Is the City evaluating other ways to respond to mental health and homeless incidents?

Currently, the El Cerrito Police Department responds to a number of incidents that do not necessarily constitute a crime. For example, the ECPD may send officers to calls of suicidal people, welfare checks on people laying down on the sidewalk, homelessness issues, neighbor disputes, domestic arguments, and parenting help, to name a few. The officers and supervisors assigned to these calls carefully review the nature of the incident and may decide that a law enforcement response is not required. The ECPD prioritizes calls for help in which a person may be in physical danger or in medical distress.

Because responses to non-criminal matters are infrequent, staffing a 24-hour response at the City level would not be cost effective. Instead, a regional approach would make more financial sense.

El Cerrito is working with other cities to partner with Contra Costa County or a non-governmental organization to create a more robust response to non-criminal incidents. Ideally, a team of EMTs and social workers will be available to the region around the clock to respond to low risk calls involving mental health, homelessness, addiction issues and many more. The City of El Cerrito is in the early stages of developing a response concept.

Show All Answers

1. What is the role of the District Attorney? Why doesn’t the Police Department choose not to prosecute arrested defendants?
2. What is “Broken Windows” policing theory? Is this the policing philosophy of the ECPD?
3. What types of oversight and accountability mechanisms are in place in El Cerrito?
4. What is the complaint process? How can I make a complaint?
5. Does the ECPD use militarized equipment?
6. Is the City evaluating other ways to respond to mental health and homeless incidents?
7. Does the ECPD engage in De-Escalation, Racial Profiling, and Implicit Bias training?
8. How does the ECPD policy match up to Use of Force change campaigns?
9. How does Asset Forfeiture work?
10. Do police labor unions have special protections in El Cerrito?
11. How has the City reduced funding to the Police Department?
12. Why isn’t El Cerrito listed on the California Police Scorecard?
13. Does El Cerrito have a drone program?