Officials from several East Bay cities on Wednesday announced the start of a new task force where law enforcement will team up to cut down on crime. Each city from Richmond down to Fremont along I-880 will participate.
“The perpetrators of crime aren’t constrained by jurisdictional lines,” said Jesse Arreguin, the Mayor of Berkeley. “They don’t stop when they get to a city’s borders. That means we cannot stay siloed – we have to work across jurisdictions.”
These cities will meet quarterly talk about ideas on ways to limit crime. They will share data with each other they say will help in catching criminals.
“It is personal,” said Juan Gonzalez, the Mayor of San Leandro. “When I hear families tell me, ‘Juan, I am afraid to take my kids to a store because I don’t want to see my children seeing adults walk out with merchandise showing no remorse.”‘
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This task force is especially needed in Oakland where car break-ins, store thefts and armed robberies remain high. However, it is not just a public safety issue. It is also an economic issue.