RPD Update
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2008
RPD officers celebrate the
25th Annual “National
Night Out” on August 5th
with residents from
neighborhoods
throughout the
community.
“The police are the public and
the public are the police; the
police being only members of
the public who are paid to
give full time attention to
duties which are incumbent
on every citizen in the
interests of community
welfare and existence.”
Robert Peel, 1778-1850
RICHMOND, CA POLICE DEPARTMENT CHRIS MAGNUS, CHIEF OF POLICE
Department Gaining New Officers
Slow, steady progress. That might be the best way to describe how the Richmond
Police Department (RPD) is doing when it comes to increasing our number of police
officers. As with virtually all departments our size and larger, the greatest challenge
we face is attempting to hire more officers than we lose over any given time through
attrition.
For example, during the past year we hired 23 new police officers. Sounds pretty
good, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, over the past two years, we lost a total of 25
officers due to retirements, injuries, police academy failure, and inability of some
new officers to successfully complete the department’s in-house Police Training
Officer (PTO) program. It’s worth noting, however, that during this time, only one
officer actually resigned to take a job with another department—and that was
because he needed to relocate elsewhere in the state to be with his family.
The attrition challenge aside, we are gaining ground and gradually getting closer to
our desired staffing level. We now have 168 sworn officers with 10 more individuals
about to start police academies or come on board with us as lateral hires from other
departments. In addition, we will soon be restarting our award-winning advertising
campaign to attract new applicants. The department has an open, ongoing police
officer, cadet, and dispatcher application and testing process. For more information,
check the “Employment” link on our website at www.richmondpd.net or call
(510)620-1267.
We are sometimes asked, “Why do candidates fail out of the Police Academy or the
PTO program?” The short answer to this is that not everyone is well-suited to be a
police officer, but despite rigorous background checks, testing processes, and
interviews, it’s often impossible for us—or the candidates—to know if they’re right
for the job until they go through the training process of the Academy and the PTO
program. Police recruits have to meet (State of California) Police Officer Standards
and Training (POST) requirements, achieve a level of physical fitness and ability
needed for the job, be able to qualify with firearms, have a strong understanding of
state and local laws, and demonstrate the ability to work well with the public. Let’s
face it: the job of a police officer is demanding—and we don’t intend to lower our
standards.
We work hard to continually recruit the best possible candidates to become officers
with the Richmond Police Department. Our recruiting team, under the direction of
Sgt. Darrell Jones, has a regular presence at area employment and recruiting fairs,
meets with potential applicants from various police academies around the state,
looks for strong candidates coming out of the military, and works closely with area
colleges and universities to attract new personnel. We continue to focus on hiring
Richmond residents whenever possible and to encourage individuals who speak more
than one language and who come from diverse backgrounds to apply for jobs with
our agency.
All that said—it’s people like you who are our best recruiters! If you know someone
who you think has the potential to be a good police officer and a leader in our
community, please give us a call.
Your Police Department and Traffic Safety Checkpoints

Each year there are several thousand traffic crashes in and around Richmond, many
which cause not only property damage, but also result in injuries and deaths. An
increasing number of these crashes involve hit and run drivers who are often
unlicensed or who have a suspended or revoked driver’s license. Several recent
traffic accidents causing injuries to City of Richmond employees, including a
Richmond police officer and a Public Works Department employee, involved
unlicensed, hit and run drivers. On August 31st, a crash in Oakland caused by a
driver without a license killed a 4 year-old boy.

Over the past several years, as one of several responses to this problem, the
Richmond Police Department has conducted traffic safety checkpoints at various
locations throughout the city to deter illegal driving and to encourage that vehicles
driven in the community are properly registered and insured. Although these
checkpoints are primarily designed and implemented for traffic safety purposes, a
side benefit is that they can lead to the arrest of individuals with outstanding
criminal warrants and reduce other criminal activity.

Traffic safety and sobriety checkpoints are not only done in Richmond; they’re also
conducted in other cities throughout the state and across the county. The practice
of conducting traffic safety checkpoints in our community has been addressed at
least four times over the past several years by the City Council’s Public Safety
Committee. The Committee has repeatedly encouraged RPD to continue utilizing the
checkpoints as both a means of improving traffic safety and reducing crime.

How do checkpoints work?

When traffic safety checkpoints are conducted, the Richmond Police Department
follows all legal requirements that have been set forth by state and federal courts.
The Department also follows the guidelines specified by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration. The average interaction between an officer and a motorist at
a checkpoint is less than 15 seconds. During a typical contact, motorists are simply
asked to present their driver’s license. Vehicles are not searched as part of these
contacts unless an arrest is made or other legal requirements are satisfied that
permit such a search (such as the open display of a weapon or the consent of the
driver). We do not ask to search licensed drivers who pass through the checkpoints.

Contact with drivers is never based on the race, ethnicity, gender, or any other
personal characteristic of the driver or passengers. Depending on the flow of traffic,
either all motorists are stopped, or every 3rd, 4th, or 5th (etc.) vehicle is stopped. On
multiple occasions, members of the Richmond Police Commission, the news media,
elected officials, and representatives from the various community groups have been
present to observe the checkpoints in action and can verify that all motorists are
treated fairly, consistently, and courteously.

As an added incentive to encourage safe driving and compliance with the law,
drivers are given a handout in English and Spanish describing the process for
obtaining a driver’s license and how to get more information about the rules of the
road. This is not a requirement when doing checkpoints, but something the
Richmond Police Department has chosen to do in the interest of improved
community relations and education.

When conducting checkpoints, just as when officers make traffic stops on a day-to-
day basis, our personnel adhere to the requirements of the California Vehicle Code,
Sec. 14602.6. Vehicles driven by an unlicensed driver are impounded for 30 days
unless another licensed driver is present and available to drive. Unlike most other
law enforcement agencies in the state, we typically release a vehicle earlier than 30
days if the circumstances under which the vehicle was being driven were a result of
medical or other emergency family needs. Such decisions are made on a case-by-
case basis by the sergeant in charge of our Traffic Unit, who takes a very
humanitarian approach to such situations. If a vehicle was driven by an unlicensed
driver, but is registered to a licensed driver, we will release it to the licensed
(registered owner) immediately (so it is not held for 30 days).
Are checkpoints done to target undocumented immigrants?

RPD’s traffic safety checkpoints are never done in conjunction with immigration
authorities, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In addition,
individuals cited for being unlicensed or suspended drivers are generally not arrested
unless they have an outstanding arrest warrant or we are unable to establish their
identity (which is rarely the case). If an individual is arrested on a warrant where
bail is set, they are transported to RPD’s Detention Unit, where they have the
opportunity to post the bail amount and be released.

Law enforcement, safety, and fairness . . .

Driving a vehicle in California—or any state—is a privilege, not a right. Police

officers are legally obligated to enforce traffic laws, even those laws that may create
a hardship for individuals who are unable to obtain a driver’s license due to their
citizenship status. It is neither the intention or the practice of the Richmond Police
Department to selectively enforce traffic laws by excluding a specific group of
residents from enforcement or by exclusively enforcing such laws against any
particular group of persons.

Checkpoints have repeatedly been shown to be an effective deterrent when it comes

to preventing illegal driving, including driving under the influence of alcohol and
drugs. Traffic safety and crime reduction are significant issues in our community
that impact every resident in all neighborhoods. We will continue to enforce the
law and follow the direction we have been provided by our elected officials in an
ongoing effort to make Richmond safer for everyone.

For more information:

Contact Captain Allwyn Brown of the Richmond Police Department at (510)620-6651
or by e-mail at abrown@richmondpd.net.

New Motors Hit the Streets

No you’re not in Berlin, Prague, or even Paris. You’re in Richmond, California, USA,
but there’s something different about the Police Department motorcycles you’re
seeing on the streets these days. That’s right, those new, sleek motorcycles the
Department’s Traffic Unit is using are BMWs, leased over 39 months through a
contract approved by the City Council last July.

The Department’s three-year contract for Harley Davidson motorcycles recently

expired and after a thorough testing process and review of available motorcycle
models, brands, and options for police use, the Department chose the 2008 R1200
RT-P BMW as the best choice for our motor officers.

In addition to performing on the streets significantly better than other brands, the
BMW motorcycles had a better safety operation overall and markedly improved fuel
efficiency.

Richmond residents will likely appreciate that the new BMWs are ultra quiet. Unlike
the Harleys, their operation is almost silent. Not only will this reduce noise pollution,
test riders discovered that their police radio volume could be set much lower and
that they could hear better both while riding and after they finished their tour of
duty. In addition, because the new bikes have catalytic converters, they produce
lower emissions, which is better for the environment.

The new bikes won’t take the sting out of getting that traffic ticket, but they should
be a valuable tool in the department’s efforts to improve traffic safety in the
community.
 Dealing with Noisy Cars in the Neighborhood
Frustrated by a vehicle with a loud muffler that is constantly driven up and down
your block? Disturbed by the guy down the street who blasts his car stereo with full
bass at all hours of the day and night? We’d like to help.

RPD now has a “Vehicle Noise Complaint Form” available on-line

(www.richmondpd.net) which can be submitted electronically or as a postcard
available at City Hall, the Police Department, and provided to neighborhood groups—
which can be mailed in at no cost.

Residents are asked to provide as much information as they can safely obtain about
the noisy vehicle and driver so the Police Department can follow-up on the problem.
Follow-up generally starts with a warning to the vehicle owner or driver and may
involve citations or warrants if the conduct continues.

The department will not always be able to address each noise complaint right away,
but every effort will be made to resolve these matters as quickly as possible.
Individuals who complete Vehicle Noise Complaint forms have the option of
remaining anonymous or may provide their name and contact information (which will
be kept confidential) if they want us to re-contact them.
RICHMOND POLICE
DEPARTMENT Noise pollution detracts from the quality of life in our community. This new
approach to reporting noise violations that involves vehicles can help make our city a
1701 Regatta Blvd. more enjoyable and healthier place to live.
Richmond, CA 94804

510-233-1214
(Dispatch) Getting drug dealers off the streets:

510-620-6655 Friday, Sept. 19, 2008, 5:15 p.m.--2nd St and Bissell Ave.:
(Administration) Officers made a traffic enforcement stop at 2nd St. and Bissell
Ave. A vehicle search was conducted utilizing K-9 Bosco.
510-620-6880 Bosco and his handler, Officer Avila, located approximately 193
(FAX) rocks of Cocaine (26 grams). The 25 year-old male driver was
arrested and booked at RPD for possession of cocaine base with
www.richmondpd.net intent to sell. In addition to Officer Avila, this investigation
involved Officers Soto and Kaiser.

Blight Fighters Tackle “One Block at a Time”

“One Block at a Time” or “OBAT” is a shared effort to abate problem properties and
clean up neighborhoods that have been particularly hard hit by foreclosures, neglect,
and crime. The concept behind the program is to take a small area within a larger
neighborhood and work intensively on improving conditions through focused code
enforcement efforts, intensive follow-up, community involvement, and inter-
governmental cooperation. Simply put, “One Block at a Time” is all about improving
the quality of life for Richmond residents in neighborhoods where it’s most needed.

Even though the areas in which “One Block at a Time” is done are small, the amount
of work to be completed in each of these “mini-neighborhoods” is huge. For
example, in the most recent OBAT effort, which took place in a one square block
residential area near the Nevin Center in Richmond’s Historic Iron Triangle
Neighborhood, as many as 70% of the homes in that block were either vacant, in
foreclosure, or both. In numerous instances, the banks or mortgage holders for
these homes had been completely neglectful, allowing the properties to be
unsecured, vandalized, and in some cases even occupied by squatters and drug
dealers. Lawns were unmowed, trash and debris was piled up in yards, and junked
vehicles were left sitting on vacant lots.
“One Block at a Time” brings together Police and Code Enforcement staff, as well as
employees from the Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Fire Department, Planning
Department, City Manager’s Office, and City Attorney’s Office. Other key
participants include the neighborhood associations, residents, and volunteers from
various community groups.

The program kicks off, typically on a Saturday, with a full days worth of work that
involves everyone pulling together in a high visibility way on clean-up activities,
house painting, and educational efforts. What many people don’t realize, however,
is that Saturday’s activities are only the tip of the iceberg. Code Enforcement
officers and the Police Department’s contract Code Enforcement attorney have
literally thousands of hours of follow-up work just on that one square block area.
This work involves dealing with home owners, documenting violations for
enforcement purposes, sending out notices and other various legal documents,
tracking down responsible parties for properties, arranging for more complex
abatement activities, coordinating follow-up with other City departments, the
Housing Authority, other service providers—and more.

OBAT efforts in the Iron Triangle (and recently in Parchester Village) are part of an
ongoing commitment to neighborhood rehabilitation and crime reduction. We
believe there is a strong correlation between the physical environment—how a
neighborhood looks—and the kind of crime that happens there. The Police
Department and other City departments are committed to implementing “One Block
at a Time” in neighborhoods throughout Richmond during the remainder of this year
and into 2009. If you would like more information or are interested in helping out,
please contact RPD’s Crime Prevention Manager, Michelle Milam, at (510)620-6538
or e-mail her mmilam@richmondpd.net.

You Can Run but You Can’t Hide

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008—Northern District: Officer Jason Silva observed the
driver of a silver Infiniti commit a traffic infraction on WB I-80 near Hilltop. He
attempted to make an enforcement stop, but the driver did not yield. As they exited
at McBryde Avenue, the driver of the Infiniti actively evaded Officer Silva, driving
through the intersection at San Pablo Ave., against the red traffic signal at a high
rate of speed. The driver of the Infiniti continued south on 35th Street, failing to
stop for stop signs at various intersections. Pursuing officers observed the driver
toss a bag containing a white substance out the window while on 35th Street. The
driver collided into a parked vehicle as he turned west onto Roosevelt. The driver
attempted to flee on foot but was quickly apprehended. There were no injuries as a
result of this incident. A 28 year-old male was arrested for various charges.
Approximately one pound of cocaine was recovered.

Officers have been giving special attention to robberies involving residents-

-often day laborers carrying large sums of cash--walking between the BART
Station and San Pablo Ave. Here is a recent success story:

Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, 3:00 p.m., 25th St. and Downer Ave.: Officers were
dispatched to this location on the report of an armed robbery. The victim stated that
she was robbed at gunpoint by four suspects who took her cell phone and cash. The
four suspects ran down an alley between 23rd and 24th Streets. Officers circulated
through the area and located the four suspects crossing 23rd St. When they saw the
officers, the suspects began to run in different directions. Officers set up a
perimeter and three of the suspects were apprehended. All three suspects were
wanted on felony charges and found to be in possession of the victim’s property.
The suspects were arrested and transported to RPD. Among those involved in
apprehending the suspects were Officers Roderick, Andujar, Soto, Avila, Martin,
Zeidan, Grivetti, Kaiser, Evans, Lewis, Nelson, and Martin. They were successful in
their efforts despite a power outage that caused radio communications problems.