September 10

DRAFT ONLY

Berkeley Safe Neighborhood Committee Meeting

September 10, 2008, 6:30 – 8:00 pm

Community Service Building, 2100 Martin Luther King Blvd.

Berkeley, CA

Minutes

1. BPD Chief:

There have been a number of sexual assaults in Berkeley. In some cases, the windows and doors were open. Reminder: lock windows and doors. Call BPD to report suspicious activity.

2. Inspector Corey White, Alameda County DA Office

Threat Management

Stalking Vertical Prosecution Program

Presentation: Stalking

What is stalking? a) Multiple contacts, b) threatening contact, c) causes fear

Ninety-five percent of stalking situations are domestic violence related. In some cases, the individual has mental issues and sometimes can be delusional.

Stalking is chronic behavior, long lasting, tends to escalate over time, and want power and control over another individual.

Stalking behavior: surveillance of individual’s house or work; gathering information; makes contact through email, telephone, in person; suicide threats; makes contact with family members; makes threatening remarks and gestures.

In dealing with a stalking: a) do not have contact with individual, b) vary your daily routine and change your behavior, c) do not respond to telephone calls, post office mail, or Emails, d) document attempts to make contact by keeping a journal, photographing, or videotaping, e) relocate temporarily, f) get a restraining order.

Stalking is a felon and jail time for stalker is 6-8 months.

3. Introductions

* Rosa Park Neighborhood Group

* LeConte Neighborhood Association

* 2100-2200 Oregon Street

* 600 Spruce/Alamo

* Henry Cedar Neighborhood Group

* 1200 Milvia

* 1500 Beverly Place

* 1700 Beverly Place

* 67th, 66th, Mable, Haskell, Acton

* Willard Neighborhood Group

* 600 Block Vicente

* Berkeley Hills Neighborhood Group

* 600 Block of Chestnut St.

* Campus/Parnassus

4. Report from BPD, Mary Kusmiss

There has been an increase in robberies, particularly in popular culture crime- stick up someone on the street. It is easy to do. There were 55 robberies in the month of July 2008. Some people are seeing more cases in Oakland, Richmond, and Berkeley. When the students are coming back to school, the crime increases. Perpetrator wants the IPOD, cell phone, and laptop computer, which students tend to possess and carry in their backpacks. Many times, students walk around listening to music or talking on the cell phone, which makes them easy targets because they are not mindful of their surroundings. Perpetrators repeat their behavior. They do not vary their MO.

We have seen an increase of burglaries in the Berkeley Hills. They knock at the door and if no one answers, they pry their way in the front door.

5. Yahoo Group Website launch: To increase communication between neighborhood groups, a web site will be available. A letter will be going out to the Neighborhood Captains to inform the neighborhood groups this service is available. It is voluntary and if the Captain would like to be on the List Serve, instructions on how to sign up will be in the letter.

6. Neighborhood Reports:

* We had 14 orders for the first order for “outdoor sensor lighting.” If someone walks on the sidewalk, the sensor will trigger the light to turn on. If we have one dozen orders, there is a discount. If you have one at your house, you will feel safer and the light will deter perpetrators. Contact Jill Finn, jill@tangerine-design.com, if interested.

* Stealing recyclables

* Rosa Parks: There is an invisible net of communication.

* Going through cars looking for something to steal.

* Neighborhood Night out was a success

* Someone walking around the neighborhood pretending to sell magazine subscriptions

7. NEXT MEETING, First Monday of the month: October 6, 2008, 6:30 – 8:00 pm.