On Tuesday, the Brentwood City Council received its annual report from the Police Department which showed a 14.7% increase in violent crime, and an 8.6% increase in Part 1 Crime between 2014-2015.
Neither the police department or city council appeared concerned and repeatedly stated they felt like they were headed in the right direction and are on better footing in 2016.
In May, Brentwood Police took a stabbing suspect into custody
Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor assured residents that Brentwood is not on a crime wave.
“I want to ensure the public is that Brentwood is not on a crime wave here. Obviously we cannot stop people coming through the city that want to not be the right fit for our city. But also we have people concerned and want to make sure our workload is not as such that our officers can’t handle it,” said Taylor.
Taylor then stated he didn’t want to be another “Ant…” before catching himself and rephrased it to “another city…. I almost said it. I don’t want our officers going from call to call to call”.
Brentwood Police Captain Tom Hansen said said their officers are busy and they can always do more with more officers.
“We are able to go out there and take care of business right now,” said Hansen.
Mayor Taylor noted that what was not showing in the report was the city added traffic officer, k9 unit, detective highlighting that the city was already being proactive.
“We have a knack in this city for catching the culprits,” says Taylor. “With the new dispatch center, with the e-license reader, I really feel that we are going to start out on a much better path than we had last year.”
According to the report, the city is currently operating with 66 sworn officers including 4 over hires and 22 civilian staff.
Between 2014 and 2015, violent crime increased by 70 incidents, or 14.7%. The City of Brentwood experienced increases in rapes, arson and assaults. The build of the increase (58 incidents) was due to a rise in simple assaults. Property crimes increased by 38 incidents, or 3%. The increase is due to the increase in non-residential burglaries, theft and auto theft. Police are reporting a drop in residential burglaries by 25%.
During Tuesday’s council meeting, it was explained that Brentwood was near its 10-year-average in Part 1 Crimes of 32.5 for Crimes per 1,000 population.
Between 2014-2015 saw an increase in reactive workload of 3.6% jumping from 33,347 events (calls for service, crime incidents, cases taken and traffic collisions) to 34,553—a total increase of 1,206 events.
Between 2014-2015, proactive workload increased 25.6% from 17,434 events to 21,898—an increase of 4,464 events. These category calls include arrests, citations, and officer initiated stops.
In 2015, the response times to priority 1 calls increased by 5 seconds, and the response times to priority 2 calls increased by 2 seconds. Response times fluctuate annually, and the increase in response times to both priority 1 and priority 2 should be considered minimal. The 2015 times are at or below the average for the past 5 years.
Police also provided an update on the Dispatch Center which they say construction is 90% complete which is a state of the art facility. It’s anticipated opening April 1, 2017 and in the process of hiring 10 dispatchers.
Councilman Steve Barr asked about the 10-year-Crime Rate Average.
Captain Hansen explained that based on the numbers, in 2006 for example, 37 people out of a 1,000 would be a victim of a part 1 crime.
“So our 10-year-average is 32.5?” asked Barr
Captain Hansen confirmed.
“What I am looking at is this is not an increase in crime, but as an average number so if we are seeing increase in crimes or trend it would show up in here as increasing as you go through the years. You use an average to explain some peaks and valleys. I know we don’t want to read too much into them going up one year and down another, I just want to be clear as we look at it. That is not a 32% increase, it’s an average per 1,000,” explained Barr.
Councilman Erick Stonebarger asked of the 66 officers, how many are available now to utilize.
Captain Hansen said they have 61 available with 5 who are on light duty or on medical.
“Going with the 4 over hires getting us to a fully staffed department has helped us get there and as we go through this process, we didn’t know what the number should be, we were just trying to stabilize the system, so as we go to this process I would like feedback from police if we need to tweak this as we look at the forecast who may be retiring, medical disabilities, do we need to increase at a mid-year budget adjustment and have a fluid conversation,” said Stonebarger. “When we put four out there, we were trying to right the ship because it was halfway filling with water and were down to 48 people who we could put out on the street.”
Stonebarger says the ultimate goal is to have a fully staffed police department out on the street and if they have to adjust hiring, they will do so.
Brentwood Mayor Bob Taylor explained that Brentwood has grown by 3% each of the last two years and that there are more people due to population growth which brings more accidents and crime
“How do we rate that because Brentwood is going to continue to grow?” said Taylor.
Captain Hansen responded they do projects and anytime they feel they can’t adequately do their job they will ask for more officers and tools depending on population continues to grow.
“I feel like the 66 officers, 62 now and 4 over hires right now, I think there will come a time where the chief and command staff will say we can no longer provide service and need to ask council for more staff,”
Taylor said he wanted to reassure residents regarding the report there was no crime wave. Captain Hanson agreed saying they have support from the council and citizens.
“We are in tune with what is going on in the city. Any crime is unacceptable, but the police department is managed very well and we are in good shape,” said Hansen. “I think we are in the best shape we have ever been in.”
Taylor noted transparency speaks well.
“I think we have always been very transparent and we don’t make numbers up. We don’t try and cover them up or whatever it may be. If we are to be criticized so be it. If we are to be applauded, so be it,” said Taylor. “Our force is so dedicated to our city and Brentwood loves our police officers. Our neighborhood watch is above reproach than any city in the county. I really think we are starting out on better footing for next year’s report and I think we are going to see improvements”
Brentwood Police Chief Mark Evenson stated Brentwood has a fantastic police force that is motivated.
In March, Brentwood Police caught the “Bearded Bandit” wanted in more than 11 bank robberies.
“Sometimes we can’t control crime that is happening, but I think our department has a good reputation of being hard working and out there being vigilant. I know we made some excellent arrests after excellent investigations and we will continue to do that,” said Evenson. “Our Department will continue to make the residents of Brentwood proud.”
Councilman Steve Barr noted the numbers that really jumped out to him was the proactive work being done.
“I think that is reflective of officers on the street able to be more proactive than reactive and that number to me is that we are making progress,” said Barr. “I think getting to 62 officers says we are pretty close to fully staffed.”
Councilman Stonebarger stated the last increase for cops was when we were at 47-cops in 2004 or 2006 and built it up to 62 and got down to 48 available for service. He said this is what this reports help them monitor staffing levels.
“One thing this can’t judge is moral. It seems like the conversations we get to have with the guys on the ground whether it’s in the cars or in our daily lives, moral seems to have increased in the last six-to-nine months since we got the over hires. There is a lot of energy to get our staffing numbers up because it’s important to us,” said Stonebarger. “Public safety is probably the top priority for all of us… I think we are on the right track.”
Vice Joel Bryant praised the police department for their efforts.
“We have some of the greatest interaction in our community with our police department and our citizens. I was talking to someone just this week about crime statistics and events in our surrounding areas. One of the statements they made that people moving out to East Contra Costa County are willing to travel 30 minutes longer and $100,000 to move to Brentwood,” explained Bryant. “The level of expertise and excellence that our police department has and provides to our community is one of the main reasons for that. Criminals are like birds that you can’t keep a criminal coming through your town like you can’t keep a bird from flying over your head, but you can keep that bird from building a nest on your head. We have criminals who do not want to come here because its not conducive environment for their activities because of our police department and our neighborhood watches. Our community watches out for itself. I am excited for the direction our department is going.”
10 comments
@ECT if crime is at 14.7%, you should have said crime was up 15%.
I am surprised at the lack of urgency by this council to do something. They continue to have their heads in the sand and this Mayor needs to be challenged this fall. First he wants Brentwood to fund a fire department now he says there is no crime wave when the stats say otherwise? he has lost his mind.
Steve Barr has shown Tuesday he is no leader and is not County Board of Supervisor material. Anyone with a brain would look at this stats and scream for solutions before its too late. What a hack!
Antioch Oakley and Brentwood need to come together to stop low income housing period. These section 8 losers bring all this crime. Go ahead and deny it but facts are facts. Stop letting these losers into our cities and watch crime stop and homelessness. I been seeing so many bums in Brentwood it’s rather alarming!! Liberals and their bullcrap policies cause these problems!
Have you ever heard a public servant say “Oh gee things are getting worse and we didn’t do our job”?
I mean, seriously, obbama is still out there touting what a great job he did.
As a resident of Antioch, Brentwood should remember you reap what you sow. You ARE becoming Antioch and have been for awhile. Stop your denial NOW because it is too late. Residents should be down at city hall by the thousands. Oh, but of course that doesn’t work.
I wonder if this has to do with the section 8 apartment complex built not too long ago in the Sunset community and several pockets of increased section 8 house rentals in Brentwood.
Poor poor Brentwood. Denial is the first step, then when you finally admit you have a problem like Antioch, it’s too late.
In 2012 I barely saw any ghetto section 8 baby’s mamas at the Streets of Btentwood. Now it’s an all out zoo there, not to mention the increased security.
Be afraid Brentwood, be very afraid.
Go plop down on the couch after you lock up the house, board up the windows, and engage the alarm. Turn on the tube, no volume. Pray to Jesus in a mumbling fashion. Sleep tight with your shotgun as an extra pillow. Sip your choice of alcohol as an all-purpose numbing pacifier. And cross your fingers that no meth smoking lunatic comes crashing through the wall for your piggy bank. Amen.
Joe Goebbels you have serious brain damage sir! Get your head check, you sound mad! I would be too if I was a dumb ass libtard with no sense of how blood suckers ruin communities. Hope one day one of these animals bends you over and takes your man hood and you will have to pray to jesus you don’t get HIV in your butthole!
Hey Joe,
Why don’t you try to to come break into my house some day and see what awaits you inside. Just remember they don’t make bullet proof helmets to protect that small brain of yours and believe me…. I’m an excellent shot.
Piece of crap ghetto mentality.
Amen.
RJB, the Relentless Jabbering Bigot at it again. You’re all talk. Just a fuming old bag of hot air poking around behind a computer screen. When the cosmic clock comes closer and the time is right to meet, you’ll regret you had ever crawled out of your mother’s hole and into the light of day. Sleep tight, hatemonger.
Vote for trump, have you ever taken a course past K-12? All your comments are ad hominems and red herrings over and over again. And your username is lame, anyone voting for trump is a despairing sheep. Yea he speaks his mind, but even in his realm of business leadership he’s a sham, just like his “political career”. But I can see why you’re voting for him, people like you have no logos, only pathos.
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