A week ago today, I wrote a Facebook post outlining some of the general steps the Antioch Police Department has taken to curb the violent crime occurring in our city. Today, I am providing a progress report to let you know what has occurred since last week, as well as what will be taking place in the very near future.
Our department has long embraced the Community Policing philosophy. As such, we recognize we cannot fix this problem on our own. There are a number of valuable resources available to us, and we benefit from working collaboratively with those individuals and organizations that can help solve the problems in our community. In an effort to combat the rise in violent crime, we are utilizing the SARA problem solving method.
SARA is an acronym for Scan, Analyze, Respond, and Assess. In short, we first identify the problem. We then identify the persons involved, as well as scope and causes of the problem. We then seek desired results and create/implement a plan of action. Finally, we evaluate our progress and results, assessing where we are by beginning the process again.
To make an immediate impact on violent crime, we plan to direct and focus additional resources on identifying, locating, and arresting those criminals willing to engage in violent behavior. Not only are we looking for those who have committed recent violent crime, but we want to contact those who might be looking to commit future crimes. Our primary focus will be on weapons, gangs, and illegal drug activity. Here are some of the actions we have and will be taking:
Because our current staffing level prevents us from having a full time unit of officers dedicated solely to working proactive enforcement, we were previously conducting monthly proactive enforcement operations utilizing detectives and officers on an overtime basis. Last week, I spoke with Mayor Wade Harper and City Manager Steve Duran, and was authorized additional funding to begin scheduling these operations on a weekly basis. We wasted no time and conducted our first weekly proactive crime suppression detail late last week. During this operation we served 2 search warrants, conducted 1 probation search, and arrested a subject for possession of illegal narcotics with the intent to sell. Plans are just about finalized for this week’s crime suppression detail, which will be occurring soon.
In addition to responding to calls for service, patrol officers have been tasked with working on a “Beat Project” when time allows. In essence, officers who share the same working days but with different hours (days, swings, graves) will communicate and work together as a team to focus on a specific crime issue or geographical area. Patrol supervisors will coordinate these efforts and will be responsible to provide a status update during a monthly staff meeting.
We are coordinating efforts with the FBI to seek possible Federal filing and prosecution on all cases involving illegal weapons, when certain criteria are met.
We are currently speaking to the California Highway Patrol, looking to secure their assistance in conducting traffic enforcement throughout the city, but with a focus in the areas where we are currently experiencing an increase in our violent crimes.
I spoke to Contra Costa County Sheriff Dave Livingston, and he has committed to help us by sending the Sheriff’s Office J-Team monthly to participate and provide assistance during our proactive crime suppression operations. The additional manpower and resources of this team will allow us to broaden our operational area and increase the number of contacts we make.
We will continue working with the members of the Contra Costa County Probation department and utilize them for providing intelligence and additional help when their resources allow.
Finally, we are currently working on new technology that will allow us to enhance our communication with the public. I will provide more information on this in the near future, but will say we hope to have this new technology in place within the next month.
As I mentioned before, the hard-working men and women of the Antioch Police Department view the safety of everyone in our community as the highest priority and are committed to doing their absolute best to enforce the laws and arrest those who threaten the public’s safety. Additionally, I am committed to keeping the public informed and providing progress reports concerning our efforts.
Sincerely,
Chief Allan Cantando
30 comments
Hey ECT, why nothing from Mayor Wade Harper? Why is he not saying anything? The police department deserves much better than the deck of cards handed to them by the council and city manager.
I hope Chief Allan Cantandos plan works.
I agree where is the mayor and also captain obvious people dont have to spell it out SYCAMORE has been the problem area we ave 9 days of shooting. 2 deaths what else can we ask for
We had a wonderful barrage of gunfire last night off Sycamore. Just another night. I just wish they could hit what they aim for so WE normal folks don’t have to duck! How about free shooting lessons at the police range? –FED UP!
Thank you Allan Cantando, I appreciate your update and honesty when it comes to reducing crime. I would not want to be in your shoes. As an Antioch resident, I am freaked out by the violence but I know in the end the police department will be there for me. Thank you for showing leadership and keeping us informed. I can’t say the same for the City Council who is a disappointment, but I pray for all the officers out there for their safety and may they continue to arrest bad guys and clean up this town. Thank you for your leadership.
Where is the Mayor?! Why is the Chief always taking the hit?
Where is the Mayor? Why can’t he talk about the reality of crime violence in this city? Where are the city council members? What is the long time and ridiculously expired Rocha doing about this? What about their so called “most qualified appointed” Tiscareno doing about this?
I also want to add that I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for Chief Cantando. He is relentelssly done the best job with the limited resources.
I am wondering why it took this long for the mayor and Duran to “authorize” more funds for the operations? I thought Measure C was supposed to already provide the funds for the police department. Why did the mayor wait so long to authorize the funds?
I spoke with an Antioch officer just the other day and asked them if Antioch has picked up any new officers. As you can all imagine, measure C has yet to provide any new/extra officers to an already shortened staff. Fact: Antioch, 80 officers compared to Richmond’s 180!!! Anyone else see this as a problem??
The city manager should be fired. The city council should be recalled and replaced. If something is not working, you move onto another idea. Unfortunately, the council has rejected the idea of making a tough decision in favor of focusing on feral cats while leaving the police chief with no enough officers or resources to keep Antioch safe. I do not blame the police department at all because we know the calls for serve and it’s a lot. This does not fall on them. This falls on the city manager, mayor, and city council for not doing their jobs. I will be voting for anyone who has never held public office before. It’s time to elect people who really care about crime and want to fix it.
me too on not voting for anyone already on the City Council or re-electing that do-nothing Mayor. Some fresh people are definitely needed for the City Council and City Manager positions. So unimpressed with the City Manager’s latest report too; what a bunch useless jibberish that doesn’t hardly touch on Antioch’s real issues or financial crisis.
I agree…Where is the Mayor and City Council during this uptick in crime..!!!!! And Measure C, which I voted in favor of as I understood it would be used to supplement the hiring of a full police force, has turned out to be a ruse..!!! The police force should be commended in how quickly they respond to crime and the subsequent arrests of the perpetrator(s)..I have lived here for 17 years, seen the city grow, but City government has played the role of being reactive instead of being proactive..!!!! We as residents got a quicker decision on the feral cats issue than on crime and crime suppression!! Wow..!!!!
Seems to me your Mayor is more interested in his title than doing the job you politically correct progressives elected him to do.
Harper has not and will not address the crime problem in Antioch because he is well aware that the majority of individuals committing the violence are black. Why risk saying or doing something about the black thugs terrorizing your neighborhoods and face the wrath of other blacks in Antioch and East County NAACP calling him a Uncle Tom & a sellout. Black folk are quick to play the victim and the race card despite arrests, crime reports, and other statistical facts that prove beyond reasonable doubt who perpetrates the highest percentage of violent crime in your city. Can you say reverse racism!!!!!!
Congratulations Antioch. Two years ago you made “political correctness” history by electing the worst and first black Mayor in city history. Harper’s silence should have all of you banging on his door at city hall.
I know Chief Cantando personally and he is a man of honor & integrity and deserves much better than what he’s getting from the leader of Antioch. You have my deepest sympathy.
So true. Our mayor is a coward.
I don’t agree with the “Black” part. I have many African American neighbors that are fed up with Harper, the City Council and the violence too.
PV:
Ask ALL your black neighbors who are fed up with Wade Harper to come with you to the July 22nd council meeting, fill out a speaker sheet, and state publicly how they are upset with him specifically as Mayor of Antioch. If they show up then you will know their feelings are genuine, on the other hand, if they make excuses why they don’t have time or don’t want to get involved then you will know they are not as upset as they proclaim. Prepare to be disappointed. Black folks talk a good game until you ask them to get involved, then they develop amnesia.
If you, as residents, REALLY want change you have to force it.
Here’s an idea, gather a LARGE group of pissed off, concerned citizens and have them stand in front of Wade Harper’s home and demand he take action or resign. Another idea. First. contact news stations. Fill the council chamber to standing room only and have everyone stand and turn their backs to the council. Then yell, HARPER MUST GO!!! Repeat over and over again.
If you want your families safe, then for goodness sake fight for them by all means necessary.
As Julio mentioned on another thread, the group UCBN and the guy that lead it knew how to get things done.
How many officers were added due to the tax increase
the last number i have is 1, there are now 88 officers. but there is still no clear answer if all of the 14, which retired a short while ago got replaced.
I was told by an officer yesterday that they are down to 80 officers.
Karl is right. It is a flexible figure from day to day. It amounts to very few on the street at any one time. 80 is a good number also. Amounts to maybe a few over 50 on the streets. Figure that by number of shifts etc and you have zip. Sometimes they all have to be at the same spot at the same time. They have to have back up. Chief is doing well with what council gives him.
The next council meeting is July 22, 2014 at 7PM. Remember to be respectful. Stay calm and don’t use profanity. You want to be respected and listened to.
Harper is only one of the majority. People need to look at the voting records regarding measure C and law enforcement funding. Then Chief is doing what he can by thinking of ideas for more enforcement such as the “J Team “, FBI, Parole Officers, Probation Officers, etc. He should also if he has not contact the Section 8 investigators for those section 8 crimes. No Section 8 money will force scumbags to move. Legitimate section 8 residents would welcome that enforcement too.
Chuck, in the past the section 8 investigators hired by the current head of housing and his 2 assistants have not done their jobs. Don’t count on help from them.
Excellent points regarding section 8.
Tiscareno qualified? Have you ever seen him make a motion at a Council Meeting, what a dork!
Thank you for the update, Chief Cantando
RJB, County housing/section 8 operates on the premise that they work for their “clients” not us. They forget who pays their huge salaries, benefits and retirement. But we the taxpayer, who even pay the section 8 rents are never considered. Like Judge Judy says,” Burt and I pay your way and we don’t like how you take advantage of the system”.
Chief, I am glad that you are addressing the issues that Antioch is having. I hope that you will go farther then just telling the public what you have in your last two postings. The things you have brought up are things that APD has already tried or implemented in the past, before this summer crisis. You will need to be creative and start thinking outside the box. It is important to gain the respect and trust of this community, as none of the other city leaders have. Also remember that you are a department head and your troops also need to be addressed, heard and made to feel appreciated. If you do not gain that from your troops then these out of the box ideas will go nowhere. Good luck in pulling this city out of the hole that years of mismanagement, bad decisions, and lack of response has caused.
No one talks about the real issue. It’s the fact that Antioch continues to build houses.
Think about this, Why would you continue to build MORE homes when the police and other services are stretched to the limit right now.
Yet, they continued to build as there were foreclosed homes on every block. Who will eventually buy these homes? Investors? low income?
Who makes $$$ front this? Builders? investors? City? Yet there is always “no money”.
Someones making money, don’t worry : )
To solve problems, you need to start at what caused the problem.
Gee, when did problems escalate and get out of control again? You can track it directly to the uncontrolled growth in Antioch yet the city continues to build.
That folks, is the real outrage….
I love when Judge Judy makes it public how some of litigants are on social assistance. It is so funny when she asks about school loans and welfare loans someone has received and then given to someone else who has not paid the person back. This is money we give them in assistance. They must not need it if they can loan it to others.
I wish all judges were like that.
The reason scumbag people are leaving Richmond for Antioch is because Antioch less than half the Officers Richmond does. These leaches on the system are not that stupid. How do think they get away with living off others hard work?
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