Good afternoon, friends.  This is a sad day for our City. Last night in Emeryville, many of our retail establishments in town experienced vandalism, break-ins and thefts at a level never before experienced in Emeryville. 

Along with the disturbing incident where George Floyd was restrained and killed by an officer from the Minneapolis Police Department, and which sparked much of the protesting and violence we are seeing across the nation these past few days, we are now reeling from the temporary loss of many places we rely on for food, goods and services, as well as employment for so many of us.  This, on top of the long-lasting quarantine we have been observing for the health and safety of our families, is no doubt contributing to a sense of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and hopeless.

Please know that the City Council and City staff are already working on a plan for the clean-up and securing of the businesses - particularly small businesses - affected by last night’s events, and will begin assisting immediately by providing resources and guidance while those businesses figure out how to get back up and running.

For tonight and until further notice, the following steps are in place:

• Police Department teams will be deployed throughout the City, with a robust presence at retail centers and other sites of potential problems
• Mutual Aid from neighboring cities is still in place to boost numbers of law enforcement personnel available to assist in patrol and response to illegal activity

We are requesting continued cooperation from residents and businesses with respect to Police Department guidance on staying safe.  Please continue to abide by the ‘Shelter in Place’ order so that you are protected from any potentially harmful activity that may occur, and to remain safe from exposure to COVID-19, of which we still must be mindful. 

An update will be provided on actions the City will be taking at the City Council meeting to be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.  Information on accessing the meeting can be found here.  Please rest assured that the Emeryville City Council, the Emeryville Police Department and all City staff remain committed to serving our community with care, empathy, and fairness, and to maintain your trust.

Take care,

Christian R. Patz
Mayor