Armed SWAT team in Berkeley today? It was an eviction
The Alameda County sheriff's office said its Civil Unit tried to perform the same eviction in mid-August but met with resistance.
A coordinated team of armed law enforcement officers in camouflage uniforms sparked community concern in South Berkeley on Tuesday morning.
The Alameda County sheriff's office told The Scanner the unit was helping with a civil eviction, which previously had not gone to plan.
The sheriff's office said its Civil Unit tried to perform the same eviction in mid-August.
"During that incident, the individual involved refused multiple lawful commands to vacate the residence and instead … barricaded inside the residence," said Sgt. Roberto Morales, sheriff's spokesman. "As a result, the Civil Unit obtained a warrant for the individual's arrest, which was signed by a judge."
Send tips and photos to The Scanner.
Deputies returned to the apartment complex, at Shattuck Avenue and Ward Street in South Berkeley, at 7 a.m. Tuesday.
During the operation, the sheriff's office Special Response Unit was assisted by the department's Crisis Intervention Unit (CIU) and Small Uncrewed Aircraft System team (aka the drone unit), he said.
"Deputies issued multiple verbal commands instructing the individual to exit the residence. Members of our CIU engaged in dialogue with the individual for over 90 minutes."
The operation, on one of Berkeley's main streets, prompted conversation and concern on Nextdoor. Some posted videos online of the armed unit moving in.
One resident wrote on Nextdoor that he heard "a man speaking into a loudspeaker … saying something about a warrant and I think 'come out the front door with your hands up.' It went on for several minutes and then there was a very loud bang."
Ultimately, Sgt. Morales said, the individual came outside on his own following "prolonged negotiations."
He was taken into custody, on suspicion of disobeying a court order, "without the use of force and without having to make a forced entry," Morales said.
No other information about the resident was available as of publication time.
The Scanner has asked for more details and will update this story if they are provided.
