Photograph by Valerie Mendoza Ramos
The ranks of Berkeley police officers have been steadily decreasing, with many others considering departure. The website Where’s My Berkeley Cop? has emerged to inform the community and draw attention to the diminishing police force. According to the website, government budget cuts have decreased the quality of the law enforcement. Out of 57 similarly sized police departments nationally, the Berkeley Police Department (BPD) has traditionally been one of the most prestigious; however, that coveted spot is likely to be lost. Some officers have relocated to other agencies for access to special assignments, tools, and materials. This is because of an absence of support and funding in the department. Thus far, the government has refused to replenish funding, and the department has suffered immensely. The remaining officers have virtually no support in specific endeavors, while some divisions, like the special investigations unit, are nonexistent.
With so many positions unfilled, BPD will have to lower their standards for hiring new officers, meaning a less well-regulated city and, inevitably, a higher crime rate. Likewise, the quality of training will go down, leaving officers less prepared for difficult situations. It also means that the remaining officers will have more work to do, and the quality of service and response time will worsen. This issue impacts students as well: there are now only two officers working to serve Berkeley youth where there were previously eight.
Berkeley used to rely on offering benefits to attract police from other cities, as very few police live within Berkeley. Now, not only can BPD not offer those benefits, but neither special training nor most special divisions, and it’s more likely that officers will leave BPD.
On the other hand, Berkeley cops aren’t saints. Racial profiling and suspicion of teens are prevalent issues here in Berkeley. Due to the lack of cops, there will be lesser likelihood for people of color and teenagers to be arrested on no other grounds than appearance. Plus, other areas are in desperate need of funding, such as the educational system. By defunding the police department, we create room in the budget for schools whose amenities have been taken away in recent cuts.
Ultimately, safety comes first. Without a well-funded police department, Berkeley crime rates will soar. Without our support, the BPD’s mission “to safeguard our diverse community through proactive law enforcement and problem solving, treating all people with dignity and respect” cannot be fulfilled. Hence, it is critical that we support what’s left of the BPD. Hopefully, they can rise above this mistake and continue to serve Berkeley with all they’ve got.