Sheriff's deputies and CHP report drops in local crime; residents press for fireworks ordinance and encampment cleanups

At the Fairview Municipal Advisory Council meeting, officers from CHP Hayward and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office briefed residents on holiday enforcement, ongoing community policing and an apparent year‑over‑year decline in several crime categories.

CHP Hayward told the council it issued 125 traffic citations over the holidays, reported one non‑injury crash and two injury crashes and towed one vehicle. “We attribute our increased activity to the decrease in the traffic collisions,” the CHP officer said, and noted that educational outreach will precede enforcement for a new state parking rule: “AB 413, also known as the daylighting law, went into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, and vehicles cannot park within 20 feet of a marked or unmarked crosswalk.”

Deputy Debbie Burbank of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office described the CORE (community‑oriented response and engagement) team’s work with Caltrans, CHP, Public Works and Union Pacific Railroad on encampment cleanups and community engagement. “We assist to ensure the safety of all involved,” she said, summarizing the unit’s outreach, cleanup coordination and behavioral health clinic referrals.

Deputy Leonard Crossant gave a numerical overview of reported incidents across 2023 and 2024 and noted declines in many categories. He reported larceny and theft incidents dropping from 75 in 2023 to 49 in 2024 and motor vehicle theft from 50 to 44, and he credited residents’ timely reporting and surveillance footage for helping investigations: “If I give somebody my business card, it’s like before I even turn around the camera or the video from their surveillance footage is already on my phone.”

During questions, deputies identified two Fairview sites that had seen encampment activity: an area around Ralston Court near San Lorenzo Creek and both sides of the Grove Way overpass. Deputies said many sites have been cleared after coordinated actions with Caltrans and other agencies and that some locations appeared abandoned when officers inspected them.

Residents used the public‑comment period to press law enforcement for additional tools. Bobby Clark said he had expected the previously presented fireworks ordinance to be forwarded to the county board and expressed frustration at a perceived lack of updates since mid‑2022: “We’ve heard nothing but silence since then,” Clark said, urging the sheriff’s advisory group to deliver an ordinance that would give deputies the ability to enforce fireworks rules in unincorporated Alameda County.

ACSO acknowledged the concern and promised follow‑up: “We hear you, loud and clear,” a deputy said at the meeting and pledged to contact Sgt. Gomez for an update after the meeting.

Sheriff’s staff also discussed license‑plate reader (LPR) placement. Deputies described LPRs as an “amazing investigative tool” and said they can work with residents and the crime‑prevention sergeant to place systems strategically where small sideshows or repeat vehicle offenders appear.

Next steps recorded at the meeting: staff agreed to follow up with Sgt. Gomez about the fireworks ordinance and to provide updates this week on selected pavement‑marking requests and vending‑proposal input. The council approved the prior month’s minutes during the meeting; the transcript records the motion as passed.