Antioch is offering $500,000 to outside agencies to help fight crime as the department rebuilds after more than 20 shootings in a month

ANTIOCH, Calif. (KGO) — There has been an uptick in violence across the various blocks of Antioch’s Sycamore Corridor, with more than 20 shootings since September alone.

The City Council voted to spend $500,000 to hire outside agencies to monitor the area, which costs nearly $200 an hour.

“It’s a lot of money. But it’s worth it. There was a woman who was pregnant and almost got shot. There is no price for her life and the life of her baby. And so whatever is necessary to maintain peace in these areas will be done. “Communities we will do,” said Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe.

Hernandez-Thorpe said three agencies have expressed interest. However, he does not want to reveal any details until the contracts are signed.

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“The MOU sets out what they are going to do. Some might say, ‘Hey, we just want to keep a few extra eyes. We’ll just patrol and that’s it.’ Some will say, ‘Hey, we don’t mind stopping people and enforcing the law,'” Hernandez-Thorpe said.

The police currently have 76 officers, 12 are in the academy. With a few more new hires, the department is expected to have more than 90 officers by the end of the year.

Officers are currently working mandatory overtime as the department slowly rebuilds itself after a racist texting scandal last year that forced more than 40% of department employees to go on paid leave.

“There are people who are worried. For example, these officers are not from our community. Can we trust them? And is it worth it? “Is it worth it?” Antioch City Councilwoman Tamisha Torres-Walker said. She represents District 1, which includes the Sycamore Corridor.

Torres-Walker voted to spend the money to add additional patrols because she believes the city needs help. However, she emphasizes that this is only a short-term solution.

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“We are hearing from other community partners that people need a police presence in the community. This is not a long-term strategy to reduce violence. It’s a temporary deterrent while we figure out what our strategy is for community policing,” Torres-Walker said.

Tachina Garret is the chairwoman of the local branch of the community group ACCE. She is concerned about over-policing. But she continues to support the additional patrols. She also believes it could be cheaper than paying Antioch police officers double overtime.

RELATED: Antioch mayor calls on outside agencies to help as violence rises

“I just think we need those bodies there,” Garrett said. “There are too many residents who are afraid. They don’t want to leave their houses and things like that. And I think that’s only fair.”

The $500,000 will come from the city’s general fund. Once signed, work with external agencies could begin in the next few weeks.