Berkeley Council Votes To Create 'Crisis Responders' For Non-Criminal Calls; Review Police Traffic Stops

BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- After hours of emotional debate, the Berkeley City Council voted to ceate a 'Network Of Crisis Responders' to handle non-criminal police calls and review police traffic stops, but left funding for the police department in place at least for the time being.

Councilwoman Cheryl Davila had pressed at the meeting for a vote to defund the police department by 50 percent and was the only no vote on a compromise proposal to create a special care unit for non-criminal police calls.

The compromise by Mayor Jesse Arreguín also included a comprehensive audit of police calls to ensure "a racial justice lens in traffic enforcement" and creating a community forum process to review police funding and policy, according to Berkeleyside.

Davila, who had many supporters among the local residents who attended the meeting via Zoom, told the council the compromise was "not what the people want."

The public review process approved by council members will consider reducing the police budget with funds being used instead for youth justice programs, helping the city's homeless population and mental health services.

The council also did not vote on a proposal by Davila to censure Police Chief Andrew Greenwood for remarks he made during a council meeting in June amid the Black Lives Matter protests.

As the council debated the use of tear gas, Greenwood was asked what tools officers would have if their lives were threatened and they didn't have use of gas for crowd control.

"Firearms. We can shoot people," Greenwood said. "If you are being attacked with lethal force, if we don't have less-lethal that can drive it back, then we're absent a tool. That's my concern. I'm not trying to be overly dramatic and I apologize."

No other council member would support Davila's request to make a vote on censure Greenood a late addition to Tuesday night's agenda. She vowed to have the vote included at a late meeting.