Category Archives: Police
Police blotter: recent crime in Berkeley
2011 will wind down as one of the safest years in Berkeley. There was only one homicide this year — the March 8 slaying of Toby Eagle in the back yard of his Blake Street home — compared to five killings in 2010. This is lowest number of murders in Berkeley since 2001, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss.
In this partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley from Dec. 25-29, Sgt. Kusmiss also included a snapshot of what police have been doing, along with information on specific police calls. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeViewand Crimemapping.com.
Quick Facts - What BPD Officers are doing:
Between Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 1:33 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 9:22 a.m., BPD officers were dispatched and handled 21 welfare checks of community members throughout the City of Berkeley.
Between Sunday, December 25, 2011 at 11:58 a.m. and Thursday, December 29 at 3:48 p.m., BPD officers made 26 pedestrian stops throughout the City of Berkeley. … Continue reading »
Police Blotter: Occupy Berkeley
In the two months since Occupy Berkeley set up camp in Civic Center Park, Berkeley police have responded to 33 calls for service to the park, 24 of which were classified as crimes. The most serious of these included an attempted rape, a stabbing, and a few assaults. Police also issued 46 citations for smoking in a public space and drinking alcohol.
At its height, there were about 70 tents pitched at the park with a population of about 150 people.
Berkeley police released this partial list of activity at the Occupy Berkeley camp.
10/23/11 11:25 p.m. – Battery
Did not wish police services
10/24/11 11:11 a.m. – Assault with a Deadly Weapon (Felony) – a Stick, Brandishing, Threats, Battery
A victim from Occupy Berkeley to safety at the Public Safety Building after a known woman suspect living in a tent there attacked and threatened him, causing lacerations to the side of his face. The suspect accused the victim of stealing her money and then attacked him. The suspect allegedly scratched his face with her fingernails, pulled out a knife and chased him, trying to stab him, and then picked up a picket sign stick and beat him. She threatened to have the victim killed by her acquaintances from Oakland. There were people in the area/likely numerous witnesses in Occupy Berkeley at the time, but nobody would cooperate with BPD officers on scene. … Continue reading »
Despite eviction notice, no raid on Occupy Berkeley
By Frances Dinkelspiel and Judith Scherr
Under the threat of eviction, protestors at Occupy Berkeley took down about 40 tents in Civic Center Park Wednesday night, preparing for the raid that never came.
As a 10 pm deadline to stop camping in the park loomed, many activists were packing up their gear and loading it up on trucks. Some had stashed their possessions in a safe place, but had returned to the park to confront the police if they showed up. Soon, only about 29 out of about 70 tents remained.
“I’ve got my stuff packed but I’m not leaving,” a man who identified himself as Cincinnati said as the deadline loomed. “I’m going to take the streets.”
But the desire to confront police and stand ground was shared by only some of the 150 people who have made up Occupy Berkeley. Maxina Ventura, who has been staying in the park off and on with her children ever since it started two months ago, took down her tent on Wednesday. She said she could no longer stand behind the radical fringe of protestors who seemed determined to fight police at all costs.
“We had to make it clear we were not a front for those people,” said Ventura.
Berkeley police, acting on orders from interim City Manager Christine Daniel, handed out notices on Dec. 20 that the city would no longer look the other way during the park’s 10 pm to 6 am curfew. … Continue reading »
Police blotter: Recent crime in Berkeley
This is a partial list of recent crimes in Berkeley based on information from the Berkeley Police Department and the UC Berkeley Police Department. For other sources of information on crime in Berkeley see Community CrimeView and Crimemapping.com.
Robbery, Shattuck Avenue and Center Street
On Saturday, December 3, at approximately midnight a robbery occurred at the corner of Shattuck and Center. The victim, a 21-year old male, was standing at a bus stop when a male came up behind him. The victim turned around and the suspect demanded his wallet. Fearing for his safety, the victim gave the suspect the cash from his wallet. The suspect fled on foot southbound on Shattuck. BPD officers detained a male matching the description of the suspect on Shattuck and Haste. The suspect was positively identified by the victim and taken into custody. The victim was not physically injured during the encounter.
The suspect arrested is described as John Hee Lee, an Asian male, 29 years of age. The UCPD site has a photo of the suspect. … Continue reading »
City looks to tackle noise issue from news helicopters
The city government will consider taking action on the issue of the noise pollution caused by news helicopters with councilmember Jesse Arreguín (district 4) bringing an item to the consent calendar at Tuesday’s City Council meeting this week.
“This is a quality of life issue and, as community leaders, we should engage in a dialogue with media organizations to try to find some solutions,” Arreguin said.
Choppers are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration and there is therefore a limit to how much Berkeley’s leaders can do to restrict their time in the air.
Because it’s been a news-heavy few months in Berkeley recently — with the Occupy Cal protests, a shooting on campus as well as a series of earthquakes — media helicopters have been taking to the skies at a particularly high rate, causing angst among local residents. … Continue reading »
UC police dismantle tent city on steps of Sproul Hall
About 50 UC police officers dressed in riot gear descended upon the Occupy Cal encampment Thursday morning and rousted sleeping students and protesters from the steps of Sproul Hall.
The police arrived at 3:30 am and issued an order for those in the encampment to dismantle their tents. Some students willingly complied with the command, but others moved too slowly, prompting police to take down some tents and cart them away.
“They came in and gave us five minutes notice and then took over,” said Shawndeez Jadali, a freshman in Peace and Conflict Studies. “We got a good number of tents out. We need them and we are going to bring them back.”
Two students were arrested in the early morning raid, including one with a cat, according to other students. … Continue reading »
After night of camping, weary Cal protesters settle in
A few dozen bleary eyed protestors who spent Tuesday night camped on the steps of Sproul Hall vowed Wednesday morning to stay in UC Berkeley’s main square as long as possible, even though UC Berkeley police announced numerous times Wednesday morning that the tent encampment was illegal.
Now that police have rousted the Occupy Wall Street encampments in New York’s Zuccotti Park, and at the Frank Ogawa Plaza in Oakland, it is more important than ever to maintain a physical presence at Cal, some protesters argued. For that reason, many declined to go over to San Francisco today to join other Occupy protesters in picketing the offices of some of the UC Regents. … Continue reading »
After Oakland eviction, Occupy focus shifts to UC Berkeley
With the dismantling by police of the Occupy Oakland camp early this morning, the Occupy focus has shifted to UC Berkeley where students are preparing to hold a general strike on Tuesday. Reports suggest that Occupy Oakland protesters may march to Berkeley to join Occupy Cal demonstrations tomorrow too.
But plans by protesters to demonstrate at a Regents’ meeting scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday this week at Mission Bay have been foiled, as the meeting has been rescheduled at the advice of law enforcement officials.
Meanwhile, the violence used by police on November 9th continues to draw comment. Writing in the Huffington Post, cultural commentator Jesse Kornbluth points to reports that say several UC Berkeley faculty were assaulted in the clashes, as well as students. They included 70-year-old former Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Hass, and English Professors Celeste Langan and Geoffrey O’Brien.
Cal professor Robert Reich, who is delivering the Mario Savio Memorial Lecture tomorrow, has agreed to move its venue from the Pauley Ballroom to the Mario Savio Steps in Sproul Plaza at the request of the Occupy Cal General Assembly. … Continue reading »
Drug arrest leads to tense moments at Berkeley High
Update, 11.01.11: The BPD has released a photograph of the replica gun officers recovered Monday in this case (left). It was a realistic looking Desert Eagle gun, the BPD reported. In an email release, the BDP writes: “The young man and woman are being booked at the BPD Juvenile booking facility, the 17 male who does not currently attend school for 148(PC) – Resisting or Obstructing an officer and the 15 year old (a 10th grade BHS student) for 11357(b) PC – Possession of less than 28.5 g of marijuana and an outstanding warrant.”
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Berkeley High officials briefly secured the school perimeter this afternoon after a 17-year old who had been stopped for selling drugs in MLK Park ran toward the area.
A Berkeley police officer witnessed a hand-to-hand drug transaction around 3:19 pm between the 17-year old and a 15-year old sophomore from Berkeley High, according to Sgt. Mary Kusmiss. The police officer rode his bike over to the teens and told them to sit down. He called for back up, but the 17-year old ran away and tossed a gun he was carrying under a car, said Sgt. Kusmiss. The officer caught up with the 17-year old and detained him. An investigation revealed the gun was a very-real looking fake Desert Eagle, said Sgt. Kusmiss.
As a safety precaution, Principal Pasquale Scuderi briefly closed the perimeter of the school, said Superintendent Bill Huyett. … Continue reading »
Man shot in Berkeley home robbery, suspect at large
A man was shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a home invasion robbery in the 1600 block of Derby Street in Berkeley at 3:00 am on Saturday October 22. The suspect fled and is still at large.
The home invasion was not random, according to Lieutenant Kevin Schofield of the Berkeley Police Department. “We believe the suspect targeted these people specifically,” he said.
A short time after the suspect left the scene of the crime, a BPD officer spotted the … Continue reading »
