Q&A with BPD

The Weird and Wonderful World of Policing Berkeley

PIO Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss explains the stranger side of being a police officer in Berkeley, including the mystery of shoes hanging from telephone wires and the oddest calls for service.

Q: There are often shoes hanging over telephone wires in Berkeley. Does it mean anything? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. A: Over the years, the numbers of pairs of shoes — in particular athletic or running shoes — that are hanging over wires above the streets has varied. Depending on what town, city, neighborhood, state and even country you live in, there are a litany of reasons that young and older people alike have engaged in this practice. One explanation that is often rumored is that hanging shoes is a way in which a gang or a drug dealer signals territory. Members of BPD have never been able to fully verify that all the dangling pairs of shoes in Berkeley have such significance, although …

• Photos (1)

Q&A with BPD

What Else Does the Berkeley Police Department Do?

PIO Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss explains a number of tasks the Berkeley Police Department undertakes that the community may not be aware of.

Q: What activities is the Berkeley Police Department involved in that the community may not be aware of? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. A: The City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) will enjoy answering this question as it is a good and interesting one. We must start by sharing that there are many activities that happen “behind the scenes” in terms of fighting crime, gathering information towards cases, special enforcement projects and searchwarrants that we cannot share as they would expose our tactics, creativity, potentially create dangerous situations for officers and impede our mission. BPD wants community members to know that we do special projects weekly that they do not see. Most often, these …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (4)

Q&A with BPD

BPD Update: How is the Smart Boot Program Going?

PIO Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss explains the city's new program to deal with parking ticket violators. A total of 188 vehicles have been booted since the Smart Boot Program began Oct. 18.

Q: How is the Smart Boot Program going since it started? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. The booting  program that began in the City of Berkeley on Oct. 18, 2011 is running very smoothly. The City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) continues to work closely with the City of Berkeley Finance Department and PayLock Customer Service to best serve community members/vehicle owners. During the week of Oct. 31, 2011, the BPD Boot Team booted 58 vehicles and towed 12. Vehicles are towed 48 hours after booting. A total of 23 of the 58 were actually self-released. The vehicle owner paid the outstanding citation fines and got a code to release the boot. Since the program’s inception, Oct. 18, 2011, BPD has booted …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Q&A with BPD

What Makes the City of Berkeley Police Department Unique?

Sgt. Mary Kusmiss details the many historical accomplishments of the Berkeley Police Department in this week's Q&A.

Q: Is there anything that makes BPD Unique or different from other police departments? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. A: The City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) has a rich history that contributed to the foundations of many departments across California, the United States and the field of law enforcement as a whole. The first chief of police, August Vollmer, is considered by many to be the “father of modern law enforcement.” At the very start, when Berkeley was incorporated in 1878, the city was policed and by an elected town Marshall. In 1905, August Vollmer was elected for the role. Then, in 1909, he was appointed as the City of Berkeley's first chief of police. Chief Vollmer organized BPD into a …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Q&A with BPD

Submit Your Questions for the Berkeley Police Department

Each week, Berkeley police answer questions about local crime, prevention and the organization of the department. What would you ask?

Berkeley Patch runs a Q&A series with the Berkeley Police Department each week. The Q&A is a way for the police and Berkeley residents to share important information and ask questions about crime in the community, discuss prevention, and learn about the workings of the department. Public Information Officer Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss answers questions on a range of topics, providing tips on how to prevent laptop and smartphone theft, discussing what Berkeley residents can do to protect their homes from break-ins and burglaries, explaining how Berkeley police collaborate with other departments, and giving an overview of bike theft and car theft in Berkeley, with advice for avoiding becoming a victim.  Do you have a question about crime, …

•  2 Comments
• Photos (1)

Ari Soglin

11:12 am on Monday, October 24, 2011

Thanks for your question, Sandy. The same question popped up over here: http://patch.com/A-nhl7. We're working on an answer.   more ›

Q&A with BPD

What Can Residents Do To Make Their Homes and Apartments Safer?

In this week's Q&A with the Berkeley Police Department, Sgt. Mary Kusmiss provides tips for preventing burglaries.

Q: What can residents do to make their homes and apartments safer? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. A: The City of Berkeley Police Department appreciates this question and dialogue very much. Property crime which includes burglary continues to be our collective greatest crime challenge. The City of Berkeley's statistics in this category are dropping, although we still feel that together we could be doing much better. We should point out that community members often confuse burglary and robbery. They call our Public Safety Communications Center and say "I have been robbed! I came home from work and my home was robbed!" Now, if no one was home and there was no confrontation, it is a Burglary. Burglary is …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Q&A with BPD

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.  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 …

• Photos (1)

Do You Have a Question for the Berkeley Police Department?

Each week, Berkeley Patch does a Q&A with BPD. What would you ask?

Every Friday, the Berkeley Police Department responds to a question about local crime or police activity submitted by Berkeley Patch for our "Q&A with BPD" column.  We've asked what the most frequently committed crime is in Berkeley, and PIO Sgt. Mary Kusmiss explained the prevalence of auto theft in the city, and how it can be prevented.  Kusmiss also gave us the statistics for auto theft when we asked how many cars were stolen in Berkeley. On average, one to two cars are stolen every day throughout the city. As the Berkeley Police Department continues to answer questions each week, we'd like to know: what would you ask the BPD? Leave a comment here and we'll include your questions in our Q&A series.  Perhaps you want to know how the …

• Photos (1)

Q&A with BPD

How Many Cars are Stolen in Berkeley and How Can Auto Theft Be Prevented?

This week's Q&A with the Berkeley Police Department focuses on auto theft — the most popular crime in Berkeley — and how it can be prevented.

Q: How many reports of stolen cars do you get, and what percentage do you recover?  Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. Thus far in the year 2011, the City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD) receives an average of between one to two cars stolen each day throughout the city. These numbers or more formally known as crime statistics have been steadily declining in recent years. As an example, since auto theft is a Part 1 Crime and reported to the FBI for the Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics, a community member can access their website and review the auto theft or stolen vehicle statistics. In the last five years our UCR statistics for auto theft are as follows:   If you are a community member that has had his…

•  2 Comments
• Photos (2)

Barbara Wilcox

11:47 am on Saturday, July 16, 2011

Some ignitions easier to punch.   more ›

Q&A with BPD

What is the Most Frequently Committed Crime in Berkeley?

Today's question: What is the most frequently committed crime in Berkeley, and what are some tips to prevent it?

Q: What is the most frequently committed crime in Berkeley, and what are some tips to prevent it? Answer by Sgt. Mary C. Kusmiss S-6 BPD Public Information Officer. A: We, the City of Berkeley Police Department (BPD), would like to focus on a category of crime to answer this very important question. Property Crimes such as theft, burglary and auto theft have been the greatest crime challenges that the City of Berkeley community has consistently faced over the years. Small lifestyle changes can make a significant difference in reducing these crimes. Making an effort to close and lock all of your home’s/apartment’s doors and windows are valuable crime prevention measures that deter many burglaries. Approximately 40 percent of all residential…

• Photos (1)