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PAGE 63 “Safety is definitely a concern, especially since the pandemic. We all have to be careful. I think COVID really just brought out a lot of the lawlessness. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a wealthy community, middle class, or in a really tough neighborhood. You just have to watch your back.” In the Alameda County Needs Assessment, Livermore residents highlighted concerns about crime and the need for safe environments, particularly in community parks. They were frustrated by the limited availability of safe spaces for exercise and recreation.14 Concern about safety included non-violent and violent crimes. Car break-ins and theft of tires and catalytic converters were of significant concern. One person cited the frequently empty shelves in drug stores such as CVS, and what is perceived as an increased frequency of shoplifting, accompanied by a sense of helplessness at being able to do anything about it. People also perceived leniency on crime, especially for those who committed violent crimes. As one person said, “They don’t keep their violent criminals or any type of criminals that long. They let them out in 30 days or less. And I think we need to be aware of that because when they’re released, we don’t know where they’re going.” Figures 46 and 47 show Tri-Valley trends in crime over the past decade. Figure 46. Tri-Valley Violent Crime Rates Source: California Department of Justice, 2023 https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/exploration/crime-statistics/crimes-clearances Incidents per 1,000 population Figure 47. Tri-Valley Property Crime Rates Incidents per 1,000 population Source: California Department of Justice, 2023 https://openjustice.doj.ca.gov/exploration/crime-statistics/crimes-clearances As seen in Figures 46 and 47, the perceptions of safety and crime are not entirely supported by statistics. Over the last decade, the rates of violent and property crime have been on a downward trend in the Tri-Valley overall. Disaggregating by place, the violent crime rate in Dublin and Pleasanton was stable over this period and dropped substantially in Livermore (Figure 46). Between 2013 and 2017, violent crime in Livermore plummeted and rose slightly in the other two municipalities. In the last two years, violent crime in Livermore slightly increased and decreased in Dublin and Pleasanton. For all years, the violent crime rate in Livermore has been the highest in the region, and lowest in Pleasanton. There has been a downward trend in property crime in all three municipalities. Livermore, in particular, has seen a steep decline since a high in 2016, and all three municipalities were on a steady decline between 2019 and 2021. Safety concerns were compounded by what community members recognized as a fragmentation of services, particularly among Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) police and the Santa Rita Jail. Participants said the challenges arise when an individual moves from the jurisdiction of one policing catchment zone to another. Additionally, there was discussion on the extent to which BART and the area adjacent to it feels unsafe. This is particularly the case at the Dublin/ EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY HUMAN SERVICES NEEDS ASSESSMENTSS Page 121 of 554