Berkeley Police Chief Apologies On Zoom Town Call For 'Firearms, Shoot People' Comment

BERKELEY (CBS SF) -- As cities and counties contemplate the future of policing, Berkeley's police chief defended his department at a town hall meeting Thursday night, but not before issuing an apology for a remark he made earlier in the week.

When Berkeley Police Chief Andrew Greenwood was asked earlier this week about alternatives to tear gas, he responded: "Firearms, shoot people."

The comment was made during a City Council meeting on Tuesday as the Council voted unanimously to ban the use chemical agents to control crowds.

Greenwood issued an apology during the Zoom town hall meeting saying: "I cant apologize enough for the words that I said. The misstep was just that and it doesn't reflect the values of myself of the police department."

The virtual town hall was packed as roughly 400 community members with more than 250 questions logged on. Most had questions for the chief.

Many in the community wanted to know how they can divert funds from the police budget to other departments within the city.

City Manager Dee Williams-Ridley addressed the need to fund homelessness and mental health programs but she emphasized using a thoughtful and careful approach to make cuts.

"No I'm not going to run with scissors and start cutting," Williams-Ridley said.

Williams-Ridley and Greenwood agreed, they would like to work together to get officers to focus on crimes.

The greater issue is to erase systemic racism in communities.

"Systemic racism has to be stopped. As an African American black woman... I'm tired," Williams-Ridley said.