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Message from the Chief

On behalf of the fine men and women of the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, and upon the occasion of the District’s 75th anniversary, I welcome you to our web site.  As a life-long East Bay resident, I too have a fond appreciation for all that the District has to offer.

It is my honor to serve as the Assistant General Manager for the Public Safety Division having been with the District for 21 years, serving our 14 million annual visitors. In addition to serving as the District's Police Chief, I also oversee the District's Fire Department and Lifeguard Services Departments. Our area of patrol includes some 65 different parks over a 1,750 square mile area covering all of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. In fact, we are the largest regional park system in the United States. We also patrol 1,150 miles of trails. Through policing contracts we also provide law enforcement services in the East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD) watershed and recreation facilities, as well as recreational facilities in the Port of Oakland. By special agreement we additionally provide police service in the East Bay lands of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission's watershed, and for several state owned parklands located in the East Bay.

At peak summer season, the Public Safety Division is staffed by approximately 500 personnel, which includes 125 full-time employees (67 of whom are sworn police officers who derive their authority under CA Penal code section 830.1). In addition, we employ 195 seasonal lifeguards and 175 members in our Volunteer Trail Safety Patrols, and 48 industrial firefighters. The Division's annual budget is approximately $24.5 million. We are a full service POST-recognized law enforcement agency. We are currently undergoing a nationally recognized accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

With headquarters located at Lake Chabot in Castro Valley, we also have sub-stations at the EBMUD San Pablo Reservoir in Orinda and Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch, and at our Air Support Unit at the Hayward Municipal Airport. By land, by sea, and by air we provide around-the-clock services through a variety of specialized assignments. Our department includes the Air Support Unit, Marine Patrol, Equestrian Patrols, K-9 Unit, Special Enforcement Unit, Investigations Unit, and a 24-hour per day 9-1-1 Communications Center in our effor to provide the highest level of visitor safety.

We are very proud of our commitment to the community and the partnerships we have formed along the way, realizing that safety and quality of life are both personal and shared responsibilities. We strive to make the East Bay Regional Parks one of the nation's safest open space and recreation areas. We strive to provide an excellent park experience for our frequent and occasional visitors alike. As our home page suggests, these parks are “Ours to Keep.” So lets work together to keep them that way.

I want to thank you for your interest in our department. Please take the time to learn more about the services and programs we offer by visiting the web pages of our Operations, Administrative Services, Fire Department, Lifeguard Services, and the Volunteer Trail Safety Patrol. Throughout my career I have been continuously impressed with the creativity and integrity of our employees. I hope that you come to know us a little better and appreciate the exceptional level of service we provide. If you have any comments you would like to pass along, please let me know by email: tanderson @ ebparks.org.

For additional information about the services we provide, please take the time to view our video HERE

Timothy Anderson
Chief of Police
East Bay Regional Park District

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