Kathleen H wrote in 2012, " I venture to say that the problem lies with the leadership in city…read moregovernment, or lack thereof.  Former mayor Thomas Corcoran did a great job with Richmond.  My hope is that Richmond can turn itself around and get rid of the drugs and crime so that families can feel safe once again." If you stay informed and updated re: current facts in Richmond, you should know that the current leadership in city government, (along with many others in the community), has done a great job of dramatically lowering crime and violence in Richmond over the past 8 years that the current Mayor McLaughlin has been in office.  In 1989, in this city of about 100,000 people, there were 61 homicides.  It came down for a while around the turn of the century, but by 2006 it was back up to almost 50 homicides.  Over recent years it has declined all the way down to 16 in 2013*.  Of course that is 16 too many, but a big improvement over 50 or 60.   The problems in a city with as much poverty and historical problems as Richmond won't turn into paradise overnight.  But it is good to get the facts straight before blaming the current "leadership in city government" who has, in fact, made great strides in reducing violent crime. *(statistics source: Contra Costa Times) PS: I wrote quite a while ago (a few years?) but apparently forgot to post it, and just noticed today that it was not posted, so the content is a bit dated.

Along with being a BA student candidate at UC Berkeley, I also work as a clerk/poll worker for the…read moreelection board in my county. I was recently here for poll worker training in the City of Richmond. The training session was in the city council's chambers at 440 Civic Center Plaza. I snapped a few pictures of the empty room. It was interesting to be in an empty council chamber for poll worker training It was quite interesting to come here as it has been quite some time I have been here in the City of Richmond. I used to go to the library nearby when I was a sprog with The Family. The Parental Unit was very much into books, book shoppes, and libraries. Across the street kitty corner to the library and directly across the way from the city council building is the Richmond Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center. I attended some high school commencement exercises here. The Sibling walked the graduation altar here. On two separate occasions, a couple of friends (from our elementary school days) walked the graduation altar before and after The Sibling here as well. I would welcome an opportunity to come back at the city building, the auditorium, and the library. There are other places in Richmond here. One of the superior court offices are here in Richmond. I have come here a few times for jury duty. Fortunately, I was excused (touch wood) from serving. There is a shopping center that recently opened in the area. There is a Target Superstore here sharing space with Panda Express and a GameStop. I hope to pay a visit to this shopping centre in the future with friends. SYOY! Ciao!

So the women and men of Station 5 are who you want to see when your neighbor decides to make BBQ…read moreinside with her propane stove. Now, I may be biased because my uncle is a retired fireman, but I am impressed by Station 5's no nonsense approach and teamwork.

My one star review is solely based upon two separate incidents that occurred when I was working…read morewith a student housing office. Short version: horrible experience with receptionist over prolonged period; horrible experience with a specific firefighter who "shamed" me for not knowing better and calling 9-1-1. The receptionist was unorganized; misplaced faxed documents and claimed I never faxed them; LIED to students that they weren't supposed to submit the paperwork to the office but rather directly to the department. [per policy they were to submit it to the housing office and I would fax it to the department and retain the original for our records]. Another incident occurred that same school year, in which I made the decision to call 9-1-1 because of the state my friend was in. I was definitely hesitant about calling because he told me not to call but I said "better safe than sorry." Basically when I did call, operator somehow "diagnoses" what's going on with my friend and so while the firefighters thought it was "alcohol withdrawal" all I described was: uncontrollable shaking or shivering, couldn't tell which one, labored breathing, inability to hold himself up and the inability to focus his eyes. One firefighter said "this was a fucking waste of time" proceeded to ask who called and tried to shame me for calling and telling me that I "should have known better than to think it was alcohol withdrawal." Looking back, I wished I cursed him out (not ignorantly) but in a way that got him to see his own ignorance. Obviously I'm not a firefighter, not a paramedic or anything related to a professional in the medical field. Just because I am a college student, it doesn't mean I know what all sorts of alcohol related emergencies look like. It also doesn't mean I drink, he heavily implied that, and I'm actually sober. He needs to learn to be professional and understand that there are going to be unintentional "bad" 9-1-1 calls that are out of genuine concern and lack of knowledge in the actual level of seriousness in situations.

Lt. Okis from BPD is Kind, Insightful, Gracious, Open, Honest, Transparent, Positive Energy Good…read moreVibes, Inspiring and with Great World View. If you have real Concerns or Questions about your experience with BPD i highly recommend talking to Lt. Okis about your concerns. Lt. Okis helped to raise my BPD experience from the bad first time experience it was to a very good BPD experience, he did not talk down to me he spoke with me on a more human to human level and with the level of integrity many of us hope for in our law enforcement leaders. Not one moment did he make me feel like I was wasting his time. He differed in a100 ways good from the negative police stories we are reminded of. I greatly appreciate the good guys like Lt. Okis who work in this tough profession fighting the good fight. Hopefully so do you. God Bless Lt. Okis and all of the Good Guy Police out here coming to work everyday putting it all on the line to help make our world a better place.

Parking enforcement is absolutely the worst for CONSTANTLY SELECTIVE enforcement…read more These people turn a blind eye on drivers who block traffic by parking in the middle of roadway, directly under the traffic lights in the intersection, or in the red zone, e.g., blocking the driveway of fire house in downtown. Those who HABITUALLY double, triple park on major streets in downtown and southside in the commercial areas never get cited! On Durant, they instead are asked to "move their cars" by the meter maids. So, does the traffic department make a conscious effort to hire blind people to do the job? Or are those drivers all related by genes or marriage to the meter maids, so they can always get away with creating chaos and disorderliness in this city? Is employment with the traffic department practically a social welfare program for people at risk to combat hunger and potential homelessness? If you get a parking ticket, most likely you are a victim of TARGETED ENFORCEMENT. The meter maid either hates your race or you, and this is what their reptilian brain reflexively instructs them to do about you. Third world country grade enforcement by certified incompetent and shameful people!

First of all, the City of El Cerrito just rocks. It has not one but two BART stations, it is well…read moremaintained and seems to move forward effectively and with purpose. With a host of businesses (some box-type) I can get so much done around-town, supporting the city tax base. The El Cerrito Police Department leads and excels in many areas: - diversity, diversity - diversity - the amount of in-service training that their officers undergo - it is a full-featured department for it's size with a dedicated motor / traffic unit, a robust volunteer contingent in-house forensics and much more. YES, they do city events (like someone mentioned) and this engagement with the community is priceless... The fact that you do not hear sirens / police cars are not speeding through town 24 hours a day should tell you something... the city is SAFE. I have to give credit to the officers and staff (some of them volunteers) at the El Cerrito CA Police Department - they are an example in so many ways. Other police agencies should take notice.

My tricycle was stolen In Berkeley. We smartly had an Apple Air Tag installed on the bike. With the…read morehelp from the El Cerrito Police Department in particular Officer Nirajan Chand my triycle is home where she belongs. Thank you ;-)

Is there any reason every fire department truck and ambulance has slowly been driving up and down…read moreUniversity Avenue with sirens blaring honking their horns for the last eight hours straight? Is every f***ing house in Berkeley on fire? What is your problem?

Great team at this station. They responded in record time Sunday evening and delivered me to Kaiser…read moreOakland ER. To reciprocate I have an order from Mountain Mike's on it's way to the station now! Enjoy Sharon Harkey

To make a long story short I got my car stolen today. Probably the most annoying and inconsiderate…read morething to be done. However, this situation was made ever so slightly better by officer Castanon who went above and beyond to make the process smooth and as seamless as possible. One of the best interactions I have had with law enforcement to date.

Called about the continuous brake ins and theft happening at the Hilton Garden Inn - .4 miles away…read morefrom the police department. I then tried asking how CONTINUOUS crime, .4 miles from the police station could be dismissed. Then realized that the rude, dismissive, dispatch officer could care less. Was RUDELY dismissed and told, 'Sir, crime happens everywhere'. Was automatically interrupted at every turn, by an officer who basically told me 'Too bad, so sad'. (But with an added combative, authoritarian attitude) Realized REAL quickly, I was wasting my time) If you're visiting Emeryville, have a good time, because apparently, it's the hot spot for crime. Emeryville Police? As a Marine, I respect what you do, but seriously?

The city of El Cerrito pretty much sucks. Super high sales tax and they've been doing construction…read moreon San Pablo Ave. near Cutting Ave FOR YEARS! This causes traffic jams in the middle of the day at many times making driving one block take 20 minutes. Again FOR YEARS. Seriously, what gives?

Been waitinng here for 1 hour and a half for a business licence because there on lunch its…read moreridiculous, it usually takes 15 minutes to get this done, and now the lady with black hair at the front desk said its my fault for coming in 10 minutes before luch on a friday when there understaffed!! Lol i cant believe she said that.

Police office Amanda Vasquez pulled me over while I was pulling out of a parking lot for forgetting…read moreto put my lights on immediately. I have a clean record and have never gotten a ticket. I was also only two minutes away from home, she asked me if I was drinking. It felt very harsh and unnecessary.She issued me my very first ticket at age 31. Seems like there's more important issues to pursue the harassing local citizens for small mistakes.

Well managed and supported, clean city And well respected…read morein our community , we have lived here for over 20 years and are very proud of the police department