Home Antioch Antioch Councilwoman Torres-Walker Posts Video Calling for Hiring 4 More Police Officers

Antioch Councilwoman Torres-Walker Posts Video Calling for Hiring 4 More Police Officers

by ECT

On Saturday, Antioch City Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker took to social media to announce she would request the hiring of 4 additional Antioch Police Officers. She then deleted the video.

The video, now deleted, was nearly 17-minutes long and called for a focus in the Sycamore Corridor and will bring a proposal to the Mayor and Police Chief at the July 27 City Council meeting to hire four additional officers. She is also calling for police chief Tammany Brooks to remove officer Tom Lenderman from the community detail that engages with the homeless and place him on another assignment.

During the video, she apologized to the Sycamore corridor for decades of mistreatment and lack of services.

While visiting the Sycamore corridor, she requested an Antioch Police standby as a precaution for her safety.

Transcript of the video (actual videos embedded below)

“So it’s a really nice day in Antioch, hello everyone, thought I’d go live because there is a lot on my mind and a lot on my heart so I figured I’d get it off my chest. You know, hello Antioch, this is Tamisha Torres-Walker, I am your councilmember for District 1 here in the city of Antioch and it is Saturday and most of us are enjoying this beautiful day with our families. Umm, a lot of people are on vacation, so I really wanted to come on here and do this live because leadership is complex and its not easy and a lot of people think they know everything they need to know about me and they don’t.

Last Tuesday, I spent some time at the Quick Stop on Sycamore with the County as they were educating residents on the vaccine. And, you know, I had a lot of concerns while I was there, and you know after leaving that day and there was this previous article that was posted about the Sycamore corridor being one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Antioch for decades. Not just recently but for a very long time, this particular community has been overlooked.

So this last week I have been going out there, business owners have been emailing me. I gave out my card and I went and talked to owners who said they were at the end of their rope. Business owners who have invested everything they have, their last into their businesses right in that little shopping center where there is the Quick Stop and JJ Fish, you have folks who have said they have invested their last and they haven’t been able to pay their rent. Their business expenses are not going to make a profit because of the activity in the area. Quick Stop is a corporation, it’s a franchise, its pulling out of the Sycamore area, that particular store owner, doesn’t want to leave, so the Quick Stop franchise has given the owner an opportunity to buy them out because its too much of a liability to stay in business in the Sycamore corridor. This business owner is going to have to go independent from the franchise because they said that store has been there 30-years and some of the stories I heard really concerned me.

So I sent the email to the mayor, the police chief, the city manager and the city attorney to see what we can do to really look closely at the Sycamore corridor and that community. Especially on the corner of Sycamore and L Street. It’s been a slow process but things have been moving and the chief is on vacation right now but will be back Monday.

But today, I went back to talk to the store owners again and like people are at their wits end and its because they are losing everything and its because this community has not been a priority.

So why am I saying leadership is complicated, its complicated because on one hand, like, I absolutely believe in police accountability, transparency and reform, and on the other hand I also believe in helping communities and keeping them safe. Something is just not adding up in that particular community.

You know, this is where the hard decisions have to be made and I think the city council, myself included, needs to have a real conversation about what do we do in the Sycamore Corridor in that community to make that community safe.  You know, some of the biggest challenges are trying to figure all of this out and in reality there is no way to get around the fact that we need more patrol in the area.

Business owners are asking for help, residents are asking for help and I can’t ignore that. I have no agenda here, I just want to help people and right now people are saying we need help. I don’t want to keep paying these high rents and we cant even come outside of our house. Our kids can’t even play outside, we cant even go to the store.

So, I am here today to say I feel so bad for this community and I think we need to really look at increasing Antioch Police by four additional Officers.  The reason why I am saying this is because there used to be a focus in this community and it was called proactive policing and that went away a long time ago and so I know police do not prevent crime, they show up after a crime or harm that is already committed. But if we really are going to commit in this community here in Antioch, we gotta do what’s best for Antioch and what is best for Antioch residents and I cannot ignore the voices of business owners, homeowners and community members who want their community to be safe on Sycamore/

We need to do proactive policing in the city of Antioch and so right now, today, I am asking the Mayor of Antioch to bring to the agenda a discussion on increasing the Antioch Police Department by four additional officers so that we can do some proactive policing, proactive community policing in the Sycamore corridor and get business owners, residents, homeowners some relief and an opportunity to live safe in their community.

It’s not that easy folks. Like the reality is I believe in transparency, I believe in accountability and I believe in quality police services and until we can get to a point in society where no longer need these systems, right now, there are people in the Sycamore corridor, business owners, homeowners, community members who are saying we don’t know what to do. We cant do this no more, we cant do this no more, we need some help.

This is like a super tough decisions. I spent some time talking to some officers from APD today as I was out in the Sycamore community and I just cant imagine, I don’t even live there, I can’t imagine what this community is going through on the daily and just talking to business owners we have to do something.

You have individuals threatening to take the law into their own hands if we as a city don’t do something as they are at the end of their rope.

Its complicated folks, leadership is complicated and right now I am saying that I am willing to support four additional positions to the police department to do proactive policing in the Sycamore corridor. I hope my colleagues on the city council hears this plea. I hope that folks from the community understand.

I hope people still believe in me and people still trust me but the reality is communities, poor communities, communities of color, black communities are complex. We can’t let personal agendas get in the way and I learned that today. I have actually been spending a lot of time in Sycamore the last couple of days. I’ve learned that agendas aside, this community needs help. They are asking for help, they are crying out for help and they wont support.

And they know that more police is not the answer, but we have to think about the short term solutions while we dive into the long term solutions and people need relief right now. So, there it is folks. Tamisha Torres-Walker, Antioch City Council District 1, here right now before you all in the world saying that we need to help residents, residents need relief right now.

And no, I do not believe policing is the sum of what public safety is about, but right now this is what the community is asking for, practice policing in their community and I as a leader have to support that. So, again, if you want to reach out to me, you can call me at (925) 206-2340 or email me at [email protected]

I hope this message reaches the community, the sycamore community. My heart is with you, my thoughts are with you. To the business owners, we want you to be profitable, we want you to be there to provide a service to the community as well as taking care of you and your community.

And even though I just got here, I want to extend an apology to everyone in that community for the decades of mistreatment, lack of resources, and just no attention.  

Thank you everybody for hearing me out today. I’ll be emailing the police chief on Monday as well as the Mayor to get this on the council agenda as soon as possible.

I don’t know if folks have saw that there is a petition going around to have Tom Lenderman to be removed from the community policing detail over the homeless, our unhoused folks in the community. I think that is something that we need to consider as a city is that maybe some things people are not meant to be doing and so from what I understand this petition is not asking for him to be fired, not for him to lose his job, this petition is asking him for to be moved to a new division which from what I hear from unhoused folks and community members who serve the unhoused folks its probably the best deal and the reality is some folks are just not good at the engagement and that is fine because we can use their talents in other places. So I will also be raising this up at the next council meeting on the 27th of this month and to the police chief when he gets back from vacation Monday as well as raising up the discussion around the potential of adding four new proactive policing positions to APD.

I am willing to hear you all out, let me know. You think this is a step in the wrong direction, let me know. But, from what I am hearing, people need relief. People are asking for this. And I gotta do my best so thank you Antioch. Thank you District 1 for voting me in as your representative and I hope we can continue to just move forward and be more strategic and I am a leader who leads with my heart and like I gotta listen to the people. Thank you everybody and have a blessed Saturday and have fun, get out in the sun. See you at the next city council meeting on the 27th of July.”

Shortly after posting the video, it was deleted.

The video comes as Torres-Walker, who chairs the the Police Oversight Committee in which they rejected a policy for body worn cameras and mobile video audio recorder policies.

Back in June, the Antioch City Council voted against a contract that would upgrade Antioch Police Department tasers that utilized technology to ensure more transparency when deployed

In March, Torres-Walker was the lone vote against community cameras at A Street and E 18th.  During that council meeting Torres-Walker stated that the area they are talking about placing the camera has a lack of services and is under/over policed at the same time.

“To live in a community that is already hyper-surveyed under/over policed at the same time as well as which seems like an intentional like of services, support, intervention and prevention. In lieu of intervention, prevention, programs, services and support, we just over survey the community, over/under police the community and no real solution for safety,” explained Torres-Walker.

She continued by stating cameras and police do not deter violence.

“They might capture an incident, but they don’t deter violence. Just like law enforcement doesn’t deter violence. They show up after a harm has been committed,” stated Torres-Walker. “The most cameras in this city are in the community that has the least resources and support and its mind blowing to me that the community we are denying resources, we want to continue to over survey and over/under police and I think it’s nonsense tinkering around the edges rather than get into the root cause of crime in our community and that is why I will not be supporting it.”

Last December, Torres-Walker took to social media in a 9-minute foul-mouthed rant blasting the Antioch Police Department after her sons were riding dirt bikes on city streets. In February, she refused to apologize.

That same month, in December of 2020, the Antioch City Council voted to rescind approval of a grant that would provide six school resource officers for schools within the Antioch Unified School District.

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35 comments

Jimbo Jul 18, 2021 - 7:07 am

I am confused. She has trashed police at every chance. She has failed to work with them. Now is calling for 4 more officers? That is good. But I really have to question her because the way I am reading this is she appears to have no idea just how dangerous Sycamore is. That is scary in itself.

Jim Simmons Jul 18, 2021 - 7:08 am

So you bad mouth cops for months then ask for a police standby? Are you kidding me!!!! Here is an idea, instead of defending criminals, how about you just ask them to stop committing crime? Lets start there.

Street-Sweeper Jul 18, 2021 - 7:21 am

Why was the video deleted?

Ghetto mentality can’t be changed.

Rivertown Rat Jul 18, 2021 - 7:31 am

This is how ignorant and stupid this is. Antioch City Council just approve their budget. You couldn’t have proposed this a month ago? Is she really this ignorant to think multiple police chiefs and mayors or councils have not tried to address Sycamore for decades? Has she been living under a rock or something?

Two Wheeler Jul 18, 2021 - 7:33 am

Tamisha doesn’t realize that she doesn’t make police policy, doesn’t deploy officers, can’t demand or manipulate the transfers of officers, and cannot violate their Police MOU. She really needs to educate herself on the process. The City Manager needs to find their spine and make sure the council knows their lane. The council is elected. They are not there to try to be the police chief or the city manager of the city.

GhettoRat Jul 18, 2021 - 8:12 am

9 minutes of rambling that could be summed up in 90 seconds. Can’t trust anything she says.

I don’t know how any of those stores make it in that shopping center. Always 5 -6 thugs loitering out front of quik stop, trash all over the parking lot.

Jaimoe Jul 18, 2021 - 8:40 am

Bi-polar?

El Papi Jul 18, 2021 - 9:04 am

She asked for a police standby cause she was scared for her safety??!! Hahahahahaha
But then she says police don’t deter violence?? LMFAO!!!!! They just deter your ass from getting robbed Tamishka. Good riddance.

Robert C. Jul 18, 2021 - 9:14 am

Just another demonstration of her ignorance and incompetence.

Driftwood Jul 18, 2021 - 10:22 am

TWT You slay me you really do. Your beliefs on transparency and accountability would be more believable if you practiced them yourself. You push to all but tie APDs hands. Are you trying to create a ambush or riot or what?
Attention
A person convicted of a Felony con not hold public office in the state of California. You sit illegally on the council.
Apologize for that.
Cause
Oakland already apologized for sending every gang banger and criminal they had. I guess that includes You.

Donna Salazar Jul 18, 2021 - 10:54 am

Oh TWT You slay me you really do. To bad your beliefs on transparency and accountability don’t exstend to Yourself. You push to all but tie APDs hands making a tough job dam near impossible. Are you trying to set up a ambush or Riot? you had no idea of the crime in the Sycamore area REALLY. I CALL BULLSHIT
A person convicted of a Major Felony can not hold a public office in the state of California.
You sit illegally on the council Apologize for that!
Oaklands Police Chief already apologized for sending every gang banger thug and bad guy they had to Antioch. I guess that includes You.

Concerned Resident Jul 18, 2021 - 11:39 am

She is part of the problem, talking out both sides of her face. We need both regular Police and Community Engagement Police Services increased. We can’t get out of this circle of violence without stricter gun laws, more heavy sentences for those committing violent crimes. Once we have a reputation as a City for zero tolerance, then we can look at reducing Police presence. For now, we must increase it. The folks terrorizing parks, streets and neighborhoods on dirt bikes, ATV’s, and motorcycles need to be fined, and heavily. I agree we need additional help in the Sycamore area, but it’s my understanding that the Feds have already stepped in there. She’s trying to take credit now, before that fully engages. Let’s focus on downtown, which could be a gold mine if done correctly. Let’s focus on keeping Oakland crime out of the city. Let’s get additional officers on the streets.

Terry Wilde Jul 18, 2021 - 3:13 pm

She is on the city council ILLEGALLY! Nothing she votes for should be accepted! THIS WOMAN HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE COUNCIL!! She withheld information about her ARSON activities and also her 22 separate dealing with police in situations where she endangered her children! As an arsonist, who served time for the crime (setting fire to an apartment in an occupied 4-plex at 1 am while people slept) … she is enjoined from running for any public office Convicted arsonists are NOT permitted run for and serve in any capacity on city, county, state or federal positions. She should never have been permitted to run.

Gr8scot Jul 18, 2021 - 6:49 pm

What, I will now refer to as “Ping Pong” Torres-Walker, is that the “Sycamore Corridor” is and has been that way for decades. She needs to hear what they say but also tell them to stop being “Helen Keller’s”! If they SEE something, HEAR something or KNOW something, SPEAK THE F UP. When the police get there, they go off witness statements and a MAJOYITY of them say, “I don’t know anything”. STOP CRYING WOLF unless you have the gall to actually SAY something to the police to FIX the issues.

Albert Vazquez-Garcia Jul 18, 2021 - 9:17 pm

This is totally preposterous! The woman is a disaster! Why hasn’t she been kicked out of the Antioch City Council? She was NOT elected legally as she kept her felonious act a secret. It was discovered and brought to light! The City Manager, the City Attorney AND the Chief of Police (if necessary) should have “ESCORTED” her out! What is going on with this group? The other City Council people should have barred her from participating! On top of all this, she makes an ass of herself with her heavily publicized foul-mouth rant against the POLICE, who protected her kids from being run down by angry motorists they were blocking!

Anne Italiano Jul 19, 2021 - 2:31 am

Why is she still on this council?

Don Rogers Jul 19, 2021 - 3:17 am

I can’t bloody BELIEVE this! The unmitigated nerve of this woman! First: SHE DOES NOT BELONG ON THAT COUNCIL, Second: She hates the police because they caught her after she set fire to an occupied apartment building. Third: She allows her kids to break the law. Fourth: She goes into a shit-mouthed rant when the police are called to DO THEIR JOB! Fifth: The police are not even allowed to finish INVESTIGATING the event so many motorists called in about her kids interfering with traffic which could have resulted in great injury or even fatalities! KICK HER ASS OUT ALREADY!

Donna Salazar Jul 19, 2021 - 1:11 pm

TTW You and Mayor Thrope can Call another Press Conference and ” Declare Sycamore A No Crime Zone ” That should do it!? Oh man I crack myself up!
See I’ve lived in Antioch long enough to remember Sycamore being built. It was just piles of sand before. The area was a very desirable location when built. I know lots of people that bought homes there. They are still there. Antioch has a habit of building , people buy. Then the City allows slum lords and section 8 from Richmond and Oakland And Bam those that bought are stuck in areas that are worth 1/2 of what they paid. Crime people just rolling down their windows and tossing their garbage out. But Oakland property’s are up up up.
TTW Sycamore , Cavallo, 19th 20th , Bon-Fair aren’t the only areas with Crime but they do have more than their fair share. So if you want to look like your doing something walk around those areas. See You and the Mayor call News conferences You like to create News. Instead of having Integrity , ethic’s and honor in your actions unifying the whole community. Thus being News Worthy by doing so.
You apologizing for Years of Blah Blah Blah STOP
APOLOGIZE FOR YOURSELF
You sit illegally on the city council.

Hank Olson Jul 19, 2021 - 4:24 pm

Who in HELL is this woman to dictate to the Chief of Police Brooks whom he should remove and assign to another project? She TOTALLY insane! We are all being laughed at by the leadership of other cities. This woman should not have run for this position because arsonists are FORBIDDEN to run for public office in California! I’ve spoken to people who voted for her and they are incensed over it. Had they done their research, they would have never voted for her. Many have moved out of that district now.

Jon Gustafsen Jul 19, 2021 - 4:30 pm

She makes me puke! What is she wearing? A Kevlar vest?

Bob C Jul 19, 2021 - 5:47 pm

First of all I’m not defending Tamisha.
I don’t like her one bit, nor that she’s on the council.
I believe she was arrested for felony arson, but for some stupid reason only convicted of a misdemeanor for that crime.
I know nothing about what qualifies or disqualifies somebody from holding office.
But I suspect in this situation it’s whether or not the person was actually convicted of a felony?

Beatriz Silva Jul 21, 2021 - 1:08 am

Arson is arson. No two ways about it. Whether a felony or a misdemeanor. Makes no difference. Arsonists are not allowed to run nor hold public office in this state.

Bob C Jul 19, 2021 - 6:00 pm

I was watching in Oakland councilmember talking about how they defunded the police there. He said the problem was not enough youth activities like “roller skating rinks they had when he was a youth”.
Antioch just had a shooting… at people who were leaving our roller skating rink.
I’ve lived in Antioch quite some time.
When I moved here Sycamore was the only bad neighborhood.
Now the whole city is slowly turning into a giant Sycamore. Every place I used to shop at or go to has closed, or had a shooting now. I’m not going to go where bullets are known to fly. If I can’t get something delivered, I go to Concord.
I think it’s safe to assume that the person who says there should be tougher gun laws, is not referring to laws that have to do with stealing guns, possessing stolen guns, or using a stolen gun in a crime.

Bob C Jul 19, 2021 - 6:11 pm

I was watching a video the other day of a Oakland council person who helped defund their Police department.
He said the problem was not enough youth activities such as “roller skating rinks as in his youth”.
Antioch just had a shooting at people leaving our roller skating rink. One person was wounded by a bullet.
I lived in Antioch a long time and when I first moved here the only bad neighborhood was Sycamore.
Now the whole city is slowly turning into a giant Sycamore.
Every place I used to go to or shop at in Antioch has either closed or had a shooting. I’m not going anywhere where bullets might fly. If I can’t have it delivered, I go to Concord.
I’m going to assume the person who posted here that we need tougher gun laws, is not referring to gun laws about stealing guns, possessing stolen guns, or using stolen guns in a crime.

EDMUNDS Jul 25, 2021 - 12:08 pm

The Oakland city council goons defunded their police force of $18 million and now they have had over 70 murders in their city and who knows how many shootings. So, maybe the city council actually wants to reduce the population of Oakland because that’s what is happening now. Do we want this in Antioch?

Madison Langley Jul 19, 2021 - 7:08 pm

She’s no “councilwoman” because members of the CITY COUNCIL have to be elected legally She’s wasn’t! Therefore, she’s just a constituent who plants her butt among the legally-elected ones. Nothing more! So glad I don’t live in “her” district! There is a GOD!

Savannah Jeffries Jul 20, 2021 - 12:10 am

What’s with this chick? Now, she’s dictating to Chief Brooks how he should deal with his officers? Get out of here! She’s not part of the City Council anyway!

Jazmine Brown Jul 20, 2021 - 3:05 am

You’re NOT my councilmember, sister! You have not been legally elected! You need to be removed!

Warren Scott Jul 20, 2021 - 5:32 pm

Bob C! She spent a year in jail for this crime. She was caught red-handed by a witness setting fire to an occupied 4-plex. ARSON is a felony no matter how you slice it. While some felons can run for office, depending on their crime. ARSONISTS cannot run in California no matter what the outcome of their situation. She kept that information from the constituents, but we found out! Arson is arson! On top of that, she is very ignorant about the issues we face here. That alone should disqualify her.

Lisa Diamond Jul 20, 2021 - 7:01 pm

If this case was handled as a misdemeanor, then there was a major fuckup which needs to be researched and corrected even it if happened 10 years ago. She committed the arson and went into hiding, but the cops got her. She’s been anti-police ever since! Finally, admitted having “transactions” with the police 22 times, but only when put under pressure. Her only interest in Antioch is to help to destroy it. She needs to be stopped!

M. J. Rollins Jul 20, 2021 - 11:53 pm

The feds are now all over Sycamore, so hopefully they will do something. Taking the whole place over and just demolishing every building might be a good start. Kick out the ghetto rats and send them back to Oakland. This whole problem started because of them. Most will probably be taken away and arrested. Don’t let them return! Simultaneously, the feds should take over the Cavallo area! Getting rid of that liquor store should be a priority. The city should yank their business license and the state their liquor license!

Beatriz Silva Jul 21, 2021 - 1:10 am

Arson is arson. No two ways about it. Whether a felony or a misdemeanor. Makes no difference. Arsonists are not allowed to run nor hold public office in this state.

Miranda Burns Jul 22, 2021 - 3:27 am

This woman should take a few courses in proper English language usage. Did anyone catch her saying, “I don’t know if folks have saw that there is a petition going around ….” What’s this? “…. if folks have SAW????” ROFLMFAO! Who are these “folks” she’s referring to?

Chris Mooney Jul 22, 2021 - 1:29 pm

I live in District 1 but there was no way I would vote for her and many other people I know said the same thing. Something is really fishy about her “election.”

Doug Thoreaux Jul 22, 2021 - 5:30 pm

Guess what, Tamisha! I live in District 1 and you are not my councilmember nor any kind of leader! I did not vote for you because I love my city of birth and that of 7 generations of relatives who were born and raised here. Your illegal presence on the council is ruining this city. It’s amazing how many people in this District are disgusted! You should have been removed from the city council and from Antioch itself, along with your law-breaking kids!

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