San Ramon Police Chief says California’s “soft on crime” approach has led to 44% increase in robberies

SAN RAMON – San Ramon Police Chief Dan Pratt presented the city council with the department’s annual 2017 report Tuesday. Pratt focused heavily on the city’s increase in robberies and property crime, the historical growth of the department and the benefits of using the San Ramon Valley Regional Communications Center for dispatching emergency calls.

Pratt highlighted that San Ramon’s property crime rate increased 19% in 2017, up to 981 from 825 reports of larceny, theft and other crimes in which items were taken. He also shared violent crime, specifically robberies, had increased 44%, from 39 to 56.

The Police Chief explained most robbery victims were employees of businesses that had been victims of theft that later escalated into robberies, when force or fear was used to steal the items.

Pratt attributed the crime spike to recent California legislation – specifically AB 109, Proposition 47, and Proposition 57. According to Pratt, the state legislature’s “soft on crime” approach has resulted in reduced prison sentences and more criminals coming into the city to commit crimes. Prior to recent years’ legislation, burglaries were classified as felonies but are now considered misdemeanor thefts if the stolen property value is under $950, Pratt said.

The chief also explained that many of the people committing property crimes are repeat offenders. Pratt said there were many instances in 2017 when his officers investigating property crimes discovered recently issued paper citations for theft in the suspect’s vehicle.

His report specifically cites issues with Prop 57, which was passed in 2016 to release certain “non-violent” felons from prison early and eliminated penalties for some repeat offenders. The proposition defines “non-violent offenses” as domestic violence, human trafficking of a minor, some assault and battery charges, rape of an unconscious person, among other crimes, according to the report. Nearly 70% of voters in Contra Costa County voted in favor of the proposition.

Pratt continued to explain that despite the crime increase, San Ramon is still a safe city – the second safest in the state in relation to its size. The property crime rate in 2017 was still far lower than any year between the department’s birth and 2010, when the rate was significantly higher. There have also been no murders in San Ramon since 2008.

In 2017, San Ramon also had a 15% decrease in traffic citations (6,424 from 7,397) but a 5% increase in traffic collisions (503 from 478). More specifically, department’s traffic safety division saw an increase in vehicle vs. pedestrian and bicycle collisions in 2017. Pratt said the department plans to increase public and driver education, but he said much of their effort will be focused on educating students and pedestrians/bicyclists on traffic safety. The Iron Horse Trail was a hotspot for these types of collisions in 2017 and Pratt believes right-of-way and pedestrian education could have prevented some of the incidents. Councilman Harry Sachs reinforced his support of analyzing the collisions from a traffic engineering perspective, noting that a collision can be traumatic for everyone involved.

Pratt also shared that although the city council had approved three new sworn officers as part of the 2017 budget, only one had made it to duty after graduating from the field training process – two others had not yet passed. He said the impact of the new San Ramon City Center on police services was not yet known and the department will request new officers if appropriate. He explained that 4 or 5 high ranking members plan to retire in the next year, creating empty spaces in the department. With a chuckle, Pratt said that with the “astute direction and guidance of the City Manager” (former Police Chief Joe Gorton), he was able to add a non-sworn Evidence Technician to the department with no impact to the city’s budget. Gorton gave head nod of approval from his post atop the city council podium.

Also mentioned in Pratt’s report was the department’s cost-per-citizen – around $270, far less than San Ramon’s comparable neighboring departments, Walnut Creek and Pleasanton police. He also shared police calls to the San Ramon Valley Regional Communications Center were answered within 10 seconds 95% of the time and within 15 seconds 99% of the time (similar numbers to 2016). Pratt noted some incidents resulted in an extremely high call volume, skewing the numbers. He referenced the 2017 Costco Robbery in Danville when some 911 calls bound for the county’s dispatch center were sent to San Ramon’s. Pratt jokingly assured the council not to worry and “that stuff doesn’t happen in San Ramon.”

At the conclusion of the presentation, Vice Mayor Phillip O’Leane complimented the chief, saying the department was “first class.” O’Leane shared his favorite quote from a DUI arrestee on page 47 of the report, ‘the officer was very kind and carious,’ from a DUI arrestee. “Kudos to whoever that officer was,” O”Leane said.

San Ramon Police Department’s full report can be viewed here.

Additional citation for Proposition 57.