Public Comment

Honorable Mayor Jesse Arreguín –

We are writing to you, as we have received no response from the city thus far concerning the traumatic event that took place a month ago, on February 2, 2022. First to our representative, Honorable Ben Barlett, who joined us via Zoom to offer his sympathies. We also contacted Dr. Lisa Warhuus, Director of Health, Housing, and Human Services, who we are currently negotiating the Specialized Care Unit Bridge Services contract (Specification No. 22-11472- C) to provide Peer-Run non-police crisis response.

We request an immediate meeting with you, Mr. Mayor, Madam City Manager, Police Chief Jennifer Louis, and Dr. Lisa Wuurhus. The reason for our request is that on February 2nd, 2022 Jorge, Program Manager of the Berkeley Drop-In Center, a young Black father, was detained at gunpoint by Berkeley police officers. He recounts the incident as, “brutalizing, shaming, traumatizing and completely unnecessary” He says it “felt like they wanted to kill me.”  

The Berkeley Drop-In Center (BDIC), is the longest-running program of the Alameda County Network of Mental Health Clients (ACNMHC), and the building itself has been a hub of community service for more than 40 years. ACNMHC is one of the oldest Peer-run agencies in the nation, founded more than 30 years ago, and we are 100% staffed by folx with lived experience with mental health challenges, and experiences with substance use experience, homelessness, incarceration, and the child welfare system. We serve thousands of people each year and are on the ground supporting the folx who have been pushed at the margins, primarily BIMPOC adults.  

He was finishing putting up the last of Black History Month decorations when more than four police officers “approached [him] from behind with their guns out, they did not announce they were the police.” He was extremely terrified saying “because I had my black phone in my hand and knew if I made one move too quickly – I was just visualizing myself getting shot if I made the wrong move.” 

“I announced myself as the Berkeley Drop-In Center Program Manager, and they patted me down and it was evident I did not have a gun. By this time the Staff and the community came out saying that I worked here and was not doing anything wrong. Still, more officers continued to arrive and they kept me on the ground, handcuffed, for more than 15 minutes, knowing I had no gun, knowing that I was the Program Manager. I’m so confused that why after knowing I had no gun, they kept me detained, in handcuffs, and on the ground, and why more police officers continued to arrive” Following the incident, the Center had to close for several days to recuperate and ACNMHC had to hire trauma healers to support them moving forward. The Center contacted city officials, with no response.  

We are also calling for a Press Conference on Monday, March 7th, 2022 at 4:00 pm PT via Zoom (link to join) to inform the community and our allies of the continued actions of the Berkeley Police Department in matters of how it treats Black and other Folx of Color in our community.  

There have been continued efforts in the community emphasizing the ongoing need to reimagine and reform the Berkeley police department for higher public safety, including ending racial profiling, creating the Berkeley Police Accountability Board, Berkeley Reimagining Task Force for Public Saftey and Police. While this work is ongoing and the Berkeley police department is aware of the efforts being made to make it the best police department in the nation, the behaviors of our officers have not changed.  

We are very concerned for the safety of the staff members of the organizations who have been and continue to work on these efforts directly tied to community safety. We stand in solidarity with Jorge Colon, his family, and all marginalized people who continue to fear for their lives every day, just while doing their jobs.  

We are all committed to The Berkeley Drop-In Center located in South Berkeley and all efforts to make our community safer. Please make the effort to immediately schedule this meeting with us, at which I will be joined by Jorge Colon (Program Manager BDIC), Janavi Dhyani (Director of Operations), boona cheema (Vice-Chair, Reimaging Task Force and ACNMHC Board Member), and Gigi Crowder (Executive Director of NAMI, and ACNMHC Consultant). 

In solidarity with you in search of equity and justice,