Pleasant Hill Mayor Matt Rinn released the following statement today regarding the police activity on Cleopatra Drive over the weekend where a former police officer was taken into custody.
The suspect was identified as former Pittsburg Police Detective Chunliam Saechao.
Police on scene Friday night
To our Pleasant Hill Community,
I know the incident that occurred between Thursday Dec 7 and Saturday Dec 9 on Cleopatra Drive was a cause for concern, but I would like to take a moment and provide some needed detail and insight that we hope will provide some closure and peace of mind regarding how the situation was handled.
While the incident involving Mr. Saechou was stressful, the mindful and strategic actions of the Pleasant Hill Police Department and our cooperating agencies allowed for the situation to be resolved peacefully and without any further injury or loss of life. While events like this are understandably frightening for neighbors and certainly disruptive to the larger community, I support the tactics employed by the police department.
These tactics included:
- In order to allow for a cooling down period, the tactic of ‘disengagement’ was employed. To achieve this, the SWAT team was temporarily recalled while other resources remained on scene. Based on the PHPD’s assessment, it was determined that Mr. Saechou’s intent was to force a violent encounter with law enforcement. De-escalating and giving Mr. Saechou time to calm down ultimately led to him safely surrendering.
- During this time, PHPD remained vigilant and on task protecting the safety of the neighborhood using a variety of resources, including undercover officers, specialized surveillance equipment, and other technology. A police presence was maintained near Mr. Saechou’s house throughout the two days.
- At the same time, other officers monitored the suspect’s social media communications and attempted to speak with him via those same channels. When it became clear from these communications that his threat level was increasing, the SWAT teams and other officers were brought back in to prevent any further violence.
The strategies employed had the desired effect, as Mr. Saechou did voluntarily surrender himself into custody in a manner which safeguarded himself, the neighborhood, and the law enforcement officers on scene.
I know this situation created difficulties for the Sherman Acres neighborhood and I regret the stress and inconvenience this caused. Many have asked for greater communication during the situation, unfortunately that could not be achieved without also informing Mr. Saechou of police presence and activities. Understanding this, I am still pleased that the ultimate result was a good one, and a person undergoing a mental health crisis was safely removed and taken into custody.
I want to extend my thanks and support to our law enforcement personnel who worked to resolve this issue peacefully. I appreciate the capable leadership of Chief Scott Vermillion, the actions of our police force, and the tactics employed by law enforcement to achieve this result. The safety of all of the Pleasant Hill Community is first and foremost in the actions of the Pleasant Hill Police Department, and this incident was an example of how a potentially violent situation could be de-escalated and resolved safely.
We thank our community for their patience and support in this challenging incident.
Matt Rinn
Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill
- Dec 9 – UPDATE: Standoff With Ex-Cop in Pleasant Hill Ends
- Dec 8 – Updated: Man Barricaded Inside Pleasant Hill Home After Shooting His Wife
6 comments
Weak! Lame PD. Terrible Chief. Joke swat team.
Easy to release a statement like this after the fact, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Chief failed to protect his community. There was no need for the SWAT team to stand down.
The armed, violent offender was contained. He had just shot someone and the police decide to walk away to “de-escalate”? This makes no sense. What if he drove away? What if an Amazon delivery person
approached the door and the armed lunatic thought it was the swat team and he shoots through the door?
This is what happens when you elevate coffee with a cop alumni to police leadership positions. The chief should resign immediately. His policies put officers and citizens in danger.
The public obviously does not know the all details of the situation or have the skills of the Chief. It’s easy to sit at home at criticize him. What I see is that the person was apprehended and there were no serious injuries and casualties. If those officers out there working this case were your family and friends, you would see this as a job done right.
Why do all these small departments have this hodgepodge swat team?
The Sheriff used to have a big team that never had any problems for years.
Is it the egos of the little guys and small departments?
I did police work for 42 years. I have never seen this tactic used. The liability is huge! Furthermore, and hear this: The next time your police department faces a barricaded and armed suspect and they DON’T leave, and wind up shooting or killing the person, this example will come back to haunt you and your city. The obvious question will be., “ Why didn’t they give MY husband, or MY son this leeway and time?” Start saving your money Mayor.
Comments are closed.