Chief of Police Frederick Shavies and Officer Omar Perez joined the ranks of the Piedmont Police Department earlier this year; meanwhile a new 9-1-1 dispatch center is nearing completion. With nearly 20 years of law enforcement experience with the Oakland Police Department, Shavies became Chief of Police at the Piedmont Police Department on July 7.
“My plan coming into Piedmont was to ensure that we continue on an upward trajectory towards being a 21st century, forward-thinking, open-minded, learned police department,” Shavies said.
He said one of his focuses for Piedmont is spreading awareness about underage drinking and drunk driving.
“It’s something that I care deeply about, especially having children in this community,” he said.
Shavies said he believes in taking an empathetic approach to policing.
“One of the things I’ve always tried to do is to humanize every encounter that I have,” Shavies said.
Shavies said one of his favorite aspects of law enforcement work is human connection.
“I think that public safety is more than just putting on a uniform, making car stops, doing building searches,” he said. “I think that public safety is collaborative, and it should be.”
Shavies said he prides himself in his ability to partner with people and treat them with respect in order to keep communities safe.
A few years ago, amidst the construction of the Alan Harvey Theatre and STEAM Building, Shavies collaborated with the Piedmont Police Department to conduct training exercises in the empty buildings. In doing so, he built relationships with Captain Chris Monahan and former Police Chief Jeremy Bowers, who he said contributed to his decision to transfer to Piedmont.
A few months prior to Shavies’ arrival as chief, Perez joined the Piedmont Police Department as an officer this March.
Perez said he has been working to make sure Piedmont is safe for residents, especially at night. A big portion of his work is to deter crime. A lot of his interactions involve helping people on their worst days. He tries to relate to every situation and show that he cares.
Besides keeping the community safe, Perez said one of his favorite aspects of working in law enforcement is passing on knowledge through the Explorers Program, where teenagers are able to train with and learn from police officers.
Both Shavies and Perez said they hope to tackle the narrative of police being a malicious force outside of the community.
“I don’t believe that we in this profession are at war with anyone,” Shavies said. “I believe that in order to keep our community safe, we need to work with our communities.”
In addition to Shavies and Perez being hired, the new 9-1-1 dispatch center is nearing completion. It’s estimated to be opened by the end of November, according to Support Services Commander Brandi Marin-Morris.
“We’re all pretty excited about it,” Marin-Morris said. “It creates more opportunity and room for us to grow.”
The former center was extremely cramped, unable to accommodate modern technology, and ill-equipped in case of earthquakes, according to the City of Piedmont.
Marin-Morris said that while staff members have been enjoying each other’s company, they are looking forward to moving out of temporary shared spaces and into the more spacious facilities.
Additionally, once the construction is completed, the lobby will be reopened. Employees will also be able to move back into the affected areas, making the police station less cramped.
