Chief Nishant Joshi and Captain Alan Kuboyama presented an informative update on Alameda Police Department (APD) at the Rotary Club of Alameda September 2 meeting.
Joshi covered the geographical organization of policing in Alameda, which is split into three areas—West, Central, and East (including Bay Farm Island)—with a lieutenant for each area. These areas were designed to have very similar percentages of overall calls for service in Alameda (West 33%, Central 35%, East 32%), and each area is made up of four beats with an officer assigned to each beat.
APD utilizes the Compstat (Computer Statistic) model to review crime at a range of intervals to compare and look for trends. The department utilizes technology, strategy, and community relationships to tackle crime.
One area of focus for the department is how satisfied the public is with police calls. Every time you make a call for service, you will get texts with the status of the officer, information about your case, your case number, resources, and updates. You will also get a survey on your satisfaction with how the police department handled your call. When the department first started surveying the public, it had three out of five stars, and is now better than four stars.
In 2024, Alameda experienced a 13% reduction in all crime, and so far in 2025, the reduction stands at 25%. The department has tripled traffic monitoring and enforcement this year as compared to last year. The major problem in terms of crime is theft, which is down this year, and violent crime remains low.
Some officers are patrolling on bicycles for a closer connection to the community. All officers wear body cameras, and the department uses Truleo to review camera recordings and look for outlier behavior. APD has leveraged license plate readers and drones to successfully locate and arrest suspects. The drones are equipped with heat-sensitive cameras so they can fly over an area when searching for a suspect, and talk to the individual to encourage them to set down their weapon and turn themselves in, reducing the risk of a violent encounter with police.
The presentation was frank and informative, which the Rotary Club deeply appreciated.
Rotary Club of Alameda meets on the first three Tuesdays of the month for a free lunch and an interesting speaker from the community. To learn more, visit the Rotary Club of Alameda website.
Joyce Mercado is the author of Save the Planet in Your Spare Time: A Climate Protection Handbook for the Busy Person, a member of Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA), and President of the Rotary Club of Alameda. Her columns are collected at alamedapost.com/Joyce-Mercado. She can be reached at [email protected].
