Blog - Page 314 of 418 - Peninsula 360 Press

5 Convicted in Bay Area Retail Thefts

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.04

By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] / Bay City News
El fiscal general de California, Rob Bonta, anunció este viernes que cinco personas han sido condenadas por delitos relacionados con una red de robos por más de 8 millones de dólares en mercancía robada de tiendas en todo el Área de la Bahía.

Desde la ciudad de Burlingame, Bonta hizo el anuncio junto con los funcionarios encargados de hacer cumplir la ley del condado de San Mateo, en donde ocurrieron la mayoría de los robos.

El anuncio se produjo inmediatamente después de una ola de ilícitos sucedido en varias ciudades.

«El robo minorista organizado que estamos viendo en todo California es inaceptable», dijo Bonta.

La investigación, que comenzó en abril de 2020, reveló una red de robos en la que cinco sospechosos transportaban, almacenaban y vendían mercancía robada de tiendas minoristas en el Área de la Bahía. Los bienes robados, que también incluían medicamentos de venta libre, fueron luego revendidos en lugares como eBay, según los fiscales.

«Los delincuentes organizados revenden sus bienes robados y, en muchos casos, utilizan el dinero para financiar actividades ilícitas adicionales como el crimen organizado y la trata de personas, por ejemplo. Aquellos que infringen la ley y venden bienes robados serán responsables», destacó el fiscal general.

«El acusado principal organizó lo que creemos es una de las redes de robos minoristas más grandes que jamás se haya arrestado en la historia del estado», agregó.

Por su parte, el alguacil del condado de San Mateo, Carlos Bolaños, describió la red como «una jerarquía de delincuentes que compraban y distribuían propiedad robada que consistía principalmente en productos electrónicos y de venta al por menor».

Asimismo, dijo que el grupo de 5 personas, «era una red de delincuentes responsables de un centro de distribución internacional, moviendo millones de dólares en mercadería robada».

El fiscal adjunto de distrito de San Mateo, Shin-Mee Chang, subrayó que este caso es un gran ejemplo de cómo las redes organizadas de robos minoristas están causando estragos en los condados y cómo a través de la colaboración se puede hacer algo para combatir «estos delitos que dañan nuestra comunidad».

Los cinco acusados, Danny Louis Drago, Michelle Renee Fowler, José Villatoro, Isis Vásquez Villanueva y Edgar Geovany Robles Morales fueron arrestados en septiembre de 2020. En ese momento, se incautaron más de 1.8 millones de dólares de múltiples cuentas bancarias, según los fiscales.

El acusado principal, Drago, se declaró culpable de conspiración para cometer robo minorista organizado, recibir propiedad robada y lavado de dinero, y un delito de cuello blanco agravado. Está programado para ser sentenciado en febrero y podría recibir hasta seis años de prisión, apuntaron las autoridades.

En tanto, Fowler se declaró culpable de robo organizado al por menor, recibir propiedad robada y delito de cuello blanco agravado. Fue sentenciada a tres años de prisión, con dos años de libertad condicional supervisada.

Robles Morales y Villanueva se han declarado culpables de conspiración para cometer robo minorista organizado, por lo que ambos fueron condenados a libertad condicional; mientras que Villatoro se declaró culpable de recibir propiedad robada y también fue sentenciado a libertad condicional.

Omicron advances in California, Alameda with five cases in one day

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.04

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Omicron advances in California, Alameda with five cases in one day

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
Efficient and rapid work by healthcare providers and public health case investigators identified five mildly symptomatic cases of COVID-19 involving the Omicron variant among Alameda County residents.

The five patients with the new variant are among 12 local cases of COVID-19 so far linked to a Nov. 27 wedding in Wisconsin that one of the individuals attended upon returning from international travel, the county said in a statement.

The document, issued on Friday, details that a state laboratory used genomic sequencing to identify the five infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant, which is now being detected throughout the country and around the world.

As of Friday afternoon, genomic sequencing data were not yet available for all 12 cases.

The individuals with the COVID-19 variant are between the ages of 18 and 49. One of them is a resident of the city of Berkeley, which has a separate health jurisdiction, and the remaining 11 are residents of Alameda County.

All 12 individuals were vaccinated, and most had received booster shots. So far, the symptoms of these individuals are reported to be mild, and no one has been hospitalized.

The Alameda County and City of Berkeley public health departments are investigating these cases with support from the California Department of Public Health.

"Close contacts are being notified and provided isolation and quarantine," the county health department said.

He added that public health officials remain vigilant and are monitoring evidence of the transmissibility of this variant, as well as the severity of illness resulting from infection.

“We don’t yet know how Omicron will impact a highly vaccinated region like the Bay Area. But, we remind residents that vaccination still provides the best protection against severe COVID-19 illness that could result in hospitalization and death.”

Residents should continue to use all strategies to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as:

Get vaccinated and booster shots, if eligible
Stay home if you are sick
Get tested if you are symptomatic or exposed
Indoor use of face masks
Hand washing
Avoid crowded, stuffy, poorly ventilated enclosed places.
And if you meet or travel, get tested before and after.

At least four other states in the country have reported positive cases to Omicron, including New York, with five positive cases of the variant; one in Minnesota; and others in Hawaii and Colorado.

You may be interested in: Omicron arrives in the U.S., California was the entry point

After Texas redistricting, Latino community asks for their needs to be addressed

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.04

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After Texas redistricting, Latino community asks for their needs to be addressed

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
After maps of several Texas counties were drawn and approved in the wake of the 2020 Census redistricting, various representatives of Latino communities called on the new commissioners to listen to everyone's voices and address the needs of the most vulnerable residents.

During a media session held by Ethnic Media Services, Marla Lopez, Texas coordinator for the organization My Family Votes, said that while it is true that the Latino community does not agree with how the map was reorganized, which will be in effect for the next 10 years, he said that the fight to obtain better resources and quality of life should not stop.

Representatives from localities such as Spring Branch, Green Ridge, Greenspoint Area, Kignwood East, Aldine, and Southside Place, recalled that, as in other cases, minority communities, especially those of color, and their needs have not been taken into account at the time of redistricting, which has led to a deterioration of the localities and difficult access to more and better resources for Latino residents of such areas.

Dayana Iza, youth organizer for My Family Votes, He pointed out that the big problem with this type of maps that do not consider the most vulnerable and their needs is that "the voters do not choose their representatives, but the representatives are choosing who their voters are."

This, he said, allows these representatives to maintain a government of their own choosing, not one that truly serves its residents.

The distribution of districts and their layouts have been a constant in Texas, which has led to a lack of attention to basic services, adequate infrastructure, and security, said these spokespersons for these Latino communities.

They added that, with the previous layout, the black inhabitants who live in these areas have faced flooding due to poor project planning that has not taken into account the effects on the residents.

In addition to the complaints, there are increases in taxes, reductions in green areas, and poor public services such as garbage collection and emptying of septic tanks.

During the discussion, it was mentioned that, even if residents of certain areas want to look for a better place or one with better conditions, they need to be a citizen or have a permanent residence, since, to rent housing they ask for a social security number.

This situation, they argued, segregates undocumented residents seeking to improve their quality of life.

The Latino community faces these problems every day in these localities, and the outlook does not look better for the next 10 years if the rights of these taxpayers are not defended, they said.

In light of this, they called on all Latinos who have the option to vote to exercise their right and raise their voices on behalf of all those who cannot do so by means of a ballot in order to elect the representatives that best suit the general interest of the inhabitants.

"We are not asking for luxuries or expensive things, but for basic services for all communities. That includes septic drainage services, taxes according to the area, equity and accessible resources for all," they said.

You may be interested in: Immigrants at risk of losing power after San Mateo redistrictingo

THE U.S. INSTALLED PEGASUS SPYWARE TO SPY ON DIPLOMATS' PHONES. U.S. installed Pegasus spyware to spy on diplomats' phones

Peninsula 360 Press

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2021.12.04

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THE U.S. INSTALLED PEGASUS SPYWARE TO SPY ON DIPLOMATS' PHONES. U.S. installed Pegasus spyware to spy on diplomats' phones

Christian Carlos

NSO Technologies, better known as NSO Group, is responsible for developing the malicious software known as Pegasus, which is considered a weapon in Israel under Israeli policy. Using brute force, Pegasus is installed on a vulnerable iPhone to breach the device's security and read private content remotely without the iPhone user's authorization.

Pegasus, The Washington Post reported, was installed on the devices of 11 US diplomats based in Uganda and parts of eastern Africa.

For its part, NSO Group, which owns the spyware, said: "We have previously committed that once there is a suspicion that a customer is misusing technology sold by NSO, the company will investigate and terminate the contract if it is found to be true," in this case, the US government.

In the press release, Apple notes that it makes "the most secure mobile devices on the market and is constantly investing in strengthening the protection of its users' privacy and security."

Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, said: “At Apple, we take any attacks on our users very seriously, and we are constantly working to strengthen security and privacy protections in iOS to keep all of our users safe.”

Recently, Apple sued NSO Group for breaching user security and is seeking to hold it liable for any damages suffered by those targeted. According to Apple’s press release issued on November 23, 2021, “NSO Group creates sophisticated state-sponsored surveillance technology that enables its highly targeted spyware to monitor its victims. These attacks target only a very small number of users, and affect people across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android. Researchers and journalists have publicly documented a history of abuse of this spyware to target journalists, activists, dissidents, academics, and government officials.”

Apple has therefore asked users, as usual, to keep their phones with automatic updates activated, since, it said, no evidence of attacks has been found in iOS 15 and later versions.

The lawsuit, Apple explains, seeks "redress for NSO Group's egregious violations of U.S. federal and state laws arising from its efforts to attack Apple and its users."

To bolster efforts like these, “Apple will contribute $10 million, as well as damages arising from the lawsuit, to organizations engaged in cyber surveillance research and advocacy.”

Now, whenever Apple discovers activity consistent with a state-sponsored spyware attack, Apple will send one to affected users in accordance with industry best practices.

Do you feel sad during this time of the year?

Cover
Health

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.03

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Do you feel sad during this time of the year?

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
Many people go through short periods of feeling sad. These mood swings begin and end when the seasons change.

People may start to feel “blue” when the days get shorter in the fall and winter—also called the “winter blues”—and begin to feel better in the spring, when daylight hours get longer.

In some cases, these mood swings are more severe and can affect how a person thinks and handles daily activities, notes the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health (NIH).

So, if you've noticed significant changes in your mood and behavior every time the seasons change, you may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression.

In most cases, SAD symptoms begin in late fall or early winter and disappear during the spring and summer; this is known as winter-pattern SAD or winter depression.

Some people may experience depressive episodes during the spring and summer months; this is called summer pattern SAD or summer depression, however, it is less common.

What are the signs and symptoms of TAE?

SAD is not considered a separate disorder, but rather a type of depression that is characterized by its recurring seasonal pattern, with symptoms lasting 4 to 5 months per year. Therefore, the signs and symptoms of SAD include those associated with major depression and some specific symptoms that differ for the winter and summer patterns.

It is important to note that not everyone with TAE will experience all of the symptoms.

Symptoms of major depression may include:

Feeling depressed most of the day, nearly every day.
Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
Experiencing changes in appetite or weight.
Having trouble sleeping
Feeling of lethargy or restlessness
Having low energy
Feeling hopeless or worthless
Having difficulty concentrating
Having frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

For winter pattern TAE, additional specific symptoms may include:

Sleeping too much (hypersomnia)
Overeating, especially with carbohydrate cravings
Weight gain
Social withdrawal (feeling like you are hibernating)

Specific symptoms of summer pattern TAE may include:

Sleep problems (insomnia)
Lack of appetite, leading to weight loss.
Restlessness and agitation.
Anxiety
Episodes of violent behavior
Get immediate help

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or is thinking about harming themselves, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline toll-free at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text the crisis text line (HELLO to 741741) or use the Lifeline chat on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Who develops SAD?

Millions of American adults may suffer from SAD, although many may not know they have the condition. TAE occurs much more frequently in women than in men, and is more common in those who live further north, where there are fewer hours of daylight during the winter. For example, people who live in Alaska or New England may be more likely to develop SAD than those who live in Florida. In most cases, SAD begins in adulthood.

What causes TAE?

Scientists don't fully understand what causes SAD. Research suggests that people with SAD may have reduced activity of the brain chemical serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood.

Research also suggests that sunlight controls levels of molecules that help maintain normal serotonin levels, but in people with SAD, this regulation does not work properly, resulting in decreased serotonin levels in the winter.

Other findings suggest that people with SAD produce too much melatonin, a hormone essential for maintaining the normal sleep-wake cycle. Overproduction of melatonin can increase sleepiness.

Both serotonin and melatonin help maintain the body's daily rhythm that is tied to the seasonal night-day cycle. In people with SAD, changes in serotonin and melatonin levels disrupt normal daily rhythms. As a result, they can no longer adapt to seasonal changes in day length, leading to changes in sleep, mood, and behavior.

Vitamin D deficiencies can exacerbate these problems because vitamin D is thought to promote serotonin activity. In addition to vitamin D consumed through diet, the body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight on the skin.

You may be interested in: San Mateo launches program to address mental health emergencies

SF Police arrest 5 men for attempted carjacking on Black Friday

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.03

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SF Police arrest 5 men for attempted carjacking on Black Friday

To Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
San Francisco Police Department officers arrested five men involved in carjackings on Black Friday, November 26, as part of a citywide operation to reduce the crime of carjacking and armed robbery.

Police officers were patrolling Fulton and Lyon streets when at 4:55 p.m., officers stopped a white sedan with two suspects lurking in several vehicles.

Both suspects attempted to flee the scene, however, officers pursued them on foot, stopped them and arrested them. The men were identified as 28-year-old Donnell Lee Mark of Vallejo and a 15-year-old male from San Francisco.

Officers searched the suspect vehicle and located a functioning “ghost gun,” as well as personal belongings and various pieces of evidence linking them to numerous car thefts.

According to a statement released by the Police Department on Thursday, Mark was transported to the San Francisco County Jail and booked on charges of second-degree robbery, among 12 other charges; while the minor was transported to the Juvenile Justice Center on 16 felony charges.

Later that evening, in a second unrelated incident, San Francisco police officers were in the area of Bay and Kearny streets, and at approximately 6:54 p.m. observed a suspicious white sedan stalking vehicles in a nearby parking lot.

Officers recognized it as a vehicle already wanted in connection with several carjackings and at least one armed robbery in San Francisco.

The vehicle stopped in the parking lot and three suspects exited. Officers approached the suspects who returned to the car and began fleeing the scene. The car turned southbound on El Embarcadero, as spike strips were deployed on the roadway, resulting in all four tires of the suspect car being punctured.

The men involved continued to flee and led police on a chase toward Interstate 280 and back onto city streets before ending in the area of Third and Evans Avenue.

During the chase, the suspect vehicle struck several other cars.

At the end of the chase, all three suspects exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, however, officers pursued each of them and arrested them without further incident.

They were identified as Elijah Ifopo, 23, and Ajay Balaoro, 24, both of San Francisco, and Caleb Tuimavave, 21, of Daly City.

While fleeing from officers, Ifopo dropped a firearm with an extended magazine which was later located and secured by officers. Additionally, a loaded firearm with an extended magazine was found in Balaoro’s waistband after he was taken into custody.

Officers subsequently searched the suspect vehicle and located personal belongings and various pieces of evidence linking them to numerous car thefts.

While arresting one of the suspects, an officer suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene.

Ifopo, Tuimavave and Balaoro were later transported to the San Francisco County Jail and booked on various charges.

While arrests have been made, the investigation remains open. The San Francisco Police Department is urging anyone with information to call the SFPD tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and start the text with SFPD. Anyone wishing to help can remain anonymous.

You may be interested in: San Mateo launches program to address mental health emergencies

President Biden Announces Winter Plan Against COVID-19

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.03

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President Biden Announces Winter Plan Against COVID-19

*There will be new restrictions for travelers to the U.S.

By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P]
After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported this week that the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus had entered the country, detected as of Thursday afternoon in at least three people, President Joseph Biden announced the Winter Plan to combat COVID-19.

The plan, which Biden said is centered on five steps, does not include lockdowns or closures but rather vaccinations, widespread boosters, testing and additional measures for travelers entering the country by air.

First, he said, the COVID-19 vaccine booster campaign will be expanded nationwide with more reach, more appointments, more hours, more schedules and locations to go, providing booster doses for up to 110 million Americans eligible to receive them.

The second point, the president stressed from Maryland on Thursday, is that new family vaccination clinics will be opened to make it easier for children, parents and entire families to get vaccinated in one place, in addition to new policies to keep children in school instead of quarantining them at home.

The third piece of this, he said, is making free at-home testing more widely available and covered by private insurance plans, as well as being able to get it at thousands of places like community health centers and other sites for those who don't have insurance.

Fourthly, there is the need to increase the number of “Emergency Response Teams”, which will allow doctors and nurses to be less overburdened, and hospitals to not be overwhelmed and to have more staff.

Fifth, he stressed, efforts to vaccinate the rest of the world will be accelerated, while international travel rules for people arriving in the United States will be tightened.

The latter includes restrictions on the entry of travelers to southern Africa, as well as requiring that all those entering the country - including compatriots - have a complete vaccination scheme against COVID-19 - only those with vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, J&J, AstraZeneca and Sinopharm will be accepted.

In addition, starting this Monday, December 6, all travelers to the country must present a negative antigen or PCR test, no more than 24 hours before traveling, regardless of vaccination status or nationality.

The requirement to wear face masks on planes, trains and public transport has been extended both internationally and domestically until March 2022.

“The plan I’m announcing today pulls no punches in the fight against COVID-19. And it’s a plan that I think should bring us together. I know COVID-19 has been very divisive in this country, it’s become a political issue, which is a sad commentary, it shouldn’t be, but it has been. As we enter winter and face the challenge of this new variant, it’s a time when we can put this division behind us, I hope,” the president said.

He added that this is a moment to do what has not been accomplished so far during the pandemic: “getting the nation to come together, uniting the nation in a common purpose to fight this virus, to protect each other, to protect our economic recovery, and to think about it in terms of, literally, a patriotic responsibility.”

He recalled that while it is true that this new variant "is a cause for concern, it is not a cause for panic," as he noted that the country has the best tools, including the best vaccines in the world, the best medicine and the best scientists in the world.

"We're going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion," Biden said.

He recalled that last Christmas, less than 1 percent of American adults were fully vaccinated; while this year, that figure will be between 72 and 77 percent, including more than 86 percent of older people, the most vulnerable population. In addition, children between 5 and 11 years old also already have the possibility of being vaccinated against the disease, and 20 million of them already have at least one of their indicated doses.

“Experts say COVID-19 cases will continue to rise in the coming weeks this winter, so we need to be prepared.”

However, he also reported that more than 100 million people are eligible to receive the booster shot but have not yet received it.

Booster shots remain free and there are 80,000 locations available across the country to get your booster shot, and to find out exactly where to go, simply text your zip code to 438829 to find where you can get your booster shot.

He added that promising antiviral pills on the horizon, both from Pfizer and Merck, could help prevent hospitalizations and deaths in people infected with COVID-19. Talks have already been held with both pharmaceutical companies to ensure their supply and availability to the most affected communities in the country.

The U.S. has delivered more than 280 million vaccine doses to 110 countries, including South Africa, which has delivered all of its requested doses.

He also said that the delivery of more vaccines to countries in need will be accelerated, committing to deliver 200 million doses in the next 100 days, in order to deliver more than 1.2 billion doses to the rest of the world.

“Let me be clear: Not a single vaccine dose that the U.S. sends to the rest of the world will come at the expense of any American. I will always make sure that our people are protected first. But vaccinating the world is not just a moral obligation that we have, in my view; it is the way to protect Americans, as we are seeing with this new variant.”

You may be interested in: Omicron arrives in the U.S., California was the entry point

Free transportation pilot program for low-income students

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.02

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Free transportation pilot program for low-income students

By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] / Bay City News
Public transportation agency SamTrans, in partnership with the San Mateo County Office of Education, has launched a six-month pilot program to offer free rides to low-income students.

That was reported this week by SamTrans, which reported that the passes will be given to school districts to distribute to qualified students for free rides on all the company's bus routes through June 2022. At that time, a decision will be made on whether to continue the program in the next school year.

All students classified as socioeconomically disadvantaged by the California Department of Education are eligible for SamTrans' new Unlimited Youth Pass, the release said.

This group includes students eligible for the free or reduced-price meals program, homeless students, foster youth, migrant students, or students whose parents did not graduate from high school.

Districts will administer an effectiveness survey to students and parents around March 2022.

The program aims to reduce transportation costs for low-income families, attract new and more frequent riders, as well as provide information on the potential operational impacts of providing free fares to a subset of young riders.

You may be interested in: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Gives $7 Million to San Mateo Organizations

Uber to pay $9 million dollars for evading sex crimes information

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.02

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Uber to pay $9 million dollars for evading sex crimes information

By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] / Bay City News
The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Thursday approved a $9 million settlement agreement with San Francisco-based ride-sharing service Uber over allegations of sexual harassment and assault.

The settlement between the CPUC’s Enforcement and Consumer Protection Division, Uber, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) follows allegations by the CPUC that Uber failed to respond to its requests for information about sexual assault and harassment involving passengers and drivers.

Uber will pay $9 million to support passenger safety initiatives, including $5 million to the California Victim Compensation Board, which will be used for victims of sexual assault and violence, and $4 million to address physical and sexual violence in the industry.

“We are pleased that the full Commission has adopted this agreement, which was developed in collaboration with CPUC staff and RAINN experts. Most importantly, we can move forward with a solution that preserves survivors’ privacy and agency,” Uber said in a statement.

In a blog post titled “Always keeping you safe” published Thursday morning, the company provided an overview of some recent safety improvements, including the launch of a U.S. pilot program for a ride audio recording option and updated RideCheck technology to detect when a ride takes an unexpected route or when a trip ends unexpectedly early.

If an issue is detected, the passenger and driver can respond that everything is fine or use an emergency button, as well as report an issue to the Uber Safety Incident Report Line.

The audio feature has been used in Latin America and is being tested in three US cities.

Under the settlement, Uber also agreed to pay a $150,000 fine to the state’s general fund and provide information about future incidents of sexual assault and harassment to the CPUC, among other agreed-upon policy changes.

You may be interested in: San Mateo launches program to address mental health emergencies

San Mateo launches program to address mental health emergencies

Pamela Cruz

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2021.12.02

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San Mateo launches program to address mental health emergencies

By Pamela Cruz. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P] / Bay City News
Behavioral health physicians will accompany law enforcement in certain emergency responses in San Mateo County's four largest cities

Starting next week, a pilot program will be launched that seeks to prevent people experiencing a mental health crisis from ending up in jail or emergency rooms.

The two-year program launches Monday in Daly City, Redwood City, San Mateo and South San Francisco after the county Board of Supervisors and city councils in all four cities approved it earlier this year with the goal of ensuring that unsafe situations can be resolved and that people in crisis, as well as first responders, can remain safe.

StarVista, a nonprofit based in San Carlos, has contracted with the county to train and supervise the medics who will work with the police departments in the four cities.

Physicians will be deployed in the offices alongside police officers in cases of mental or behavioral health crises.

The San Mateo County program is one of many being developed in the Bay Area and across the nation as jurisdictions try to prevent violent interactions between law enforcement and people in crisis.

“The County is proud to support such an important and necessary intervention that supports the safety of people in crisis and those around them,” said County Administrator Mike Callagy. “This provides another option for those who need mental health care instead of incarceration or hospitalization.”

The two-year program is expected to cost about $1.5 million, with the four cities and the county contributing funding.

You may be interested in: Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Gives $7 Million to San Mateo Organizations