FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2021
BERKELEY, CA —Responding to a recent surge in shootings and homicides, City Councilmembers Terry Taplin, Ben Bartlett, and Mayor Jesse Arreguín introduced a budget referral this week to fund a bike and foot patrol in West Berkeley and parts of South Berkeley, similar to the foot patrol already deployed on Telegraph Avenue. The Councilmembers and the Mayor will be hosting a virtual Town Hall event on March 31st at 7pm to address gun violence in the community.
“Our community is swiftly losing patience with this violence—residents in the flats deserve safety and proaction on the part of the City,” said Councilmember Terry Taplin (District 2). “There is strong empirical evidence that law enforcement can more effectively deter crime by walking in the community they serve and building trust through face to face neighborhood interaction, rather than appearing in a car after a crime has occurred. As elected leaders, our job is to act on that evidence and do everything in our power to prevent further harm.”
“We used to have a Bike/Foot Patrol in South Berkeley,” said Councilmember Ben Bartlett (District 3). “Bringing this back will create a closer, more human connection between officers and the community.”
“The inclusion of a bike/foot patrol in West Berkeley is an important step in creating a more equitable and safe community as we continue our reimagining public safety process,” said Mayor Jesse Arreguín. “Studies have shown that this method is more effective in building community trust and reducing crime, and has been successfully implemented in other parts of the city.”
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