Tuesday, March 18, 2025 AGENDA Page 1
P R O C L AM AT I O N
C AL L I N G A S P E C I AL M E E T I N G O F T H E
B E R K E L E Y C I T Y C O U N C I L
In accordance with the authority in me vested, I do hereby call the Berkeley City Council in special session as follows:
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
4:00 PM
SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD ROOM - 1231 ADDISON STREET, BERKELEY, CA 94702 TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 181 WELLINGTON STREET W, TORONTO, ON M5V 0A1, CANADA
TELECONFERENCE LOCATION - 2928 LINDEN AVENUE, BERKELEY, CA 94705
ADENA ISHII, MAYOR
Councilmembers:
DISTRICT 1 – RASHI KESARWANI DISTRICT 5 – SHOSHANA O’KEEFE DISTRICT 2 – TERRY TAPLIN DISTRICT 6 – BRENT BLACKABY
DISTRICT 3 – BEN BARTLETT DISTRICT 7 – CECILIA LUNAPARRA DISTRICT 4 – IGOR TREGUB DISTRICT 8 – MARK HUMBERT
This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid model with both in -person attendance and virtual participation. Live captioned broadcasts of Council meetings are available on B -TV (Channel 33) and via internet video stream at http://berkeley.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=1244. All Council meetings are recorded.
To access the meeting remotely use this URL: https://cityofberkeley-info.zoomgov.com/j/1609781710. To request to speak, use the “raise hand” function in Zoom. To join by phone: Dial 1-669-254-5252 or 1-833-568-8864 (Toll Free) and enter Meeting ID: 160 978 1710 . To provide public comment, Press *9 and wait to be recognized by the Chair. To submit a written communication for the public record, email [email protected].
This meeting will be conducted in accordance with the Brown Act, Government Code Section 54953. Any member of the public may attend this meeting, however, if you are feeling sick, please do not attend the meeting in person.
The City Council may take action related to any subject listed on the Agenda.
Pursuant to the City Council Rules of Procedure and State Law, the presiding officer may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. Prior to removing an individual, the presiding officer shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding officer may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, a failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body, or engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force.
Government Code Section 84308 (Levine Act) - Parties to a proceeding involving a license, permit, or other entitlement for use are required to disclose if they made contributions over $5 00 within the prior 12 months to any City employee or officer. Parties and participants with a financial interest are prohibited from making more than $500 in contributions to a decisionmaker for the 12 months after the final decision is rendered on the proceeding.
The above contribution disclosures and restrictions do not apply when the proceeding is competitively bid, or involves a personnel or labor contract. For more information, see Government Code Section 84308.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 AGENDA Page 2
Preliminary Matters
Roll Call:
Worksession
Public comment is limited to items on this agenda only. The public may comment on each item listed on the agenda as the item is taken up.
The Presiding Officer will request that persons wishing to speak line up at the podium, or use the "raise hand" function in Zoom, to determine the number of persons interested in speaking at that time. If ten or fewer persons are interested in speaking on an individual agenda item, each speaker may speak for two minutes. If there are more than ten persons interested in speaking, the Presiding Officer may limit the public comment for all speakers to one minute per speaker. Speakers are permitted to yield their time to one other speaker, however no one speaker shall have more than four minutes. The Presiding Officer may, with the consent of persons representing both sides of an issue, allocate a block of time to each side to present their issue.
Action items may be reordered at the discretion of the Chair with the consent of Council.
Worksession
1. 2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
From: City Manager
Contact: Jennifer Louis, Police, (510) 981-5900
Adjournment
I hereby request that the City Clerk of the City of Berkeley cause personal notice to be given to each member of the Berkeley City Council on the time and place of said meeting, forthwith.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the official seal of the City of Berkeley to be affixed on this 13th of March, 2025.
/s/ Adena Ishii, Mayor
Public Notice – this Proclamation serves as the official agenda for this meeting.
ATTEST:
Date: March 13, 2025
Mark Numainville, City Clerk
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 AGENDA Page 3
NOTICE CONCERNING YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS : If you object to a decision by the City Council to approve or deny a use permit or variance for a project the following requirements and restrictions apply:
1) No lawsuit challenging a City decision to deny (Code Civ. Proc. §1094.6(b)) or approve (Gov. Code 65009(c)(5)) a use permit or variance may be filed more than 90 days after the date the Notice of Decision of the action of the City Council is mailed. Any lawsuit not filed within that 90 -day period will be barred. 2) In any lawsuit that may be filed against a City Council decision to approve or deny a use permit or variance, the issues and evidence will be limited to those raised by you or someone else, orally or in writing, at a public hearing or prior to the close of the last public hearing on the project.
Archived indexed video streams are available at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas.
Channel 33 rebroadcasts the following Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m.
Communications to the City Council are public record and will become part of the City’s electronic records, which are accessible through the City’s website. Please note: e-mail addresses, names, addresses, and other contact information are not required, but if included in any communication to the City Council, will become part of the public record. If you do not want your e-mail address or any other contact information to be made public, you may deliver communications via U.S. Postal Service to the City Clerk Department at 2180 Milvia Street. If you do not want your contact information included in the public record, please do not include that information in your communication. Please contact the City Clerk Department for further information.
Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the public counter at the City Clerk Department located on the first floor of City Hall located at 2180 Milvia Street, and through the City's online records portal:
https://records.cityofberkeley.info/.
Agendas, agenda reports, and revised/supplemental material may be accessed via the online agenda for this meeting at:
https://berkeleyca.gov/your-government/city-council/city-council-agendas and may be accessed at reference desks at the following locations:
City Clerk Department - 2180 Milvia Street, First Floor Tel: 510-981-6900, TDD: 510-981-6903, Fax: 510-981-6901 Email: [email protected]
Libraries: Main – 2090 Kittredge Street,
Claremont Branch – 2940 Benvenue, West Branch – 1125 University, North Branch – 1170 The Alameda, Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch – 1901 Russell
COMMUNICATION ACCESS INFORMATION:
This meeting is being held in a wheelchair accessible location.
To request a disability-related accommodation(s) to participate in the meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, please contact the Disability Services specialist at [email protected], (510) 981-6418 (V), or (510) 981-6347 (TDD) at least three business days before the meeting date.
Please refrain from wearing scented products to this meeting.
Captioning services are provided at the meeting, on B -TV, and on the Internet. In addition, assisted listening devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk prior to the meeting, and are to be returned before the end of the meeting.
2180 Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 Tel: 510.981.7000 TDD: 510.981.6903 Fax: 510.981-7099 E-mail: [email protected]
Office of the City Manager
WORKSESSION
March 18, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Paul Buddenhagen, City Manager
Submitted by: Jennifer Louis, Chief of Police
Subject: 2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
INTRODUCTION
At the request of City Council, the City Manager provides regular reports on crime in Berkeley. The Berkeley Police Department Annual Report details 2024 year-end crime, collision, stop data and use of force data. This annual report also serves to provide a number of status updates on Council referral items, department initiatives and legislative mandates.
CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS
The mission of the Berkeley Police Department is to safeguard our diverse community through proactive law enforcement and problem solving, treating all people with dignity and respect. The Department works in service to the community and in partnership with the community, the Office of the Director of Police Accountability and the Police Accountability Board, as well as other City Departments and our regional partners.
The Berkeley Police Department understands the importance of partnering with the community and maintaining accountability. We are committed to being transparent about our policies and actions, to sharing data and information, and welcoming suggestions on enhancing our service quality as we safeguard our community. To help achieve that goal, the Department launched our Transparency Hub in 2023. That hub gives the public an accessible platform to analyze critical data and insights related to policing activities, calls for service, crimes, traffic safety, and community engagement. It can be accessed at bit.ly/bpd-transparency and provides near-real-time, area-specific data directly to our community.
2 The Police Department’s Annual Report is an opportunity to provide a more comprehensive update which is attached here and will be presented to Council during the Special Meeting on March 18, 2025. This report covers a range of topics beyond the traditional reporting on crime and collision data. It includes reporting on staffing levels, specific information on call volume, type and response, efforts related to fair and impartial policing initiatives, crime and public safety problem solving responses, as well as other important departmental efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE IMPACTS
There are no identifiable environmental effects, climate impacts, or sustainability opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
Specific fiscal implications related to items referred to within this report are addressed in the biennial budget process. Additional information of costs can be provided as needed.
CONTACT PERSON
Chief Jennifer Louis, Police Department, (510) 981-5700 Strategic Planning and Accountability Manager Arlo Malmberg, Police Department (510) 981-5747
ATTACHMENT
1. 2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
2024 Berkeley Police
Department Annual
Report
March 18, 2025
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
1 Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................................2 Staffing & Workload .............................................................................................................................................3 Staffing .............................................................................................................................................................3 Calls for Service ................................................................................................................................................4 Workload..........................................................................................................................................................5 Department Initiatives .....................................................................................................................................6 What We’ve Done ........................................................................................................................................6 How We’re Doing .........................................................................................................................................7 What’s Next..................................................................................................................................................8 Crime & Investigations .........................................................................................................................................9 Crime Data........................................................................................................................................................9 NIBRS Group A................................................................................................................................................11 Select Crime Categories .............................................................................................................................12 Department Initiatives ...................................................................................................................................14 What We’ve Done ......................................................................................................................................14 How We’re Doing .......................................................................................................................................16 What’s Next................................................................................................................................................17 Road Safety & Collisions .....................................................................................................................................18 Collision Data..................................................................................................................................................18 Department Initiatives ...................................................................................................................................20 What We’ve Done ......................................................................................................................................20 How We’re Doing .......................................................................................................................................21 What’s Next................................................................................................................................................21 Accountability.....................................................................................................................................................22 Stop Data Report ............................................................................................................................................22 Use of Force Report........................................................................................................................................26 Looking Ahead ....................................................................................................................................................28
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
2 Introduction
In presenting the Berkeley Police Department's 2024 Annual Report, we reaffirm our mission, embrace a vision that evolves with modern practices, and recommit to our core values. This document serves as an annual snapshot of our activities and achievements in 2024; additional information and daily updates can be found on our Transparency Hub. Our work this past year was defined by a steadfast focus on delivering core services with efficiency—even in the face of staffing challenges—while upholding a tradition of data-driven, evidence-based, and problem- oriented policing.
Mission: United in service, our mission is to safeguard our diverse community through proactive law enforcement and problem solving, treating all people with dignity and respect.
Vision: The Berkeley Police Department will be a team of leaders at every level. We will foster strong relationships with our community, inspiring trust through our service, building on our historic tradition of progressive policing, and dedicated to the safety of all.
Values: Service is our calling. As members of this community, the Berkeley Police Department team is committed to proactive law enforcement and problem solving, holding these as our core values:
Integrity: We are ethical, fair, and trustworthy in all we do. Safety: We strive to keep our community and each other safe. Respect: We fulfill our duties with dignity, compassion, and empathy. Diversity: We value the strength of a diverse workplace and community. We endeavor to reflect the community we serve, promoting inclusion and fairness. Professionalism: We commit to organizational excellence through progressive training, positive attitude, and superior performance.
In 2024, Command Staff strategically assessed the challenges and opportunities before us. In a low-staff environment, we focused on core services and operational efficiency while reinforcing our commitment to proactive problem solving and clear internal communication. Our efforts to harness data and feedback have laid a strong foundation for a future in which every decision is informed by evidence and dedicated to equitable public safety.
This report not only documents our measurable progress and responsible stewardship of public trust but also signals our readiness to embrace the next phase. As we look to 2025, our path is clear: we will build on the foundational work of the past several years by integrating innovative tools and practices that support a modern, data-driven, and fair approach to law enforcement.
We invite our community and its representatives to reflect on our shared achievements and join us as we continue evolving our service. Together, with more collaborative and practical approaches, we are focused on providing public safety that is evidence based, transparent, equitable and effective.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
3 Staffing & Workload
The Berkeley Police Department (BPD) faces significant staffing challenges, operating with 154 sworn officers (below the authorized 181) and 21 dispatchers (below the authorized 41).
Despite these shortages, the department responded to 61,666 calls in 2024, with 911 calls increasing by 9% to their highest level in years. Key initiatives include expanding the Community Service Officer program to assist with non-violent calls, implementing a successful Automated License Plate Reader system, and maintaining competitive response times compared to neighboring agencies. Recruitment efforts through All-Star Recruiting have significantly increased the candidate pipeline which promises to help address ongoing staffing needs.
Staffing
The department currently employs 154 officers, 140 of whom are available to work as solo police officers—well below the authorized strength of 181 sworn personnel. Out of the 154 officers, 13 qualify for retirement, including 7 who have announced plans to retire this year.
The department is authorized for 36 dispatcher positions and 5 dispatch supervisor positions, but currently staffs 17 dispatchers and 4 supervisors. Per diem and other dispatch-qualified employees help mitigate understaffing at the Communications Center. We're also expanding our Community Service Officer (CSO) capacity, with authorization increased from 22 to 28 positions in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Three new CSOs were hired in late 2024, enabling three existing CSOs to begin training with our patrol teams. Additional information on the new CSO program follows below.
Working with the Berkeley Fire Department, we established joint workgroups in early 2025 to collaborate on updates to our Communications Center operations. The three strategic workgroups—focused on recruitment and retention, facilities modernization, and technology integration—are working to enhance emergency response capabilities, streamline information flow, and ultimately deliver faster, more effective service to our community.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
4 Calls for Service
BPD responded to 61,666 calls for service in 2024. Non-emergency calls reached 28,902, officer- initiated calls stood at 16,044, 911 calls accounted for 15,297, online reports totaled 1,403, and 20 were transferred from an automated service.
Total calls for service dropped about 3% from 2023. Non-emergency calls dropped by roughly 14%, and online reports dropped by nearly 15%. Officer-initiated calls climbed by about 14%.
Most notably, 911 calls rose by around 9%
and reached their highest level in several
years. Because these calls trigger the
department’s most urgent response, that
increase reflects a growing demand for
immediate assistance in critical situations.
Certain parts of Berkeley continue to
experience a heavier call load than others. In
2024, City Council District 4 logged the highest
count among all districts. This trend shapes
BPD’s decisions about beat configurations and
officer deployment, for example by directing
additional patrol resources, like the Bike Unit,
where they are needed most.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
5 Workload
The average calls per shift is calculated by dividing the total number of non-officer-initiated calls in each shift over the year by the total number of officer shifts assigned to that shift.
Between 2021 and 2022, the average number of calls per shift went up by around 2%. The following year, it rose by nearly 11%. Although 2024 experienced a dip of about 2% compared to 2023, the figure still surpasses the levels seen in 2021 and 2022.
Overtime remains a critical tool to meet minimum staffing levels for every patrol team. The steady rise in calls per shift signals growing strain on resources. Careful planning and allocation remain key to maintaining consistent service. Officers continue to face mounting demands, and ongoing attention to staffing levels is needed to help preserve the quality of operations.
Our department now faces a reality where staffing challenges and a surge in service calls intersect. With officer and dispatcher numbers trailing behind authorized levels, each shift absorbs more calls than in previous years. Recruitment drives, the infusion of new Community Service Officers, and strategic partnerships have injected fresh talent into our ranks. Yet, the sustained increase in 911 calls continues to stretch our resources. Overtime fills crucial gaps while reconfigured beats help spread the demand more evenly. Our commitment to community safety remains resolute, even as we navigate these rising pressures.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
6 Department Initiatives
What We’ve Done
All Star Recruiting
BPD prides itself on rigorous evaluation of police officer applicants, as well as hiring and training some of the profession’s best officers who exemplify the department’s overall mission as well as the values of our diverse and vibrant city. Officers are expected not only to meet strict training and education standards but also to uphold a culture of integrity, respect, and professionalism. In 2024, All-Star Recruiting played a vital role in strengthening BPD’s recruitment efforts, helping us attract and engage top talent in a highly competitive hiring landscape. Through targeted outreach, consistent candidate engagement, and a well-attended virtual career fair, All-Star has expanded our applicant pool and increased interest in policing careers. Their partnership has streamlined our recruitment process and alleviated the workload on department staff. As a result of their efforts, we have seen a 5x increase in candidates entering our pipeline compared to previous years. Their contributions have directly supported our goal of building a strong and diverse police force to better serve our community.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
7 How We’re Doing
Even as we navigate staffing
challenges, rising calls for service, and
a heavier workload, our commitment
to a quality response remains clear.
One important measure of our
efficiency is how quickly we reach our community members in need. Swift response times are vital during emergencies, and our data shows that our department performs very well compared to neighboring agencies.
Below is a snapshot of 2023 response time data from nearby cities. Note that current 2024 figures are not yet available. Because each agency defines priority levels in its own way, we have included the corresponding percentage of calls for each level where that information was provided.
Median Response Times, 2023
(minutes)
Level 1 (% of all calls) Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Berkeley 7 (13%) 18 (37%) 51 (24%) 55 (22%)
San Francisco 9 (19%) 32 (30%) 105 (51%) -
Oakland 14 184 443 -
San Jose 7 (5%) 24 (42%) - -
Comparison cities chosen based on data availability and region Our median response time for Priority 1 calls was 7
minutes, meeting or exceeding regional standards.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
8 What’s Next
Community Service Officers in Patrol and Investigations As BPD adapts to the evolving needs of our community and the shifting landscape of public safety, we are putting new strategies in place to boost our operational readiness, hold ourselves accountable, and build stronger community bonds. One initiative we’re particularly excited about is the
expansion of our Community
Service Officer program into
patrol roles.
The new patrol CSO program
revives a successful approach
from the early 2000s. CSOs
will handle non-emergency
calls, manage routine reports,
and support tasks like traffic
control. At the same time, we
will be broadening
opportunities for CSOs to
assist in investigations. In the
Detective Bureau, dedicated
CSOs will help collect field
evidence, prepare detailed
reports, and handle data
entry—providing crucial
support that allows our
detectives to concentrate on
complex cases.
Three CSOs are currently in
training under the guidance
of seasoned Field Training
Officers. They are making
good progress and are
expected to complete their
training and work independently by April. This structured, hands-on training ensures that every CSO is well-prepared for the challenges of the field.
By integrating CSOs into both patrol and investigative roles, we are addressing the challenges of rising call volumes and staffing shortages. This initiative positions us to maintain exceptional service levels regardless of staffing fluctuations, ensuring that our community continues to receive the reliable, high-quality response they deserve.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
9 Crime & Investigations
Crime trends in 2024 showed notable improvements compared to 2023, reflecting a return toward historical norms. Shootings decreased by 26%, robberies saw a substantial reduction of 43%, commercial burglaries dropped by 30%, and vehicle thefts declined by 23%. While robberies fell significantly below pre-COVID levels, vehicle thefts remained higher than their pre-pandemic rates. Thefts and burglaries are back within historical ranges.
Since October of 2023 there has been an increase overall in the number of anti-Jewish hate incidents, and an uptick in Anti-Arab or anti-Muslim hate incidents. In 2024 Anti-Jewish hate crimes made up 18.6% of overall hate crimes. Anti-Muslim made up 4.65% and Anti-Arab was
6.98% of the 2024 total.
Department initiatives achieved significant results, with firearm recoveries increasing 28% and retail theft operations leading to 79 arrests over six months. Future plans include following through on City Council direction and installing fixed surveillance cameras in high-traffic public areas to complement the existing Automated License Plate Reader network in order to create a comprehensive security system to enhance both deterrence and investigative capabilities.
Crime Data
When reviewing crime data, it is important to distinguish among calls for service, case reports, and confirmed crimes. Calls for service are the public’s initial contacts with our department.
They include reports of
suspicious behavior and
requests for emergency help.
When these calls prompt an
investigation and evidence
suggests a crime may have
occurred, an officer prepares a
case report. This document
details the evidence gathered,
witness statements, and initial
conclusions. The District
Attorney then reviews the case
report to determine whether
they will charge the case or not.
The statistics in this report come from case reports. In previous years, data was compiled for submission to the California Department of Justice (DOJ) using the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Summary Reporting System (SRS), which summarizes major crime categories for consistency over time and across jurisdictions. Last year, in 2024, we began collecting data using the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Unlike the SRS, which records only a single offense per incident based on a hierarchy rule, NIBRS documents every offense occurring in an incident. It also distinguishes between attempted and completed offenses and collects weapon details for all violent crimes. Furthermore, NIBRS gathers extensive information
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
10 about victims, offenders, and their relationships. This richer data set provides the California DOJ a more complete picture of criminal incidents and supports more detailed analysis.
Key Differences Between SRS and NIBRS
UCR SRS
Reports aggregate counts for crimes based on the date it was reported. Records one offense per incident, suppressing lesser offenses when multiple crimes occur.
Does not differentiate between attempted and completed offenses. Collects weapon data only for homicide, robbery, and aggravated assault. Provides arrest counts for the eight index crimes and twenty-one additional offenses.
NIBRS
Reports aggregate counts for crimes based on the date it occurred. Collects detailed data on victims, offenders, and their relationships across twenty-three categories covering fifty-two offenses, plus arrest data for these and ten additional categories.
Records every offense that occurs in an incident.
Differentiates between attempted and completed offenses. Gathers weapon information for all violent offenses.
Incident Reporting Examples
Incident SRS NIBRS
A bank robbery followed by a hit and run Robbery Robbery / Hit and Run A domestic violence incident in which a
phone is vandalized and a purse is stolen
Domestic
Violence
Domestic Violence /
Vandalism / Theft
A kidnapping followed by a vehicle theft Kidnapping Kidnapping / Vehicle Theft
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
11 NIBRS Group A
NIBRS Group A offenses fall into three categories: Crimes Against Persons, Crimes Against Property, and Crimes Against Society. NIBRS differs from the older SRS by recording every offense in an incident, providing a more detailed and accurate crime picture.
The Berkeley NIBRS reporting is as follows:
Group A Crimes
Offense 2024
Murder 4
Negligent
Manslaughter
1 Justifiable Homicide 0
Non-consensual Sex
Offenses:
Sexual Assault 59
Fondling 53
Aggravated Assault 475
Simple Assault 839
Intimidation 293
Kidnapping/Abduction 59
Consensual Sex
Offenses:
Ince
st 0
Statutory Rape 3
Human Trafficking,
Commercial Sex Acts
0 Human Traffi
cking,
Involuntary Servitude
0 Crimes Against
Persons Total
1,789
Offense 2024
Robbery 221
Burglary/Breaking &
Entering
779
Larceny/Theft
Offenses
4,397
Motor Vehicle Theft 1,088
Arso
n 48
Destruction of
Property
767
Counter
feiting/Forgery 75
Fraud Offense 604
Embezzlement 15
Extor
tion/Blackmail 24
Bribery 0
Stolen Property
Offenses
124
Crimes Against
Property Total
8,145
Offense 2024
Drug/Narcotic
Violations
313
Drug Equipment
Violations
360
Gambling Offenses 0
Pornography/Obscene
Material
10 Prostitution 0
Weapons Law Violation 238
Animal Cruelty 8
Crimes Against Society
Total
929
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
12 Select Crime Categories
Because we only have one year of NIBRS data, the following section uses statutes and internally tracked categories as a baseline for monitoring future trends. This framework draws on legal definitions alongside in-house classifications to paint a clear picture of Berkeley PD's current crime landscape. Each category is carefully structured to form a starting point for spotting shifts as more data rolls in. The approach offers insight into distinct facets of criminal activity while setting us up for meaningful comparisons in the years ahead.
Robberies
Robberies 2021 2022 2023 2024
Pedestrian 119 148 205 106
Commercial 118 117 135 97
Home Invasion 8 8 5 2
Bank 6 4 2 1
Carjacking 14 15 39 15
Total 265 292 386 221
By Gun (% of total)
74 (28%)
69 (24%)
111
(29%)
41 (19%)
Shootings
Shootings 2021 2022 2023 2024
Non-Injury 44 38 24 17
Injury 6 12 8 5
Fatal 0 3 2 3
Total 50 53 34 25
Sexual Assaults
Sexual Assaults 2021 2022 2023 2024
Felony 57 89 97 78
Misdemeanor 50 81 62 42
Total 107 170 159 120
Property Crimes
Select Property Crimes 2021 2022 2023 2024
Commercial Burglaries 316 435 574 396
Vehicle Thefts 1098 836 1350 1053
Catalytic Converter Thefts 573 847 457 312
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
13 Hate Crimes & Incidents
Hate Crimes 2021 2022 2023 2024
Race/Ethnicity/National Origin 29 24 27 20
Religion 11 3 9 10
Sexual Orientation 2 11 9 14
Gender 0 0 0 0
Disability 0 0 1 1
Total 42 38 46 45
Hate Incidents* 2021 2022 2023 2024
Race/Ethnicity/National Origin 16 22 24 21
Religion 1 5 19 12
Sexual Orientation 4 4 7 4
Gender 0 0 0 0
Disability 1 0 0 0
Total 22 31 50 37
*Hate incidents are acts of prejudice that are not crimes and do not involve violence, threats, or property damage.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
14 Department Initiatives
What We’ve Done
Combatting Gun Violence
In 2024, our department deepened its partnership with the City-run Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (GVIPP), alongside community-based organizations Live Free and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR). This collaboration strategically addresses gun violence through targeted life coaching, mentorship, and essential support services for individuals most at risk while also responding to incidents, including shooting scenes and hospital visits.
Additionally, GVIPP is committed to capacity building for Berkeley-based community-based organizations that support violence prevention efforts, strengthening their ability to provide long-term, sustainable solutions. This includes collaboration with organizations like Berkeley Tech and the Berkeley HUB, as well as fostering regional coordination with Oakland's Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) and Richmond's Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) to ensure a cohesive and effective approach to reducing gun violence across jurisdictions.
Complementing GVIPP's community-centered approach, our detectives expanded their proactive follow-up investigations and doubled down on conducting search warrants. Their efforts helped the department recover 110 firearms associated with crimes—a 28% increase over last year. Detective-led investigations alone yielded 51 firearms, a notable increase from previous years. Proactive traffic stops yielded an additional 10. 2021 2022 2023 2024
Total Guns Seized as Evidence 108 121 86 110
Of the total, as a result of a Search Warrant 43 43 19 51 Every firearm undergoes processing through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. This nationwide collaboration, coordinated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, connects ballistic evidence from shooting scenes with records of firearm ownership and purchase. The department also processes each weapon for DNA and fingerprints to identify individuals involved in shootings or illegal possession.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
15 Automated License Plate Readers (ALPR)
The City of Berkeley introduced ALPRs as part of a broader move toward modern technology designed to support both investigations and efficient response to stolen vehicles and vehicles associated with a felony. Council approved 52 cameras, with 32 now active and the remaining 20 awaiting Caltrans approval. We launched a controlled pilot on October 1, 2024 that involved seasoned officers, supervisors, and detectives. This early phase provided intensive training and allowed us to fine-tune our operational protocols before rolling out the technology to all personnel in December.
The ALPR program serves as a critical tool for swiftly identifying vehicles tied to criminal activity and supporting both reactive and proactive investigations. The technology makes our proactive stops more precise, as officers can now focus their discretionary patrol time directly on vehicles known to be stolen or linked to felony activity. In the first three months of the program, from October through December 2024, ALPR technology played a role in 14 arrests, helped recover 10 stolen vehicles, generated 14 investigative leads, and contributed to the issuance of 2 warrants.
We continue to refine our practices based on hands-on experience and ongoing feedback from the field. The results from these first three months give us confidence that further integration of such technology will contribute to safer streets and a more responsive police service.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
16 Organized Retail Theft Operations
Organized retail theft continues to challenge not just our local community but has emerged as a broader regional and national concern. Despite ongoing staffing limitations, we have prioritized addressing this challenge through data-driven, problem-oriented strategies. We strategically expanded our enforcement operations, proactively tracking theft patterns and focusing resources on areas demonstrating higher risk. Launched in June, these operations have produced substantial results. Over a six-month span, 12 dedicated operations resulted in 79 arrests. Nearly 70% of those detained faced additional criminal charges beyond retail theft, such as identity fraud, possession of burglary tools, narcotics offenses, and outstanding warrants linked to more serious robbery cases. One in five of those arrested already had active warrants, and about a quarter were on probation or parole at the time of arrest.
These efforts occurred at key retail locations like REI and Walgreens on Gilman Street, among other establishments identified through data analysis and retailer feedback. According to internal reports from our retail partners, these initiatives have directly contributed to a notable decrease in theft incidents within their stores.
Looking forward, we plan to pilot a Flex Team in 2025 to provide focused support in response to evolving crime trends. This specialized unit will address specific issues such as organized retail theft and tactics like stolen license plates intended to evade detection by ALPRs.
How We’re Doing
Group A crimes per capita and BPD clearance rates provide valuable insights into our effectiveness and our ongoing efforts to enhance public safety in our community.
With a population of approximately 118,962 (as of July 2023), Berkeley experienced about 98 Crimes Against Persons per 10,000 residents in 2024. There were roughly 674 Crimes Against Property per 10,000 residents, and 77 Crimes Against Society per 10,000 residents.
Clearance Rates* 2021 2022 2023 2024
Homicide 100% 100% 100% 100%
Felony Sexual Assault 22% 32% 31% 33%
Robbery 36% 39% 30% 34%
Felony Assault 62% 53% 49% 52%
Burglary 12% 8% 9% 10%
Theft 11% 11% 10% 17%
Stolen Vehicle 9% 12% 11% 12%
Arson 30% 30% 29% 33%
*Here we show 1-year clearance rates for BPD cases. A 1-year clearance rate is the percentage of cases that were closed within a year of being reported.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
17 What’s Next
Fixed Surveillance Cameras
In 2025 we will be installing fixed surveillance cameras at intersections and public spaces with high pedestrian traffic. Our analysis of crime trends and community input pinpointed these areas as maximally beneficial for bolstering public safety. The cameras will record clear, real- time footage during incidents, giving law enforcement immediate access to crucial evidence.
Installing these modern cameras in busy public areas is expected to discourage criminal activity.
Their placement in locations where people naturally gather will not only strengthen local security but also provide law enforcement with reliable visual records. This capability will help reconstruct events, support rapid responses, and ensure detailed post-incident reviews to keep our communities safer.
The new fixed cameras will complement the ALPRs mentioned above. ALPRs monitor key entry and exit points and busy roadways, and the addition of cameras in high pedestrian traffic areas strategically extends our coverage. Officers and detectives will receive a complete view of both vehicular and pedestrian activity through this layered network.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
18 Road Safety & Collisions
Berkeley saw 877 total collisions in 2024,
including 4 fatal incidents, 559 injury
collisions, and 314 non-injury collisions. The
most hazardous intersection remained Ashby
Avenue/San Pablo Avenue with 16 total
collisions and 10 resulting in injuries. The
department conducted targeted High
Intensity Traffic enforcement operations at
high-collision locations, using both historical
data and community input from our public
facing Traffic Concern Survey to prioritize
efforts. The three-pronged approach to
traffic safety has tightened alignment
between moving violations recorded during
vehicle stops and the primary collision
factors identified. For 2025, the department
plans to enhance collaboration with Vision
Zero stakeholders, expand education
programs including Drive Safer, Drive Longer
classes for aging drivers, increase DUI
checkpoints, and continue using data-driven
enforcement strategies to improve road
safety throughout Berkeley.
Collision Data
Collision Totals:
Collisions 2021 2022 2023 2024
Fatal collisions 7 2 0 4
Injury collisions 431 548 514 559
Non-injury collisions 351 346 359 314
Total 789 896 873 877
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
19 Top collision locations:
High Collision Intersections, 2024
Total
Collisions
Injury
Collisions
# of People
Injured
Suspected
Serious Injury*
Ashby Ave / San Pablo Ave 16 10 17 0
Gilman St / San Pablo Ave 10 8 10 4
Alcatraz Ave / Sacramento St 9 8 11 3
Adeline St / Ashby Ave 8 4 4 1
Ashby Ave / Sacramento St 8 8 11 0
Dwight Way / Shattuck Ave 8 3 6 0
Ashby Ave / Seventh St 8 7 12 2
Addison St / MLK Jr Way 7 3 3 0
Adeline St / Alcatraz Ave 8 5 5 0
Adeline St / MLK Jr Way 7 5 6 0
Bancroft Way / Dana St 7 6 6 2
Dwight Way / Sacramento St 7 6 9 0
*Suspected serious injury is any injury other than a fatality that results in significant injury as defined in the CHP Collision Investigation Manual (CHP, 2017, p. 5-5).
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
20 Department Initiatives
What We’ve Done
Drive Safer Drive Longer
In 2024, our organization delivered four community events under the "Drive Safer, Drive Longer" banner. These sessions took place at both the North Berkeley and Sound Berkeley Senior Centers and provided practical guidance on sustaining safe driving practices among senior citizens. At each event, experts from the Berkeley Police Department Traffic Bureau explained the influence of health conditions on driving and offered actionable advice for steering clear of risky road situations. Participants received information on vehicle comfort and safety, DMV licensing procedures, and a range of supportive resources.
The program received grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Positive community responses have reinforced our commitment to supporting senior drivers, and we look forward to hosting similar events in the future.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
21 How We’re Doing
Moving Violations
The chart below presents the moving violations recorded during vehicle stops, compared against the primary collision factors (PCFs) identified in the previous section. This year's data reveals substantial overlap between common moving violations and the key PCFs, indicating a strong connection to critical traffic safety issues. Additionally, the data highlights other significant violations that support our comprehensive three-pronged strategy for enhancing road safety.
What’s Next
Collaboration with City, Regional and State Partners
In 2025, our work on traffic safety begins with a closer partnership with Vision Zero stakeholders. BPD leadership will work with these key partners to identify high-risk locations, study the root causes of collisions, and design targeted interventions that inform our overall safety strategy. Our efforts also extend to High Intensity Traffic operations (HIT) involving a regional collaboration of 10 local law enforcement agencies. HIT uses data analytics and community input to pinpoint dangerous zones and implement specific measures that discourage risky driving behaviors while improving road safety.
We will continue using Office of Traffic Safety grant funding to support both enforcement and educational programs. This strategy includes expanding the Drive Safer, Drive Longer classes for aging drivers, increasing DUI checkpoints, and employing collision data from the Traffic Safety page of the Transparency Hub to guide our enforcement actions. Combined with our three- pronged approach to traffic safety, these initiatives create a comprehensive strategy rooted in real-world data and collaborative insight.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
22 Accountability
BPD maintains a commitment to equitable, transparent, and accountable policing practices. We carefully analyze our data related to stops and use of force, employing rigorous methods to detect and address any implicit biases. Our philosophy emphasizes proactive, data-driven law enforcement combined with respect for community trust. This is reflected in our low rates of force, high standards for officer accountability, and ongoing efforts to ensure fair and impartial policing.
Stop Data Report
In 2024, our department conducted 4,771 stops. These included 3,312 vehicle stops, 1,392 pedestrian stops, and 67 bicycle stops. Discretionary actions accounted for approximately 60% of these encounters, largely
addressing traffic violations. The
remaining 40% resulted from calls for
service or were based on specific
information.
Outcomes from these stops varied:
878 stops led to at least one arrest, 1,573 resulted in citations, and 1,795 concluded with warnings. The department conducted searches in 13% of stops, with contraband found in 51% of these searches. Overall, searches resulted in the seizure of 63 weapons, including 12 firearms recoveries. Notably, discretionary searches—those not related to reasons other than an arrest, search warrant, vehicle inventory, or emergency conditions—had an even higher yield rate of 60%.
Tests for Bias
We are committed to the principles of fair and impartial policing and take great care to ensure that our practices do not contribute to disparate outcomes. One way we honor that commitment is by employing statistical tests for implicit bias in officer decision-making. These tests allow us to isolate the specific impact of officer bias from other factors that might drive disparities between stop demographics and census demographics.
At-Fault Collision Demographics
A key part of our approach involves comparing the demographics of drivers involved in at-fault collisions with those stopped for moving violations. This comparison checks whether traffic stops follow objective, race-neutral criteria—a crucial test since moving violations made up 73% of discretionary stops in 2024. Collision data provides a snapshot of who is driving in Berkeley and establishes a baseline for the population encountered during stops. By focusing on drivers deemed at fault in collisions, we narrow this sample to those driving dangerously. If our traffic enforcement is fair, the demographics of at-fault drivers should closely match those of drivers stopped for moving violations. Our analysis of 2024 data showed a strong alignment between these groups, suggesting that stops likely result from driving behavior rather than implicit bias.
According to data published in the most recent
RIPA board report, Berkeley’s yield rate was higher
than 82% of all agencies in California.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
23 Yield Rate Analysis
The yield rate for police searches refers to the proportion of searches that result in the discovery of contraband or evidence. It is a measure of the effectiveness of searches, calculated as the number of successful searches (those yielding contraband) divided by the total number of searches conducted. This method can be used to better understand whether implicit racial bias influences officers’ decisions to conduct searches. For example, it can be used to evaluate whether officers apply a lower threshold of suspicion when searching White individuals compared to others. The underlying assumption is that race-neutral factors should predict the chance of finding contraband equally across all groups. A higher yield from searches of White individuals than Black individuals might indicate that searches involving Black individuals are happening with less evidence of the need to search – i.e. Black people are being searched more often because they are Black and not based on other standards. Our findings reveal the opposite: lower yield rates for White individuals, suggesting that search decisions are made without racial bias. A regression analysis by the RIPA board in 2024 reviewed 2022 data and found no significant effect of race—whether Black or Hispanic—on the likelihood that a search would yield contraband (the RIPA board did not run this test in the 2024). This evidence indicates that our search practices are likely based on race-neutral factors.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
24 Veil of Darkness
This test examines whether bias plays a role in the decision to stop individuals by comparing the proportion of stops for a racial group in daylight with those after dark. For instance, if Black individuals are stopped more frequently during daylight than at night, visible race might influence these decisions. The test employs specific times, such as 6:30 p.m., that are dark during part of the year and light during part of the year to control for hourly variations in traffic activity. The graph below illustrates this comparison. A difference could indicate bias, while a minimal difference does not conclusively prove its absence. The close alignment of demographic groups for discretionary stops in the dark and in the light seen below is what we would expect to see if those stops were being made based on race-neutral factors.
Often, comparisons are made between the racial or ethnic composition of stops and that of the residential population. However, this baseline can be misleading because differences may arise from factors entirely outside of police control. In fact, as noted in the annual RIPA Board report, “[d]ifferences between stop population proportions and residential population proportions for each racial or ethnic group can be caused by several factors, including potential differences in exposure to criminogenic factors, allocation of law enforcement resources, elements that draw large populations of non-residents to congregate in a place, and officer bias.” This means that even a department operating without bias might still see a disparity when comparing stop data to census figures.
To ensure that we hold ourselves accountable for the drivers of disparities that we can control—namely, officer bias—we focus our analysis on officer-initiated stops. Research shows that implicit bias is most evident when officers exercise discretion, such as in stops made without a call for service or specific identifying information. By concentrating on these encounters, we can better detect and address potential biases in our decision-making processes, so that our enforcement actions are based solely on objective behavior rather than on race or other irrelevant factors.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
25 Use of Force Report
The Berkeley Police Department takes pride in
accomplishing our work with minimal reliance
on force by emphasizing de-escalation
techniques, an understanding of mental health
crises, and appropriate responses—all of which
are reinforced through regular training. Under
our policy, reportable force is divided into four
levels:
Level 1 – Involves grabs, control holds, the use
of leverage, or body weight with no injury or
complaint of pain.
Level 2 – Applies when an officer points or deploys a firearm while interacting with someone. It also applies to a Level 1 force that involves more than momentary discomfort but does not have an injury or complaint of pain.
Level 3 – Involves the use of a weapon, subject injury, or complaint of pain. This category also applies to specific circumstances when an officer does not activate their body-worn camera.
Level 4 – Applies when an officer uses a firearm or when there is an in-custody death.
Officers are required to report any use of force to their sergeant, who documents the incident in a formal report that is then reviewed by a lieutenant and a captain.
In 2024, there were 294 incidents involving 1,041 uses of force—of which 71% were Level 1 and 25% were Level 2, together accounting for 96% of all uses. Of the 61,666 calls for service received in 2024, 0.48% resulted in a use of force, and 0.05% (29 incidents) led to force that produced more than a minor complaint of pain or involved a weapon (Levels 3 and 4).
Currently, our department reports more use-of-force types than many comparable police agencies due to expansive Level 1 reporting. We anticipate modifying our reporting practices in 2025 to better reflect common standards among peer agencies. Simplifying reporting will
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
26 decrease administrative tasks that have not contributed significantly to oversight and allow supervisors to prioritize field leadership. This adjustment will ensure we are capturing meaningful and actionable force data, helping us better understand and evaluate trends, improve officer performance, and maintain transparency with our community.
We test for bias in the decision to use force by comparing the percentage of arrests where force is applied across racial groups. Using the number of arrests as our baseline is valuable because it focuses on the most common situation in which force is used, isolating the arrest scenario as a key variable.
The consistent percentages seen indicate that decisions to use force are driven more by the circumstances of the arrest rather than by race.
The department also tracks complaints related to the use of force. While every use of force is reviewed by a lieutenant and captain, use of force incidents linked to a personnel complaint undergo an additional investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau. The complaint investigation results, including body-worn camera footage, are then submitted along with recommendations to the Chief. In 2024, the department received a total of 13 allegations regarding use of force incidents; to date, investigations of 11 allegations have been completed, including 5 that were also investigated by the Office of the Director of Police Accountability, while 2 are still under evaluation. None of the 11 completed allegations resulted in sustained findings of misconduct.
We remain committed to continuously collecting, evaluating, and assessing our use of force data to inform our policies and training—with a focus on achieving positive outcomes.
2024 Berkeley Police Department Annual Report
27 Looking Ahead
The Berkeley Police Department is committed to modernizing our policies and operational practices to deliver efficient, transparent, and accountable service that aligns with our community’s values. This past year, despite staffing challenges and increasing demand, we successfully expanded our ranks through our partnership with All-Star Recruiting, bringing new talent into our ranks, and set the stage to significantly bolstering our personnel by integrating Community Service Officers into patrol and investigative roles.
We have enhanced our effectiveness through technology and strategic partnerships, including the implementation of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) and the preparation of fixed- camera surveillance systems. These technologies, along with intensified Organized Retail Theft operations and targeted gun recovery efforts, enable the department to address crime proactively and enhance public safety through evidence-driven approaches.
Collaboration with community partners continues to guide our approach. Through efforts like the Gun Violence Intervention and Prevention Program (GVIPP), Drive Safer Drive Longer classes, and our ongoing involvement with the City's Vision Zero initiative, we focus on long term solutions that are responsive and effective when tackling the priorities identified by our community.
Transparency stands at the heart of our work. Our Transparency Hub constantly evolves to meet public needs. In the coming year, we plan to broaden this resource further. It will offer regular updates about crime patterns, enforcement activities, and how our department uses technology. This commitment is essential for building public trust and demonstrating accountability.
As we look toward the future, we are focused on advancing our abilities to be more precise and data driven, with an eye toward increased prevention and real-time response capabilities.
Advancing technologies look to improve rapid deployment capabilities, immediate situational awareness, and improved safety outcomes during a number of public safety responses from critical incidents to natural disasters. By exploring these innovative solutions, we aim to maintain the trust and safety of our community while setting a new standard in public safety.
We look forward to continued partnerships with City Council, other city agencies, and community members to advance our shared goals for a safer, more responsive Berkeley.