On behalf of the Antioch Police Officers Association, we want to address the troubling incidents of gun violence that have recently affected our community. The violent weekend, marked by several shootings, has understandably left many feeling unsafe and concerned about the future.
First and foremost, we want to express our deepest sympathy to those who were injured and to their families. Gun violence is a serious issue that impacts not only those directly involved but also the broader community. We recognize the fear and frustration expressed by residents and business owners, including Mr. Loinab, whose experiences highlight the challenges we face in maintaining the safety of our neighborhoods.
The Antioch Police Department is committed to addressing these incidents with urgency and diligence. Our officers are actively investigating the recent shootings, and we encourage anyone with information to come forward. While we understand that many feel the current situation is dire, we want to assure you that we are working tirelessly to restore safety and security to our community.
We are open and willing to work with city leaders to identify strategies that can enhance our response to gun violence and improve the overall safety of our neighborhoods. Collaboration with city officials is essential in developing effective solutions that address the root causes of violence and ensure a secure environment for all residents.
However, it is important to acknowledge the challenges posed by limited staffing and availability of officers. We commend the Department’s ongoing efforts to prioritize hiring and expand our workforce. This is a crucial step in enhancing our response capabilities, but we recognize that building a fully-staffed department takes time. Adequate resources are essential to ensure that we can effectively patrol our neighborhoods, respond to incidents promptly, and provide the support our community needs.
We urge residents to remain vigilant and support one another while working collaboratively with law enforcement. Community engagement is vital; we need your input, your eyes, and your voices to help us effectively address these concerns.
We are also committed to advocating for additional resources and support from city leadership to enhance our policing capabilities and preventative measures. Your voices matter, and we encourage you to continue expressing your concerns to city officials, as their support is crucial in our fight against violence.
As we move forward, let us remember that change takes time, but together, we can create a safer Antioch. We appreciate your resilience and commitment to our community during these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Antioch Police Officers Association
Recent Stories:
- Sept. 29 – Police Say 30-Year-Old Man Shot Sunday Morning in Antioch
- Sept. 26 – Antioch Police Say Arrest Made Rite Aid Parking Lot Shooting
- Sept. 25 – Antioch Mayor Says “All Options” on the Table to Reduce Violence
- Sept. 23 – Antioch Police Correct Mayor, Not All Shootings Connected or Gang Related
- Sept. 22 – 2 Wounded Sunday, 2 Other Antioch Shootings
- Sept. 21 – Antioch Shooting Victim Dies, Search for Suspect Underway
- Sept. 20 – Antioch: 18-Year-Old Shot on Cavallo Road Friday
- Sept. 17 – Antioch Police Issue Statement on 12 Recent Shootings
- Sept. 17 – Update: One Wounded in Antioch Gunfight Monday
- Sept. 16 – Grandmother and Child, Narrowly Missed by Gun Shots Monday in Antioch
- Sept. 16 – Antioch Police Say 17 Shots Fired on Sycamore Drive Sunday
- Sept. 8 – Woman Struck by Gunfire on Sycamore Drive in Antioch, Third Shooting This Week
- Sept. 6 – Update: 20-Year-Old Antioch Shooting Victim Dies From Injuries
- Sept. 3 – 1 Wounded in Labor Day Shooting in Antioch
- Aug 30 – Two Suspects Arrested in Antioch Homicide
9 comments
All the church leaders and whoever else was at the last city council efforts are null if we don’t mention the elephant in the room. This a cultural issue— the young dudes in Antioch who wear ski masks in daytime, drive stolen cars with stolen merch with no tags running red lights and speeding on hwy 4, dudes who wear red every single day, ones who slap murder music at 9am to midnight… they’re the ones responsible for this senseless violence. The ones who used to claim “East Oakland, north Richmond, south Berkeley” but now claim Antioch because of how bad it’s gotten. I get it, you don’t wanna put them in the criminal justice system, but if the interventions of their parents, teachers, administrators failed… the government eventually intervenes.
Change will happen Ron Bernal is elected. Lamar is not a foxhole buddy. Has not had the back of officers even before the problems within the department. Residents need to vote and stay vigilant in their neighborhoods.
No it will not change with Bernal. A lot of people forget, he was the City Manager, the person the Chief of Police works for, when all the shenanigans started at APD beginning with NO EVALUATIONS for 6 years of any police officers, but Bernal signed off on Promotions and Pay Step Increases — how was this accomplished without any Performance Evaluations?? All of the officers who are now facing Federal Indictments were part of this of “no evaluation” crowd. Mike Barbanica brought this issue up at a council meeting, and he was given some BS excuse by then Captain Trevor Schnitzius who blamed HR for not having the performance evaluation paperwork — I guess he never heard of getting a piece of binder paper, put the employee’s name and employee number on it, along with the period covered and write 3 strong points and 3 weak points with a paragraph or two summarizing the employee’s performance — but I guess that was too difficult for a highly educated, highly paid Police Administrator to think of, ‘ya think?.
I am not gonna say everything Lamar has done is “good”, but to think Bernal will wave a magic wand, and make all the “evil doers” go away all because he has a slogan like “Change Happens Today” is wrong — I think some people think that will happen.
Bernal has not talking about anything, so someone please tell me what Bernal is going to do or change — other than win an election? Perhaps he, Freitas and perhaps Rocha will bring back “Friday Night Panther Football”? Tell everyone, “Now you all have to sing Kumbaya, and you will get along with each other”.
Bernal, give us a break — as Mayor, he will just like he was a City Manager, sit up in his “glass tower” and just sit silent, go to an occasional Rotary or Chamber of Commerce Meeting or attend the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, and shed some crocodile tears about how difficult it is to be a Mayor.
Change will happen when Ron Bernal is elected. Lamar is not a foxhole buddy. Has not had the back of officers even before the problems within the department. Residents need to vote and stay vigilant in their neighborhoods.
The safety in our community and of its citizens is definitely at risk. Unfortunately there is no single reason that can be pointed to as the definitive cause. Staffing, the lack of basis enforcement of our laws, disdain for our police officers and the PD in general and the lack of leadership exhibited by our council. It will take years for Antioch to return to the community it once was. Unfortunately many of its citizens will have become victims of the crime that currently grips our city. So long as the PD continues to struggle with staffing shortages and redirecting resources to combat the rising violent crime, they will never be able to return to performing basic duties such as enforcing traffic laws etc. All this leads to is a further deterioration of respect for our police department and our community as a whole. Antioch needs help if we are going to survive as a community. A change in leadership is in order.
Yes a change is needed.
But we need to start with a change of Leadership at the Police Department. They need a Chief who will lay down the law, and demand the officers be accountable for everything they do or not do.
We don’t need a Chief of Police or Police Admin that “coddles” problem officers, by telling those officers when the community or council doesn’t support them, “We understand, you are really stressed out, do you want some quiet time in the corner for a while?” Tsk tsk tsk
Get over it already, no one twisted their arms to become cops, and they knew ahead of time, they would be — at times — about as popular as a “piece of feces in a punchbowl”.
Another big part of restoring safety to the community is the part of the DA. Most people used to fear committing crimes (or at least think twice) because if they got caught charges were filed and there were consequences. If they stole a car police used to chase them till they were caught and the DA charged a felony. But now the DA usually does not charge a “property crime” so the criminals are stealing cars day and night. Antioch has one of the highest car theft rates in the county or maybe even the state. And police do not chase them anymore (unless a violent serious felony) because criminals know if they drive crazy enough the police wont chase them and even if they get caught, they wont be charged and they’ll be back out in an hour to steal more cars. We have people going into stores and stealing whatever they want, sometimes with their kids who quickly learn they can steal without consequences. Sideshows where people throw rocks at police if they show up, Groups of teens storming stores stealing and destroying stuff, kids are becoming more violent and disrespectful because respect, morals and fear of punishment isn’t taught at home. We have a governor that is soft on crime and reduced many felonies to misdemeanors or infractions. We have liberal backed DA’s that are soft on crime and do not prosecute many crimes and would rather empty jails instead of incarcerate criminals, many criminals who do get arrested are already on probation or parole for previous crimes they committed, we have city councils that like to bicker amongst themselves rather than work together for real solutions, and a police force that does not feel respected or appreciated. Yes, there were some bad apples that were let go just like every other profession, but good officers that remained are working their asses off with long shifts, overtime, days off cancelled etc trying to hold the line against chaos but they are losing because they are outnumbered. Bottom line is people do not fear punishment or consequences anymore if they commit crimes. It starts at the top… We need a governor that is tough on crime, not just go through the motions when an election is near, a city council and mayor that puts safety first and backs their police department, we need to let the police be police and enforce laws with arrests, and mostly needed, a DA that will charge crimes and incarcerate criminals. We need to put the fear of punishment and consequences back into play, to make criminals think twice before committing a crime, the fear of getting caught and arrested. Nothing is going to change, and will only get worse unless changes are made from the top down.
MEGA DITTOS!!!
Change will happen when Ron Bernal is elected. Lamar and his cronies have ruined Antioch. Has not had the back of officers even before the problems within the department. Residents need to vote and stay vigilant in their neighborhoods.
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