Berkeley votes to limit low-level traffic stops to reduce policing disparities
Officers will focus on investigative stops and pulling over dangerous drivers rather than “random observations of minor equipment violations,” Police Chief Andrew Greenwood said.
Berkeley police will focus on safety- and investigation-related traffic stops while limiting stops for “low-level” offenses. Photo: Jerome Paulos
Officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to deprioritize traffic stops in Berkeley for “low-level” offenses, such as not wearing a seat belt or having expired registration tags, and focus police efforts instead on driving violations related to traffic safety.
The decision was part of a package of police reform efforts approved Tuesday night to address racial disparities in policing that have been documented in Berkeley and around the nation. A working group convened by Mayor Jesse Arreguín, composed of academics, activists, police and city officials, came up with the re
Oakland plan to replace police with mental health workers in disarray
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Berkeley to consider sweeping police reforms
sfchronicle.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sfchronicle.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Oakland plan to replace police with mental health workers in disarray
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Richard (left) and Zenobia Breaux listen as Oakland City Council Member Loren Taylor visits with members of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force in Oakland in October.Yalonda M. James / The Chronicle 2020Show MoreShow Less
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Jamie Almanza is executive director of Bay Area Community Services, which has pulled out of competition for an Oakland contract to replace police officers with mental health workers.Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle 2020Show MoreShow Less
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Oakland police Officers Bryant Ocampo and Daniel Cornejo-Valdivia patrol downtown in December.Paul Kuroda / Special to The Chronicle 2020Show MoreShow Less