Reflecting on Antioch’s 150-year historical past throughout his Sesquicentennial State of the Metropolis deal with, Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe spoke of change on this once-sleepy river city that has now develop into one of many fastest-growing cities in Northern California.
Talking from the Metropolis Council’s newly reworked chambers on the deal with this week, town’s forty first mayor and second African-American mayor, pointed to town’s racial variety and the chance it now affords to folks of all backgrounds.
“As all through our historical past, the ability of various communities working collectively has all the time been on the coronary heart and soul of what has led to long-term success,” he stated. “And, for individuals who are uncomfortable with change, this has by no means been about forgetting any of you.
“Quite the opposite, this has all the time been about giving others the chance to take pleasure in what you at present take pleasure in whereas with the ability to add their views to the dialog.”
Thorpe, who was elected mayor in 2020, stated a few of these new views come from folks equivalent to homeless advocates who've been working to safe houses for the unhoused, youths who mobilized in opposition to police brutality, in addition to mother and father who reminded leaders to incorporate kids of all talents of their park and recreation plans.
“These are a number of examples of voices and views which have traditionally been shut out of Metropolis Corridor,” he stated. “Let me guarantee you and others that so long as I'm the mayor – and I would be the mayor for the following three years – that there's a place for you on this chamber.”
Thorpe stated the state of town, on its one hundred and fiftieth birthday, “is as sturdy as it may be.”
“We’ve by no means had a lot resolve to get issues carried out as we now have as we speak,” he stated.
Thorpe pointed to accomplishments equivalent to police reform, which loved a largely bipartisan assist, the acquisition of police physique cameras and car cameras, improved hiring practices and coaching for police, and the banning of restraint strategies that may trigger positional asphyxiation.
He additionally marked town’s “many wins,” equivalent to its historic apology for the discriminatory practices towards its early Chinese language residents in addition to beautification efforts and local weather change insurance policies and extra.
Although sometimes a time to rattle off accomplishments, the mayor stated he's “not your typical mayor and these aren't typical occasions.”
“To ensure that Antioch to develop into a metropolis the place financial development, job creation, enterprise, entrepreneurship thrive, we now have to get public security so as,” he stated. “And that begins with specializing in our most susceptible populations and constructing a high quality police power.”
Thorpe stated prior to now town “spent tens of millions of your tax dollars chasing (homeless) human beings from nook to nook understanding that there was nowhere for them to go.”
“No matter what number of packages are on the market, the speed of success was low as a result of we couldn’t provide our most susceptible residents short-term stability within the type of housing,” he stated.
That modified this week with the choice to maneuver ahead with plans to hunt state Homekey Program funding and work towards constructing transitional housing, he stated.
“The Govt Inn, with the suitable wraparound providers, will develop into a actuality (as transitional housing) this 12 months,” the mayor stated, thanking his colleagues for his or her work to make it occur.
Thorpe additionally touted what would be the metropolis’s – and the county’s – first on-mobile disaster response workforce, referred to as the Antioch Cares Staff.
“That is the crown jewel of our Section 1 police reform efforts created largely due to the advocacy work of Councilwoman Monica Wilson of District 4 and propelled to the forefront after the in-custody demise of Angelo Quinto,” he stated.
“Transitional Housing, together with our new non-police psychological well being disaster response workforce, will dramatically rework our public security efforts for the nice,” he added.
Thorpe additionally touted a brand new public security and group assets division envisioned by Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker, which is able to permit police to focus extra on crime.
“We’re undoing the unfair burden on law enforcement officials to unravel all of our issues, from homelessness to psychological well being,” he stated.
The brand new division will function a one-stop store for direct service metropolis providers, equivalent to code enforcement, Animal Providers, the Antioch Cares Staff, Youth Growth Providers and extra, Thorpe stated.
The mayor additionally launched the brand new interim police chief, Steven Ford. “His appointment expands our breadth and depth in altering institutional tradition …I've the utmost confidence Dr. Ford will lead this group to a stronger, higher tomorrow.”
“Now that we’re eliminating sure duties for the police division, let me make myself completely clear to those that have come to Antioch to wreak havoc with gun violence… In the event you come to Antioch considering that that is the Wild West, you'll be discovered, you'll be prosecuted and you'll be despatched to jail.”
Thorpe added that he shall be asking for cash within the coming price range course of for ShotSpotter gunshot detection system to assist in these efforts.
The mayor additionally praised Police Captain Anthony Morefield for his forward-thinking management in securing a partnership with the Division of Justice “that helps us look at our inside operations.” Below this system, the police obtain coaching, expertise and assets from the Division of Justice as a part of its Nationwide Public Security Partnership program.
Thorpe stated he was additionally excited to see town transfer towards creating a brand new city sq. and a brand new veterans park walkway downtown in addition to working towards restoring the Roswell Butler Exhausting Home, dwelling to Antioch’s first mayor, and site of town’s first council assembly.
“It’s historical past that's sitting there losing away as we’ve uncared for for a lot of years,” Thorpe stated. “So, as we work to revive that constructing, we’re happy with what that can symbolize for our metropolis transferring ahead.”