Oakley PD will lend Assistance in an Emergency

As I have stated in a previous post, Oakley contracts with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office for police services, which include personnel, forensics labs, dispatch, evidence inventory, swat team and helicopters. The officers patrolling our streets are actually members of the Sheriff’s office wearing Oakley uniforms and driving Oakley Police cars. There are 28 full time sworn personnel (1 Chief, 5 Sergeants, 14 patrol officers, 2 traffic officers, 2 Problem Oriented Policing officers, 1 K-9 officer, 1 School Resource officer and 2 detectives). Officers compete from within the Sheriffs Office to be assigned to the City. Officers are typically assigned for a minimum of four years. Currently we have several that have served for over four years. One has been assigned to Oakley for over eight years. This is currently the most cost effective way of providing Police services to our community.

It is routine for the Oakley Police Dept. (OPD) to provide assistance to an allied agency, such as the Sheriff’s Office, Brentwood PD or the Highway Patrol during life threatening emergencies. The Sheriffs East County units, from Bay Point to the east, and the OPD are all on the same radio channel. That makes it much more expedient for us to help them and for them to help us. So, on occasion OPD will respond to Bethel Island or Knightsen to assist the Sheriff in a priority call. OPD does not respond to routine or cold calls in other jurisdictions.

The County Patrol Units, Marine Patrol, Investigators, Civil Units, and anybody else who happens to be in the area will respond to Oakley without hesitation every time there is any kind of major incident. In past major incidents, members of the Sheriffs Patrol division have been shifted from other areas of the County to assist while OPD units were busy. It is a relationship that has served us well over the years.

The question that you are probably dying to ask; Is Oakley unprotected when our officers are providing assistance? No, as always protection is only a phone call away.

 

Traffic safety focus has positive effect in Oakley

Chief of Police Chris Thorsen was recently a Guest columnist for the Contra Costa Times. If you missed his column here it is:

THE CITY OF OAKLEY continues to evolve. From the time I began my law enforcement career 22 years ago to today, things have changed drastically.

Some would argue things were better “back in the good old days” when our streets carried more farm equipment than passenger cars. Instead of homes and businesses, the roads were lined with orchards and crops.

With the growth, our roads have been improved to carry the additional traffic volume. The police department has grown to keep pace with the increase in population. Part of that growth has been the addition of a traffic safety unit. You will recognize this as the traffic enforcement motorcycles riding about town and making enforcement stops. Coupled with these motor officers, members of the Oakley Police Department have increased their efforts in the area of intoxicated driving enforcement. These two efforts combined have resulted in tangible results. Traffic accidents are declining; more importantly, injuries resulting from those accidents are declining as well. In a year-to-year comparison, collisions have declined approximately 25 percent. Injuries in those collisions have declined approximately 30 percent. Due to the increased enforcement efforts, overall speed is decreasing in many areas of town.

I often hear the comment “why aren’t you out arresting real criminals,” or “don’t you have anything better to do” when it comes to our efforts in traffic safety.

These folks will never understand the experience of removing a young person’s mangled body from a car, needlessly killed in a traffic accident. They will never deliver the horrible news to a parent letting him know his son or daughter will not be coming home.

Simply put, if our enforcement efforts eliminate these experiences, then my answer is “no, we have nothing better to do!”

When I see a group of 40 or 50 Oakley residents, I fully believe at least one of them is alive and well due to the efforts of your police department. There is no good day to get a ticket or arrested for DUI.

Those enforcement measures are performed in an effort to save lives and limit injuries.

As the years go on, we will continue to work with the community to reduce the incidents of injuries and fatalities on our roadways.

Please join us in these efforts, don’t drink and drive, slow down and drive safely.

 

Traffic Fatalities in Oakley

Oakley PD remains vigilant, day and night, looking to stop speeders and apprehend drunk drivers in order to save lives. Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death among persons 5 to 34 years of age and alcohol is the leading cause of fatal traffic crashes by an overwhelming margin. Nationally, 12,996 people were killed in alcohol/impaired driving-related traffic crash in 2007. Thirty-two percent of all traffic deaths in the United States involved at least one drinking or otherwise impaired driver.

I recently had a discussion with Chris Thorsen, Oakley’s Chief of Police, regarding traffic fatalities in Oakley. I wanted to know whether an increased police presence could have prevented any of them. Of the five fatalities in the last 30 months, four involved a criminal act (unlicensed driver, DUI and evading the police) one involved a traffic infraction. The Chief stated “When I came to Oakley just over four years ago, we had five fatalities in my first 7 months on the job! We are making headway, but as long as there are cars, there will be fatalities.”

In 2007, there were no fatal crashes in Oakley.

In 2008, there were 3 fatal crashes in Oakley

1. A fatal accident on Main near Bolton. An unlicensed driver, with his mother in the car, turned left in front of an oncoming motorcycle. The motorcyclist was killed.
2. A fatal accident on Cypress near Jersey Island RD, a truck turned left in front of an oncoming motorcycle. The motorcyclist was killed. Both drivers had been drinking!
3. A fatal accident at Laurel and Mercedes. A subject with outstanding warrants who had just committed a residential burglary was fleeing from Oakley PD officers at an extremely high rate of speed. A vehicle turned left in front of the motorcycle. The motorcyclist was killed.

In 2009 we have had two fatalities thus far:

1. A solo vehicle crash on Cypress near Frank Hengle. A drunk driver crashed, her toddler in the car sustained fatal injuries.
2. A fatal accident at Main and Delta. A vehicle turning left from W/B Delta on to Main St turned directly in front of oncoming traffic, the driver of the turning car was killed.

 

Neighborhood Watch

Responding to rising crime rates in the late 1960’s The National Sheriff’s Association organized the National Neighborhood Watch Program. Since 1972 Neighborhood Watch has become one of the oldest and best-known crime prevention concepts in North America. It has also has become one of the most effective means of fighting crime in our communities. This is because it relies on you and your neighbor to provide a watchful eye on your neighborhood. Who really know what is going on in your area? Who is more likely to be the first to see a crime and call for help, and are in the best position to: (1) Report code violations, unsafe street conditions, etc. that degrade the quality of life in your area, (2) Take property owners to small claims court to abate nuisances, (3) Keep your block clean and free of graffiti, and (4) Provide a safe environment for your children. This program empowers you take control of your neighborhood.

What Is Neighborhood Watch? Neighborhood Watch is a crime prevention program that enlists the active participation of residents in cooperation with law enforcement to reduce crime, solve problems, and improve the quality of life in your area. In it you will get to know and work with your neighbors, and learn how to:

• Recognize and report crimes and suspicious activities,
• Protect yourself, your family, and your property,
• Protect your neighbor’s family and property, and
• Identify crime and disorder problems in your area and work with Oakley Police Dept. personnel to solve them.

So how do I start one in my neighborhood? There is a manual online that has at great deal of information. You may want to reference it before getting started. The following is from the manual.

Starting a Neighborhood Watch Group

You’ve heard about the benefits of Neighborhood Watch participation. You suspect—or know—that there is a crime problem in your area. How do you get a program started in your neighborhood?
FIRST…
Form a small planning committee of neighbors to discuss needs, the level of interest, and possible problems. Decide on a date and place for an initial Neighborhood Watch meeting.
NEXT…
Contact your local law enforcement agency. Request that a crime prevention officer come to a meeting of your group in the near future to discuss Neighborhood Watch and help assess your community’s problems and needs. Inquire about crime statistics for your area, but bear in mind that crime is typically underreported. Ask that the officer bring to your meeting a list of local and national contacts that will assist you in organizing and keeping your program going along with samples of Neighborhood Watch signs, decals, and literature.
FINALLY…
Contact as many of your neighbors as possible, asking them:

• If they feel at risk of being burglarized or being the victim of other crimes;
• If they have taken any steps to protect their homes; and
• If they would be willing to attend a meeting to organize a Neighborhood Watch group in your area. You may be surprised to learn how many of your neighbors’ lives have already been touched by crime!

If you are interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch program in your area call Oakley PD at 625-8855

 

Driving Under the Influence in Oakley

Last Saturday night, April 18, Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) had its annual California Law Enforcement and Community Recognition Event in Sacramento, honoring officers who had gone the extra mile to keep drunks off the highways. One of the honorees was Oakley Officer Morrison. He was recognized for his commitment to arresting DUI offenders for the year of 2008. Officer Morrison has only been assigned to Oakley since the last part of 2008. In that short time he arrested over 50 people for DUI. Officer Morrison is on his way to having more than 100 arrests for DUI for 2009.

I asked Oakley Chief of Police Chris Thorsen what makes Officer Morrison so unique. “Officer Morrison is a nationally recognized expert in the area of drug and alcohol intoxication. As such he has been training our staff on under the influence issues. This has led to a higher number of DUI arrests by all of our staff, most notably in the area of driving under the influence of Marijuana. The DUI drivers have probably been here all along, we are just getting better and more confident at catching them.”

Chief Thorsen pointed out that with a two lane highway running through the middle of town about 60% of these arrests are people traveling through our community. Approximately 17,000 lives are lost to drinking and driving every year in the country. Of our last 4 fatal accidents, 3 involved alcohol!

The Chief also left me with this information: “Between the increased success in DUI enforcement and the increased emphasis on traffic through the motor program, collisions are down about 25 percent. Injuries are down over 30 percent as compared to last year. I know it sounds a little corny, but if you sit in a room of 40 or 50 Oakley residents there is a strong possibility one of them is there (and alive) because of the success we’ve been having in traffic safety.”

If you feel the need to drive under the influence you may want to avoid Oakley. You’ll probably get caught.

 

CopLogic

The Oakley Police Department, in conjunction with the Contra Costa Sheriffs Dept., has implemented a new online reporting system, “CopLogic”. The new system allows Oakley residents to submit certain police reports such as lost property, minor acts of vandalism and petty thefts via the Internet. Oakley PD reviews each report to determine if a follow up would be beneficial. If so, the resident will be contacted by a member of the Police Dept.

Here is how it works: When a resident calls Oakley’s dispatch center, 625- 8060, to report a crime, the dispatcher will determine if a specific set of criteria applies and then will offer the resident the opportunity to make the report online via CopLogic.

CopLogic is accessed via the Sheriffs Web Site at www.cocosheriff.org. When there you click on the online reporting link and your off. Once completed and submitted, the reports go into a waiting box. The Oakley Sergeants check the box each shift and pull out the Oakley reports. If a follow up is required it will be scheduled in an appropriate time frame.

 

Police Services in Oakley

Oakley currently contracts with the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office for police services, which include personnel, forensics labs, dispatch, evidence inventory, swat team and helicopters. The officers patrolling our streets are actually members of the Sheriff’s office wearing Oakley uniforms and driving Oakley Police cars. There are 28 full time sworn personnel (1 Chief, 5 Sergeants, 14 patrol officers, 2 traffic officers, 2 Problem Oriented Policing officers, 1 K-9 officer, 1 School Resource officer and 2 detectives). We operate with an approximate .8 officers per 1000 residents. The goal is 1.1 per 1000. There are also 2.5 non sworn personnel assigned to the police department. Over the last three years we have added 9 officers to Oakley’s Police Department. For our small community this growth has been unprecedented.

Traffic enforcement is the primary responsibility of all patrol officers. With the addition of two motorcycles to our mobile fleet we have two officers specifically assigned to traffic enforcement. Juvenile matters are handled by a full time School Resource officer. Major felony investigation, excluding narcotics, sexual assault and homicide cases which are handled by the Sheriffs investigations unit, are handled by Oakley detectives.

Major accident investigations in Oakley are handled by our IMPACT team which is made up of traffic investigators from Oakley, San Ramon, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga and the Sheriff’s Office. CHP handles collisions in the unincorporated area and major crashes involving police vehicles. The Sheriff’s Office rotates in as “mutual aid” when we have a major incident. This happens fairly often because of the proximity of the Sheriff’s Delta Station on O’Hara. We have also had Antioch and Brentwood in on various mutual aid incidents, but that has been rare.

Through some reorganization done in the last couple of years, funding has been made available for additional personnel at the Police Department. Two of these positions now make up the City’s “Problem Oriented Policing” (POP) team. POP Officers generally do not have “beat” responsibilities (i.e. they are not responsible for handling routine calls for service). This frees them to address other quality of life issues within the City. POP Officers will generally be assigned things like homes where drug dealing is suspected, chronic locations of parties, searching for wanted suspects, and addressing neighborhoods where the police department receives an inordinate number of calls for service. Working in partnership with other City Departments and law enforcement agencies and using both traditional and non-traditional law enforcement techniques, the goal is to mitigate these types of neighborhood problems and find long term solutions. The non-emergency dispatch number for the Police Department is 625-8855.

The cost of police services is basically the cost of an officer charged by the Sheriff’s Office. Revenues to pay for police services are paid primarily from the General Fund. Funding for police services consumes over half of our General Fund. To ensure that our department continues to grow, without raising additional fees or taxes, we need a vibrant commercial/retail environment. Revenues from sales tax currently sit at about 8% of the General Fund. It should be between 30% and 50%.

To summarize our efforts in the battle against crime; we continue to battle property crimes and assaults etc. However, we don’t respond to the amount of violent crime (stabbings, shootings, homicides etc) that Antioch handles.

You can track crime in your own neighborhood: crime report