State senator requests CHP help for Antioch as police scandal decimates ranks
ANTIOCH – State Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, is seeking Gov. Gavin Newsom's help for Antioch's police force, which has been struggling to maintain public safety due to the department's low number of officers.
Along with state Assemblymember Tim Grayson, Glazer sent a letter to Newsom on Wednesday seeking assistance for more officers in the Antioch Police Department. Years of FBI and local investigations into the city's police have "decimated" their ranks, Glazer's office said in a statement Wednesday.
The state senator has also discussed the issue with California Highway Patrol Commissioner Sean Duryee.
"The City of Antioch is struggling with public safety right now, and the CHP can help," Glazer said in a statement.
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"They've lost over 60% of their police force in the last two months. Crime is up over 30%," Glazer told KPIX during an interview Wednesday.
Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe recently said in a podcast with Glazer that the city, which has a population of about 120,000 residents, has "about four or five officers at any given moment patrolling our streets."
According to the mayor, the response time of Antioch police can be excessively long since more than half of the city's 87 officers are on leave because of the investigations into the force.
"We can use the help because it would drastically reduce time in which an officer can respond to a crime," Thorpe said on the "Table Talk" podcast hosted by Glazer.
Hector Robles, the longstanding manager of Celia's Mexican Restaurant on 10th Street in Antioch since 1997, told KPIX he remembers a time when the restaurant was a hub for repeat diners.
"Our customers are regulars. Many have been coming for many years. Families that, since we opened, we've seen the children who are now parents," Robles said.
Over the years, safety in the city has deteriorated significantly. Robberies, assaults, and car break-ins have surged, causing deep concerns among both business owners and residents.
"Four coworkers have had their catalytic converters stolen. They tried to steal a car here the other day. Customers have had things stolen from their cars," Robles explained.
Calling the police hasn't been much help either. According to Robles, not only do the police response times lag -- sometimes taking more than an hour -- but there are instances where nobody shows up at all.
With businesses feeling the strain of this crisis, Robles expresses an urgency felt by many.
"I think we do need more security, more police," he said. "And they need to respond faster, because we always have to wait for up to an hour for the police to arrive."
In early August, Antioch City Councilmember Mike Barbanica asked city officials to get more assistance from both the CHP and the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office due to staffing issues within the Antioch Police Department.
If Newsom grants Glazer's request, Antioch will be the third city this year to get help from the CHP, following San Francisco in May and Oakland in August.
Jose Martinez contributed to this report.
