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Crime & Safety

Do Berkeley Police Collaborate With Other Police Departments?

Today's question: What is the relationship between the Berkeley Police, the University Police and the BART Police?

Q: What is the relationship between the Berkeley Police, the University Police, and the BART Police? How do you collaborate? 

Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer.

A: Many community members and others may not know what positive and collaborative relationships we, the City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD), have with many of our neighboring agencies. Part of the reason is because much happens "behind the scenes," in phone calls, exchanges of information with emails and flyers, undercover work, surveillances and search warrants. 

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As a clarification, we cannot speak for other agencies. This is understood as a protocol and, out of respect, defer to them for their cases, investigations and perspectives regarding issues, including how they feel about BPD. 

Our relationship with the University of California Police Department (UCPD) has never been better. Since the University of California has so much property throughout the city, we work together on many cases and crimes that have occurred. UCPD officers will respond to crimes in progress they hear on their radios and BPD often come across UCPD officers on cases and stop to support them as well. At times, UCPD dispatchers will call our Public Safety Communications Center and share a broadcast about a suspect or suspects they are looking for.

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We have historically had very positive programs such as the Telegraph Bike Patrol, in which BPD officers team-up with a UCPD officer and patrol the South campus area.

Another example of the UCPD/BPD relationship is the Southside Safety Patrol. The Patrol Program is dispatched to calls regarding parties, noise complaints, fights or other problematic alcohol related issues that, prior to the patrol program, often had to wait because they were lower priorities than other issues in progress throughout the city.

BPD also enjoys a great relationship with the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Department and have for a very long time. BART has two accompanying parking areas, within and adjoining City of Berkeley property. The stations and parking are BART's jurisdiction, but BPD patrol officers also make it a part of their routines to check/patrol the areas. Often a crime will occur and the BART officer who may cover from Ashby to Richmond will be minutes away. BART will reach out to us and BPD will respond and assist or detain someone.

BART helps us tremendously when a suspect or suspects flee into the system. BART will help by holding trains/service until we can search the cars or platforms. Taking BART tends to be the route a lot of bank robbery suspects take, and we have had successes in terms of arrests thanks to BART's help.

BPD has participated in a handful of SWAT and emergency preparedness trainings with both UCPD and BART police.

The BPD, UCPD and BART police communicate and support each other particularly with significant cases. This is true of BPD and Oakland Police Department, Albany, Emeryville and the list goes on. 

Community members provide feedback quite often about "not seeing officers." We recognize that the community wants visibility from their police department. We just want to remind everyone that some of the best work each day, if not the work with the greatest impact, tends to be activities that are not visible to the community.

Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss is a 16-year veteran of the Berkeley Police Department. 

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