police. Drugs, gun and magazine confiscated from one of the stolen cars on Wed., Aug. 5, 2020. Photos by APD.

Stolen car stopped on Lone Tree Way at Putnam Street on Wed., Aug. 5, 2020.

All in a day’s and night’s work

By Antioch Police Department

Curious to know what APD does to keep our city safe? Here’s a recap from last Wednesday, August 5, 2020:

At about 3:50 pm, #APDSwingShift Officer Amiri and Canine Purcy (he’s back!) were driving eastbound on the freeway when they spotted a car stolen from Union City. After they flipped on the red/blues, the driver didn’t pull-over right-away, but eventually stopped on Lone Tree Way at Putnam Street and refused to get out of the car. Officers blocked the vehicle in (to prevent a high-speed chase) and used time/de-escalation techniques to bring this incident to a safe conclusion.

Several hours later, at about 10:20 pm, Officer Amiri and faithful companion Purcy were patrolling Sunset Drive when they spotted another car stolen from Concord. The occupants were detained, and a search was conducted, revealing an illegally possessed firearm along with drugs packaged for sale.

Another stolen car stopped on Sunset Drive by APD on Aug. 5, 2020.

At about 1:20 am, #APDNightShift Officer Hill found a third car stolen from Oakland and pulled it over near Sycamore and L Streets. The driver initially stopped but jumped back into the car and drove-away. He crashed into a median at Buchanan Road and Contra Loma Blvd. but had nowhere else to run, because a sea of APD had him surrounded. Officers found a gun in the vehicle with an extended magazine, which the driver was not allowed to possess because of his parole status.

Gun and extended magazine confiscated by APD on Aug. 5, 2020.

Policework can be dangerous and unpredictable, but luckily your APD officers constantly train in the latest tactics and de-escalation techniques. Our officers have proactively found several illegally possessed firearms over the last several months and have done so safely. We cannot accomplish our mission to keep you safe without your continued help and support (which we appreciate!)

If you see something that needs our attention, our digits are (925) 778-2441, or 9-1-1 if you think it’s an emergency. Thanks for working with us to Keep Antioch Safe! #AntiochPD  #AntiochPDK9  #CaninePurcy  #AntiochStrong

Photo: APD

By Antioch Police Department

Today, Monday, August 10, 2020 we had the pleasure of welcoming four new members to the Antioch Police Department family. Pictured above are Officer Josh Egan, Records Technicians Diane Nieves (far left) and Antonio Quintanilla (far right), and Crime Analyst Lisa Reinke (with our fabulous Chief Brooks of course). Please take a moment to welcome them to our amazing community

Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton (center) with the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council. Photo by CCC.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors is seeking applicants who may be interested in serving on its 19-member Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council (JJCC).

The JJCC is a multi-agency advisory body charged with creating and maintaining the County’s comprehensive Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan and coordinating county-based juvenile delinquency prevention initiatives. The state-mandated Juvenile Probation Consolidated Annual Plan is designed to improve services for Contra Costa County’s juvenile justice population by assessing existing practices and resources, identifying system needs and gaps, and prioritizing and recommending solutions.

The Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council is composed of the following 19 members:

Nine (9) ex-officio voting members:
1. Chief Probation Officer, as Chair
2. District Attorney’s Office representative
3. Public Defender’s Office representative
4. Sheriff’s Office representative
5. Board of Supervisors’ representative
6. Employment and Human Services Department representative
7. Alcohol and Other Drugs Division representative
8. Behavioral Health Division representative
9. Public Health Division representative

Ten (10) additional voting members selected and appointed by the Board of Supervisors:
10. City Police Department representative
11. County Office of Education representative
12–15. Four (4) At-Large Members, residing or working within Contra Costa County;
16–17. Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives;
18–19. Two (2) At-Large Youth, age 14 to 21 years old, residing or working in Contra Costa County

The Board is now seeking applications for two (2) of the seats identified above:

–Two (2) Community-Based Organization representatives

This recruitment effort is for mid-term appointments to JJCC seats #16 and #17. The Board of Supervisors is looking to appoint individuals to these seats to complete the remainder of their two-year term that is set to expire on June 30, 2021.

The JJCC is expected to meet on a regular basis, at intervals to be established by the JJCC. Members will serve without compensation, stipends, or reimbursement of expenses. The community-based organization representatives should reflect the geographic, ethnic, and racial diversity of the County and should include those providing restorative justice, faith-based, or mentoring services, to justice-involved, homeless, or foster-care involved youth.

Applicants will be interviewed by the Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee: Supervisors Candace Andersen, District II, and Federal Glover, District V. The nominations for the Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council will then be forwarded to the full Board of Supervisors for action.

Below is a timeline of the recruitment process for the two vacancies:

• September 18, 2020: Final Day of the Application Period, due by 5:00 p.m.
• September 28, 2020: Public Protection Committee Meeting Interviews
• October 6, 2020: Board of Supervisors’ Consideration of Nominees

Application forms can be obtained from the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors by calling (925) 335-1900 or by visiting the County’s webpage at http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/3418/. Completed applications should be emailed to ClerkoftheBoard@cob.cccounty.us. Applications can also be mailed to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors, Room 106, County Administration Building, 651 Pine Street, Martinez, CA 94553.

Supervisors Glover, Gioia support her efforts

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

Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton. From CCC website.

On Tuesday, Contra Costa County District Attorney Diana Becton issued the following statement regarding the status of Contra Costa County’s Juvenile Hall and the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility.

“These are historic times and we have an opportunity and a responsibility to re-imagine our justice system so that our youth have a greater chance to lead successful and enriching lives.

I am forming a Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force, which will include county departmental and community representatives, that will study and make recommendations on the most effective ways to invest in our justice involved youth through restorative, community-based solutions, with an initial focus on developing an effective process for closing Juvenile Hall.

Youth crime has been on a steady decline over the last twenty years, reinforcing the conclusion that moving away from youth incarceration is in the best interest of rehabilitation, public safety, and fiscal responsibility. Research has shown that youth can be better treated and rehabilitated in community contexts where they can retain ties to family, school, and their community. Programming and services which are based in the home or in the community are more successful at holding youth accountable and positively changing behavior than institutional settings.

Despite the steep decline in youth crime and consequent reduction in numbers of incarcerated youth, the money invested into the operation of youth prisons has not been reduced accordingly. Data shows that the average cost per incarcerated child in Contra Costa Juvenile Hall skyrocketing to over $473,000 per year.

The Reimagine Youth Justice Task Force will make explicit recommendations for financial investments in community-based services for youth instead of investing in youth prisons which have proven to result in worse outcomes for our children and families. Such an approach will allow for critical re-investments in basic needs such as housing, mental health services, and workforce development as well as support the creation of alternatives to incarcerating children in locked facilities.

In the meantime, we should pause and not take any actions to close the Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation Facility until the Task Force has made its recommendations to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

This transition is urgent. The Task Force should finish its efforts by the end of this year and make evidence-based recommendations for the process to close Juvenile Hall to the Board of Supervisors in January 2021. The Task Force will present a proposed timeline and transition process for closing Juvenile Hall and will identify alternative investments for our public dollars into community-based services and programming for youth. Implementing these recommendations will create a safer community and help youth get on the right track in their lives.”

“I support District Attorney Becton’s efforts to reimagine youth justice in our County,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia. “We need to move away from institutionalization of young people and instead invest in community based restorative justice solutions which make us safer and are more fiscally responsible.”

“I applaud District Attorney Diana Becton’s effort to examine restorative justice alternatives to simply incarcerating our county’s youth,” District 5 Supervisor Federal Glover said. “The factors that lead young people to run afoul of the law are as varied as the youth themselves. In many cases a service-oriented approach will achieve much more in rehabilitating and helping them to become productive members of our community.”