City of Alameda responds to recent increases in violent crime

Published on October 28, 2020

City of Alameda working to respond to and minimize recent increases in violent crime

For the last several months during the global pandemic, many cities in the Bay Area and across the country have seen an increase in violent crimes. Here in Alameda, while violent crimes are typically unusual, we have seen an unprecedented number of shootings, with 14 incidents since June 1. The Alameda Police Department has made arrests in five of these cases and continues to investigate the others.

“While each shooting incident brings a significant level of danger to the community, we can safely say that none of the cases appear to be random,” stated Alameda Interim Police Chief Randy Fenn. “Unfortunately, many people have turned to firearms to settle their grievances, including domestic disputes and illicit business dealings.”

“I understand and share the concerns of residents and businesses that stem from the recent increases in gun violence and gun purchases in the Bay Area, including Alameda. I believe some of this increase is related to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and some is related to the tense political climate in this tumultuous election year. But, regardless of the root causes of these incidents, I am confident that the Alameda Police Department, under Interim Chief Fenn’s leadership, is focused on responding to and solving gun-related crimes as they occur,” remarked Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft.

The Alameda City Attorney’s Office has made prosecutions of any violent or gun related crimes a priority, and the Alameda Police Department is coordinating a multidisciplinary approach to respond to and minimize crime in Alameda, including:

A proactive response from patrol officers to calls for shots fired. After rendering aid to any victims, a thorough preliminary investigation is conducted, including the search for witnesses, possible video footage, and collecting physical evidence.
When necessary, additional resources from within the department or from allied agencies have responded to assist in processing the crime scene.
Evidence is sent to be processed through the County crime lab, State Department of Justice, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Shell casing data is entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network.
We are meeting with regional partners at the local, State, and Federal level to share criminal intelligence and cultivate potential leads through evidence analysis and information sharing.
We conduct an extensive follow up of leads in an effort to identify trends, suspects, and build cases for prosecution.
A high profile patrol is launched of areas where past shootings have occurred.

The City is committed to your safety and takes violent crimes and gun violence very seriously. Through its adopted Legislative Agenda, the City Council supports gun safety and common-sense gun laws and policies that keep guns out of the wrong hands, including background check requirements. The City Council also supports increasing local control to strengthen firearm safety where state or federal preemption prohibits. These legislative priorities are driven by the shared goal to reduce the likelihood of the gun-related incidents we have seen in the last few months. Earlier this year, Alameda Mayor Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, on behalf of the City Council, authored dozens of support letters related to State gun safety legislation, and many of those bills were signed into law by the Governor. The City has also lead and partnered with many local jurisdictions in filing an amicus brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to support the State of California’s prohibition against Large Capacity Magazines.

Alameda’s City management, police department, and elected officials prioritize the community’s safety and wellbeing. Thank you for your cooperation during these challenging times, and for the community’s continued commitment to the health and safety of your neighbors.

CONTACT: Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
shenry@alamedaca.gov — 510-747-4714