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After hearing from a substantial group of community members opposed to the use of police dogs by the Berkeley Police department, the Berkeley Police Review Commission (PRC) voted 6-3 Wednesday night to reject a plan to put two German shepherds on the force.  

Commissioners Jacqueline DeBose, Michael Sherman, Michael Sheen, William White, David Ritchie and John Sternberg all voted against the measure, while commissioners Annie Chung, Jack Radisch and Lucienne Sanchez-Resnik voted in favor. 

The issue isn’t over as yet, though. Councilmember Betty Olds says she will put the issue on the council agenda if no one else does, probably sometime in May.  

“I think it’s ludicrous not to,” she said. “I’m very much for it. I’d rather have the [police department] using a dog rather than shooting around,” to find a suspect.” Olds called it an “emotional issue” because “during the civil rights thing they used them to charge protesters.” She then suggested using bloodhounds instead of police dogs because “they won’t attack anyone.” 

Olds’ appointee to the PRC, Jack Radisch, was the most vocal proponent of the dogs. 

Prior to the meeting, Mayor Tom Bates was quoted in the Daily Planet as saying that a “as far as I’m concerned, if the PRC votes against it, it’s over,” doubting that the City Council would even take the matter up. And those opposed to the canine dog proposals are now claiming complete victory.  

“I feel a sense of relief,” said Andrea Pritchett of Berkeley’s Copwatch, a volunteer organization that monitors police activity. “I hope that this means that Berkeley really stands for the resolution of conflict instead of trying to deny there are problems. I hope the police understand that we are into community building instead of dividing.” 

One of the swing votes at the PRC meeting against the dogs came from Michael Sherman, who originally said he was leaning towards approving the plan. Sherman told meeting attendees that Tuesday, March 23 article in the Berkeley Daily Planet identifying him as a possible yes vote generated a number of phone calls and e-mails from people urging him to oppose the measure. That, plus a story in the San Francisco Chronicle describing an incident where a police dog attacked an innocent bystander, helped change his mind. 

“I was prepared to vote in favor of this decision,” said Sherman. He noted, however, that, “it is clear that a policy will not work if it does not have community support.” 

According to Lt. Dennis Ahearn from the Berkeley Police Department, the decision was not a surprise. “I don’t think there is a real sense of disappointment because [the police department] didn’t think the PRC would ever do it,” he said. 

According to Lt. Ahern, the department received e-mails and phone calls from all over the city in support of the dogs before the vote. However, it was only the opposition that showed up to the meeting to voice their opinion he said. Ahern added that, “I don’t think this is really representative of Berkeley.” 

The decision “leaves us without options that other departments have when dealing with armed suspects. I think people would agree it is more desirable to have a dog bite someone instead of having to shoot them.” 

The PRC, while congratulated for the vote, didn’t escape criticism from those who were disappointed that the issue even got as far as it did. 

“My thanks are to the people who showed up, the leaners had their mind changed,” said Carrol Denney, a well-known community activist. “But I am hesitant to thank the commission. It’s a sad comment on the political climate that it got this far.”