Features

RICHMOND — Police are seeking the help of volunteers to protect the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and the shoreline, home to the Chevron Richmond refinery and other oil storage facilities. 

Currently, marine patrol officer Joel Thompson and his partner, Rebekah Ireland, are Richmond’s sole defense against waterborne terrorists. They also guard the bridge and escort tankers into and out of the port. 

“We’ve been working four days a week, but with volunteers, we could work seven,” Thompson said. 

Chevron’s reliance on volunteers for a first line of security has some elected officials doing a double take. 

“My take on it is Chevron should be responsible for their own security,” Councilman Tom Butt said. “They can certainly afford it. I don’t see that we need to make Chevron (into) Richmond’s own security problem. The job of the Richmond Police Department is to get the homicide rate down.” 

Chevron spokesman Dean O’Hair said Tuesday the company does not rely on volunteers for security. 

“I can’t go into details,” he said. “We use our own security force up and down our property.” 

Richmond Police Chief Joseph Samuels said he has little choice but to try to accomplish both missions. 

With no federal funding in the pipeline, he is seeking links with businesses and the community to meet the government’s mandate to boost security. 

Five area refineries — Chevron, ConocoPhillips in Rodeo, Shell in Martinez, Tesoro in Avon and Valero in Benicia — provide much of the fuel used from Fresno to the Pacific Northwest, according to Chevron. 

Richmond’s first volunteers are expected to hit the water in mid-December. Chevron has donated a second patrol boat to help in the effort.