Police Department — Overview

Facility

The El Cerrito Police Department is headquartered in the Public Safety Building at 10900 San Pablo Avenue, which it shares with Fire Station 51. The building was constructed in 1960. A 2011 city-commissioned evaluation recommended replacement over retrofit, citing insufficient space for evidence, lockers, training, and staff work areas; a new Public Safety Building has been identified as a Strategic Plan goal, but no funding source has yet been identified.

Source: FY2026-27/FY2027-28 Proposed Biennial Budget, Capital Improvement Program, “Public Safety Building” project sheet, p.303.

Organization

Chief of Police → Public Safety Executive Assistant / Captain → two Lieutenants, one per division:

• Field Operations Division — four Patrol Teams (Sergeant, Corporal, Officers, Community Services Officers on each team)
• Administrative & Support Services Division — Investigations Unit (Sergeant, Corporal, six Detectives) and Records & Support Services Unit (Sergeant, Records Supervisor, Records staff, Property & Evidence Specialist, Cadets)

Source: FY2024-25/FY2025-26 Adopted Biennial Budget, p.176-177 (organization chart).

See Organization & Staffing for the full staffing detail, and Budget for the spending trend.