Cops Could Make $200 Per Hour Working in City of Antioch

On Tuesday, the Antioch City Council will discuss spending $500k on a violence reduction initiative for the City of Antioch.

According to the staff report, the proposed violence reduction initiative would require an allocation of up to $500,000 from the City’s general fund or other available funding sources. This amount will cover the cost of paying double-time wages to Antioch Police Officer’s Association Members working extra shifts and the $200 per hour payment to officers from regional municipalities.

This comes as the Antioch Police Department says it does not have enough officers to cover the workload and respond to calls.  The city calls the initiative temporary, but necessary.

The move is in response to more than 15 shootings in the past 30-days and overall violence in the city. So far in 2024 (Jan – Aug):

• Murder – 10
• Robbery – 149
• Aggravated Assault – 326
• Burglary – 381 (likely underreported)
• Larceny – 1,205 (likely underreported)
• Vehicle Theft – 1,146

This temporary initiative involves:

1. Paying sworn Antioch Police Department employees, excluding the Chief of Police and Captains, double-time wages to work extra shifts in the designated areas.
2. Entering into agreements with neighboring municipalities to pay $200 per hour for their officers to work extra shifts in the designated areas.

Antioch employees working their regular shifts will handle the daily calls for service. In contrast, the sworn Antioch Police Department employees who work extra overtime shifts and the allied officers will focus on maintaining a highly visible police presence and conducting crime reduction efforts in the designated areas without being assigned to routine police matters. The increased presence of law enforcement is expected to deter criminal activity and improve public safety in these areas.

The recommended duration of the Violence Reduction Initiative is twelve (12) months.

Editors Notes – this was originally estimated to be funded at $100k per the request of Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe during a press conference, however, Councilmember Mike Barbanica, a former cop with Pittsburg Police Department, said the money was not enough and requested $500k. The final proposal, after the mayor held another meeting with TV media, was that he now wanted $500k.

Back in August 2023, Councilmember Mike Barbanica called for the CHP and Sheriff to assist the city of Antioch. It was further requested by Senator Steve Glazer and Assemblymember Tim Grayson. Antioch council took no action to bring in outside resources outside of a few shifts being assisted by the CHP.

Solano County Sheriff / Vallejo PD Solution: Under SB 1379 (Bill Dodd), A temporary waiver of the California Public Retirement System (CALPERS) 960-hour work limit for retired annuitants working for the Sheriff Office would allow retirees to return to work full-time to address immediate staffing and public safety needs of the City of Vallejo. SB 1379 had no opposition. A state of emergency was declared in July 2023.

Other Items of Interest:

• AMENDMENT OF EMPLOYEE REFERRAL AND RECRUITMENT SIGNING BONUS AND INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR PEACE OFFICERS, ADDITION OF INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR DISPATCHERS: Introducing a $10,000 signing bonus for newly hired Police Dispatchers to be paid in two increments: $5,000 upon successful completion of the Dispatch Training Program and $5,000 upon successful completion of two (2) years of employment with the City of Antioch Police Department Dispatch Center; and Authorizing the necessary budget through June 30, 2025, of up to $350,000.These financial incentives are distributed in five (5) separate increments over five (5) years for both lateral and entry-level Peace Officers, with the bulk of the payment ($15,000) paid upfront
• CITY COUNCIL REQUESTED DISCUSSION ITEM – DISCUSSION ON REVISIONS TO OVERNIGHT/CAMPING ORDINANCE: It is recommended that the City Council discuss and provide direction to City staff
• EXPANSION OF SHOTSPOTTER TECHNOLOGY: To accept a federal award, in the amount of $740,000, for expanding the City of Antioch’s ShotSpotter coverage areas.
  • In 2022, Antioch added four square miles of ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology to cover some of the most violent prone areas of our city. The Department proposed to add an additional three and a half square miles
    of ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology designed specifically to detect gunfire in high-crime areas that remain persistent, which include violence prone areas along the freeways within our jurisdiction.
  • Crime statistics gathered by the Antioch Police Department clearly indicate an alarming increase in gun crime and gunshot related incidents and calls for service in our City, including some areas surrounding our freeways. Priority areas for gunshot identification technology are Antioch Community Policing Zones 301/303, 503/606, and 602/604 based on the highest volume of gun crimes linked to homicide, aggravated assault, shooting into buildings, robbery, carjacking, and brandishing. From January 1, 2024 to June 12, 2024, Community Policing Zone 301/303 had a total of 37 of the listed crimes including 1 homicide; Community Policing Zone 503/606 had a total of 32 of the listed crimes to include 1 homicide; and Community Policing Zone 602/604 had a total of 27 of the listed crimes to include 1 homicide. Based on crime analysis, there has been a significant spike in crime and shots fired incidents, an area of 3.5 square miles, which includes 3 different hotspots, was identified for expansion.

• AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT AND INCREASING THE AGREEMENT AMOUNT BY $2.1 MILLION WITH FELTON INSTITUTE FOR THE CITY OF ANTIOCH’S ANGELO QUINTO COMMUNITY RESPONSE TEAM PROGRAM (AQCRT): Approving the first amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with Felton Institute for the City of Antioch’s Angelo Quinto Community Response Team program (AQCRT) in the amount of $2,100,000, extending the term of the agreement through October 31, 2025, and authorizing the carryover of the Fiscal Year 2023/24 budget to Fiscal Year 2024/25 for the program
  • Over the past year, the AQCRT has provided critical services by responding to 3,963 (76% of total calls) low-level, non-violent, non-life-threatening calls from May 2023 to April 2024. These calls have ranged from mental health crises and de-escalation interventions to welfare checks, demonstrating the team’s ability to address a wide array of community needs.
  • The team’s presence is critical in providing non-police interventions for non-violent situations, which reduces the burden on law enforcement while addressing the community’s mental health and wellness needs.
  • Hiring Four Additional Community Resource Specialists: With an increasing volume of calls, four additional specialists are needed to maintain timely responses, particularly during peak demand periods. These specialists will be trained in crisis intervention, de-escalation, and mental health support, expanding the team’s capacity to serve residents. in need.
  • Upgrading Part-Time Positions to Full-Time: The current part-time administrative assistant and behavioral therapist positions have proven insufficient to keep up with the administrative and therapeutic workload generated by the AQCRT’s expanding services. Upgrading these roles to full-time will ensure seamless operations and the provision of comprehensive mental health services. Full-time behavioral therapists are
    especially crucial for addressing ongoing mental health challenges within the community, offering consistent support to individuals post-crisis.

If You Go

Antioch City Council Meeting
Date: Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Time: 6:00 P.M. – Closed Session
7:00 P.M. – Regular Meeting
Place: Council Chambers
200 ‘H’ Street, Antioch, CA 94509
Full Agenda – click here

Previous Stories:

• Sept 25, 2024 – Antioch Mayor Says “All Options” on the Table to Reduce Violence
• Sept. 28, 2023 – Antioch Police Pressed on if Aid from CHP or Sheriff is Needed
• Oct 25, 2023 – Senator Glazer Requests CHP Help for City of Antioch
• Aug 6, 2023 – Barbanica Calls on CHP and Sheriff to Assist Antioch Police