Stockton Officer Shot Was Acting On New Department 'Real-Time Policing' Policy

STOCKTON (CBS13) - One block, one week, two deadly shootings - and a third gunshot victim, a Stockton police officer.

The downed officer, eight-year veteran Keith Berry, is recovering from a bullet wound to his stomach after Wednesday's incident in the 1900 block of Colt Drive on the north side of the city.

A 19-year-old, Chomrean Meas, was killed by Berry's partner in return fire.

Berry and his partner had been patrolling that neighborhood, not because of any call for service, but as part the Stockton Police Department's new "real-time policing effort."

"Real-time policing has just started. We're probably a month into it," Detective Joe Silva said Thursday.

A proactive crime-fighting approach, real-time patrolling sends extra officers to neighborhoods seeing a surge in violent crimes "to go into that neighborhood and start combating crime right now."

"I don't mind it," said resident Ryan Azevedo. "It serves a purpose for the neighborhood. It lets people know that law enforcement is out here."

In Wednesday night's officer-involved shooting, the officers were dispatched to the block on the heels of a deadly shooting Monday in which 42-year-old Stanley Jones was shot and killed.

Stockton police say the gunfire started when the officers questioned a group milling around.

"Any time you go into a neighborhood with high crime, that's a risk," Silva said.

Police say they've found a link between evidence found at Monday's and Wednesday's shootings, however, their new type of real-time patrol led to a really dangerous confrontation.