Walnut Creek Police Will Adjust Staff For Downtown

The Walnut Creek Police Department will adjust staffing to have more officers on duty around closing time in the next several weekends, Police Chief Joel Bryden said at a Monday afternoon press conference.

The problems with fights around city bars, and the city's policy response to it, are drawing more scrutiny. Bryden stood with City Manager Ken Nordhoff and Mayor Bob Simmons in the City Council chambers for a press conference attended by at least four television stations.

The adjustments in staff in the police department are aimed to ensure the safety of the public and the safety of police officers, Bryden said.

At one scene, police used pepper spray to control the brawlers.

At the press conference, Simmons said, "This is a safe city. We want to make sure it remains a safe business for everyone."

A little later, he underlined the point: "This is a safe city. The problems of this last weekend were after 1 o'clock." The problem was isolated, Simmons said.

Simmons noted that, with the efforts of an alcohol task force, the city has been working on the problem for more than a year. The law would enable the city to regulate hours "on a case by case basis," Nordhoff said. 

After the city attorney drafts a law, Nordhoff said the Planning Commission may review it in February, followed by a vote in the City Council, perhaps at the end of March or beginning of April.

As of 7:20 p.m. Monday, 61 votes were tallied. Twenty voted that the city "should restore the positions of four officers and one lieutenant, as police leaders advocate." Nineteen voted the city "should take legal action to close some problem bars." Fifteen voted that the city should "pass a strong nuisance law, monitor compliance, then decide on hiring additional police officers."