Kensington Police Department

08/19/2026

🎒📚 GOOD MORNING, KENSINGTON—AND WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL! 🏫✨

As students begin their first week, we are sure you saw Kensington Police officers and police volunteers stationed near the following areas:

📍 Arlmont Drive and Highland Boulevard
📍 Arlington Avenue and Rincon Road
📍 Westminster Avenue and Kenyon Avenue
📍 In front of the school

You will continue to see us in these areas throughout the remainder of the week.

You may also see police vehicles with their red-and-blue or amber lights illuminated. This is intentional—we want drivers to see us, slow down, and remain alert while all our community’s most precious gifts travel safely to and from school. 🚓🚨 As a bonus, the kids get an absolute kick out of seeing the lights and love it! 😊🙌

🚫 IMPORTANT TRAFFIC REMINDER: When traveling uphill on Arlington Avenue, turning left or right onto Arlmont Drive is prohibited between 8:00–9:00 a.m. and 2:00–3:00 p.m. Violations are citable offenses.

In response to concerns raised by school officials and PTA members, officers have been conducting traffic stops for stop sign, red light, and parking violations, providing education, issuing warnings, and when warranted, citations. Education and Enforcement will continue through the remainder of the week.

We hope this serves as a reminder to obey all traffic laws and posted signs throughout the school district. Please slow down, look around, stop completely at all stop signs, and ensure the roadway and crosswalks are clear before proceeding. 🛑👀

To all the students who greeted us with high-fives, thumbs-up, big smiles, and cheerful “good mornings”—we’re excited for you! Have an amazing year filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and great memories. 🙌😊📖

And to all the parents: Congratulations—you made it through another summer! 🎉👏 Now it’s time to enjoy a little more routine…and maybe a few moments of peace and quiet! 😄☕

Have a safe and fantastic first week, Kensington! 💙💛

08/14/2026

06/23/2026

🚫 ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN KENSINGTON.
Contra Costa County is a fireworks-free zone. That means every type of firework — including "Safe & Sane," sparklers, and anything bought out of county or online — is illegal to use, possess, or sell here. There is no legal consumer firework in Kensington. Period.
The only legal fireworks are professional public shows run under permit.
Celebrating the 4th? Leave it to the pros. Protect your home, your neighbors, and our hills.
📞 Report illegal fireworks to KPD Dispatch: (510) 525-7573

🚨 Fire or injury? Call 911 immediately.

05/21/2026

Congratulations to Sergeant Jose Rivera for his recent graduation from the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (SBSLI), Class 563.
Among other things, the program is designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision-making in California law enforcement front-line supervisors.

Over 8 months, the curriculum guides students through an analysis of management (planning, organizing, directing) and leadership (inspiring, challenging, developing). Students read and discuss numerous leadership books, write numerous papers, and are required to create, write, and present a project. All this while still maintaining their normal work duties.

We are proud of your accomplishment Sgt. Rivera, we look forward to your continued success with Kensington PD and the ideas you will bring forth!

Fun facts:
Sergeant Rivera was nominated by his peers and asked to give a speech during the graduation ceremony along with two of his classmates. His speech focused on leadership in law enforcement, generational progress, and looking beyond achievement to reflect more on the leaders we become throughout our profession. He wrapped up his speech with their class motto, "Be the Leader You Would Follow."

Sergeant Rivera is also the fifth person (the last to graduate in 2023) to attend SLI from Kensington PD since the program was designed and implemented in 1988 by California law enforcement professionals, top educators, and trainers.

05/19/2026

The Kensington Police Department advises of multiple water main breaks affecting traffic in the area.

There is a water main break on on Kenyon Ave near Westminster Ave, impacting southbound traffic. A second water main break has also been reported on Highland Ave.

EBMUD crews are currently on scene, and additional resources are being brought in to address the issue.

Motorists should expect possible road closures and delays for the next 3–4 hours due to emergency repair work.

We encourage the public to avoid the area, use alternate routes, and allow extra travel time.

04/25/2026

🚓 Community Update: Important Reminder on Sidewalk Parking 🚓

Hi everyone! We’re reaching out with a critical update regarding an issue we’re seeing frequently: vehicles parked blocking sidewalks.

We Hear Your Frustrations
Kensington presents unique parking challenges, and we understand the difficult choices residents face daily. We know:

Driveways are often shallow, making it hard to fit a car without encroaching on the sidewalk.

Residents park on sidewalks to protect cars from being sideswiped on our narrow streets.

Many garages are used for storage rather than parking, adding to the congestion.

We truly appreciate everyone doing their best with limited space, but we must address the consequences of this congestion.

The Crucial ADA Impact: This is About Your Neighbors
While blocking sidewalks is a violation of California Vehicle Code § 22500(f), this is fundamentally an ADA accessibility issue.

We have received heartfelt reports from disabled members of our community, specifically those in wheelchairs, who cannot use the sidewalks because they are blocked by cars. This isn't just an inconvenience; it’s a barrier to their safety and freedom of movement. Sidewalks must remain clear for everyone—including wheelchair users and parents with strollers.

KPD’s Commitment and Our Balancing Act
Finding solutions requires a careful balancing act, both for you and for us. The Kensington Police Department must manage:
✅ Safe traffic flow on narrow streets.
✅ Residents' legitimate parking needs.
✅ Guaranteed ADA accessibility for all.

We must achieve this balance together. While officers are issuing warnings and citations to repeat violators, our main goal is awareness and cooperation.

Please, do not obstruct the sidewalk.

By working together, we can maintain Kensington’s character while ensuring our streets and sidewalks are safe and accessible for every neighbor. Thank you for doing your part! 👮‍♂️

04/25/2026

🚔 Now Hiring: Kensington Police Department

Tired of mandatory overtime eating your days off? Fighting outdated software more than fighting crime? KPD is different.

We're a 10-officer department in the East Bay hills in Contra Costa County offering something rare in California law enforcement: a professional policing career without the grind but with competative compensation.

What that actually means:
✅ Full staffing — rare mandatory OT and predictable schedules. You'll actually use your days off.
✅ Call volume that lets you do the job right, not just clear the queue
✅ Near-paperless operations. Even citations are
✅ Brand-new patrol fleet. Current-gen BWC, ALPR, and mobile tech
✅ Leadership that decides with officers, not at them
✅ A community that knows your name — and backs you up
Especially smart for experienced officers:
👮 Coming off a high-volume agency and ready to do the work without the burnout
👮 Retiring out of a non-PERS agency and want to finish your career in California with CalPERS service credit OR you have retired out of a non-PERS agency and want CalPERS service credit.
Spend your shift doing police work — not fighting software.

📩 Interested? Apply at www.joinkensingtonpd.com or email [email protected].