Update 6/3/2020: On Tuesday evening, Berkeley City Council voted to extend the curfew to June 5. The curfew will begin at 9 p.m. and last until 5 a.m.
Update 6/1/2020: This article has been updated to include additional information from the city of Berkeley and AC Transit.
Hours after Alameda County Sheriff Gregory Ahern implemented a countywide curfew, the city of Berkeley announced its own nighttime curfew for Monday and Tuesday.
Like the Alameda County order, the city of Berkeley order lasts from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the two nights and was initiated Monday by Berkeley City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley, in consultation with Berkeley Police Department Chief Andrew Greenwood.
According to a press release from the city of Berkeley, BPD was fully deployed for three consecutive nights, arresting and stopping people attempting to commit “intensive, coordinated” crimes including burglaries and vandalism.
“A curfew is an important tool to help protect our community members, especially merchants already suffering the fallout from a global pandemic,” Greenwood said in the press release. “We strive to keep our community and each other safe.”
Police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel, government employees engaged in emergency operations, members of the National Guard and military personnel are exempt from the policy, in addition to journalists and essential workers who can establish that they are traveling home or to work. Homeless individuals are also exempt.
Violation of the curfew is considered a misdemeanor and may result in arrest or citation, according to the city press release.
“There exists imminent danger to life and property during the hours of darkness, and it is especially difficult to preserve public safety during such hours,” the Alameda County order reads. “A curfew is necessary to preserve the public order and safety in the County.”
In response to the Alameda County curfew, AC Transit, the bus system that serves Berkeley, will halt bus services at 7:30 p.m. and resume service at 5 a.m. The stoppage of nighttime services will continue until June 5, when the Alameda County order ends, according to a press release.
Check back for updates.
