 | | | Lieutenant Mark Nagel Photo Ohlen Alexander | | | | | | "There hasn't been a day I've said I don't like my job," says Orinda's new police chief, Mark Nagel. A 14-year police veteran who worked his way up through the Contra Costa Sheriff's Department to his present rank of lieutenant, he has lived in the Lamorinda area for roughly 20 years, the last three of which have been in Orinda. His role model is his dad whom he describes as "very much a family man ... a good business man who did well for his family." One of the strengths he sees in Orinda's police force is that many of the serving officers have children of their own, and can relate to the challenges faced by both kids and parents today.
As a chief who has already conducted a number of meetings with community groups, he confidently states that Orinda's "strength is our community; it's the eyes and ears everywhere.... The people in this town know their neighbors," and look out for each other. While he never wants residents or business owners to attempt to take on a bad guy face-to-face, he does want Orindans to be on the lookout for any unusual behavior by unfamiliar faces - and to immediately call that behavior in to police, providing as much detail as possible. If a suspicious car is involved, use your smart phone camera to capture the car's license plate number - if you can do so safely and without being spotted by the potential offender.
Since Nagel's arrival just over a month ago, the Orinda Police Department has instituted an email tip line (orindatip@cityoforinda.org) to enable Orindans to report criminal or suspicious behavior, and has also begun using the Nixle system employed by neighboring communities to alert citizens to accidents and other traffic advisories, criminal activity, and emergency situations.
The tech savvy Nagel also brings an impressive resume to the job. A graduate of Saint Mary's College, he has been the lead for the Contra Costa Sheriff's Office Automated Regional Information Exchange System (ARIES) - a project launched in 2003 to help public safety agencies in Contra Costa County share jail-related data. Since that time, the network has spread to more than 75 agencies across Contra Costa, Alameda, Solano, Santa Clara, and San Joaquin counties. Now, ARIES not only helps public safety groups share dispatch call maps, crime lab reports, offender addresses, probation reports, fingerprints, mug shots, and restraining order information, but also enables law enforcement professionals from different agencies to compare notes when investigating the same suspects or similar crimes.
ARIES is funded via fees paid to Contra Costa County by the other counties - roughly $30,000 per year per lead agency - as well as both federal and state grants. According to a March 2014 report by the Bay Area Urban Security Initiative, which has been considering ARIES for grant funding, San Francisco Bay Area agencies are increasingly using ARIES "to make better decisions, utilize assets and prepare for future events."
And that can only help make Orinda safer. To learn more, catch Chief Nagel's reports in the Orinda Outlook, a weekly publication available on the city's website.
Anti-Theft 101 with Chief Nagel
1. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that, because you live in a low crime neighborhood, you can leave valuables in your car. Auto burglaries are typically 15-second, smash-and-grab crimes of opportunity that leave shattered car windows and damaged door locks in their wake.
2. Crooks steal first and "do the math" later, evaluating the booty they pull from stolen backpacks and briefcases after they've fled the crime scene. So, lock belongings in the trunk of your car. Even old coats tempt would-be thieves because goodies might just be hidden in coat pockets or under jackets.
3. Never leave any of the following on a dashboard, seat, or in an easy-to-open glove compartment: GPS device, cell phone, laptop or iPad/iPod, wallet or purse with check book and credit cards, mail, or vehicle registration documents.
4. Garage door openers are particularly tempting because they give burglars access to homes after they've cleaned out homeowner cars. Lock yours away rather than leaving attached to the driver's side visor, which can be spotted from outside your vehicle.
5. When parking, consider the location. Is your car hidden between trucks or in another area blocking public view of your car? Thieves prefer to break into places where they run the least risk of being seen.
6. Robbers have broken the hearts of the bereaved during home burglaries across the country when taking urns containing the ashes of homeowners' loved ones. Funeral urns are being pawned for their pricey, precious metals. If you have an urn of a loved one in your home, consider interring it in a columbarium or other safe location.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA