In the first half of 2021, Berkeley saw an increase in shootings, auto thefts, burglaries, and aggravated assaults. However, since 2018, the Berkeley Police Department has not had a Special Enforcement Unit and Special Investigations Bureau to investigate drug trafficking and violent crimes. Berkeley has been a leader on police reform and civilian oversight of its police department, and the City Council is working to expand social services to prevent cycles of poverty and crime in the long-term, but residents still need the public sector to investigate and solve crimes. Facing its lowest staffing levels in many years, the Berkeley Police Department needs a nimble, "flexible" unit to respond to community concerns while conducting long-term investigative work to solve crimes. It's not sustainable or beneficial to the community to have patrols and detective work functionally bifurcated in the police department. Research shows that more police time spent investigating violent crime results in more cases being solved. The City should re-establish this unit with a focus on problem-oriented policing, following the SARA model (Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment) recommended by the draft Reimagining Public Safety report.