The City of Concord is starting a pilot program to help control bedbug infestations in Concord.
Sgt. Russ Norris with the Concord Police Department announced the program on Tuesday in front of the Concord City Council. Bedbugs are usually eradicated after a pest control company brings in a dog, which then sniffs out the bugs. The company then uses a combination of heat & steam to kill the bugs, but something they have to use pesticides, Sgt. Norris said.
The program has three goals, Sgt. Norris said; Bedbug abatement, voluntary compliance by the property manager(s) and shared responsibility. The pilot program started back in March, and Sgt. Norris says they’ve already had nine cases.
He says they issued one citation to a property manager for non-compliance.
Norris explained that the pilot emphasizes rapid response and coordination between tenants, property managers, and licensed pest professionals. When a complaint is received, the City works with the property’s management to schedule an inspection within days and requires written remediation plans with clear timelines. If a unit tests positive, adjacent units are inspected to prevent the pests from spreading through walls, outlets, and shared laundry areas. The goal, he said, is to interrupt the lifecycle quickly and reduce repeat infestations.
The City is also developing educational materials in multiple languages—covering how to identify bedbugs, prepare a unit for service, and avoid re-introduction after treatment. Outreach will prioritize senior housing, shelters, and multifamily buildings where infestations can escalate rapidly. While most cases are resolved through cooperation, the program retains enforcement tools for persistent non-compliance.
Norris noted that cost often deters timely action, so the pilot is exploring limited financial assistance and bulk-rate agreements with vendors for comprehensive Bed Bug Treatment. Residents will not be penalized for reporting; complaints can be made confidentially, and inspectors will guide tenants through documentation requirements. The City encourages simple prevention steps—minimizing clutter, using protective mattress covers, drying clothing and linens on high heat, and inspecting second-hand furniture—while reminding the public that professional evaluation from a bed bug exterminator remains the safest, most effective solution.
I guess that’s more important than the gang problem that we don’t have in Concord or the dangerously high weeds all over the city. Wait, shouldn’t code enforcement deal with the problems that they have been told about before starting a new project like muni code violations? Why aren’t Sergeants dealing with drive-by shootings?
Scratch this problem off the list…
Forcing property owners to keep up their properties prevents the neighborhood from getting worse. Do you really think bedbug infested apartments will attract nice renters?
What? The Concord Police Dept. is going after bedbugs? WHAT?? The “bedbug police”, take a bite out of bug crime? Bug gangs? Is this what the police do now? What about real crime? Gang retaliation? Robberies? Rapes? Are we really paying the Police to go after bedbugs?
We all know where the bedbug infestations are in Concord it starts with people picking up a couch or worse a mattress left at a dumpster then they become infested and somehow it becomes the owner/manager of the apartment complex problem why not spend money on education instead of fining the owner/manager.
There is a lot of work involved on the tenants part to make the place ready to be treated and some of it involves getting rid of the bed/couch etc. which most lower income people won’t do food grade diatomaceous earth will kill the bed bugs
http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp
Also works on cockroaches and ants…Again start with education
And, someone said Concord wasn’t
anything like Oakland!
People…you need to watch a program about bedbugs. I sure don’t want them and if takes a cop, so be it.
Knowing something about police culture,we suspect his peers are going to really bug the good Sgt.
How absurd is this? Please address the GANG, CRIME, and BLIGHT within the city limits first. How absurd is it to focus city resources on this problem. This City has misplaced priorities, it scares the hell out of me as a resident.
#5 Gets an award for brilliance! Non toxic, inexpensive, and super effective.
Code Enforcement (previously Neighborhood Preservation) was moved into the PD several years ago. They have their own staff (non-sworn) and fall within the authority of a very capable police Sgt who also has other duties.
So bed bugs they can admit too and spend precious tax dollars on??
Gangs? Non-existent. Riiiiight.
Might be time to invest in some bullet proof windows for the house AND car.
Send them all back to Mexico!
OK let me get this straight- there is a story on Claycord that said we had 20 burglaries last week and we have a Sgt chasing bed bugs?Makes perfect sense to me.
I would think possibly a Lt could be looking for head lice, what with that being a problem..
The possibilities for proactive police work in the insect control business are truly fascinating.
And snakes ! We know they are out there. Tarantulas! those buggers scare me to death.
I know ,let’s set up a whole new unit in the PD . Maybe we could reassign the burglary detectives to this new high priority. Fund it with a sales tax increase,oh wait we already did that…
Is it that bad that a DETOX squad has to be sent in for BEDBUGS! How Gross is THAT!
If there is an “infestation” diatomaceous earth will do very little. Heat treatment is the only effective method. Remember it’s a infestation not just a bug or two.
So who gets something for something that has been there? Edi?
Everyone, cash in on the louse program! Quick!
I think we should gather the bed bugs and have edi send them to the Russian bombers that are circling Buchanan Field.
That what I think.
The police are arresting bedbugs?
@EdiBirsan,
I’ve called code enforcement 3 times about my neighbor’s muni code violations. Code enforcement has driven by 5 times and nothing has changed. I sent Sgt Norris pictures of the violations and still nothing has changed. I guess I’ll be writing to the Police Chief next.
@Anon & @EdiBirsan – I too have called code enforcement about a neighbor’s code violations. Nothing has changed, but I haven’t sent pictures yet either. Guess I’ll do that next, AND send them to the Police Chief as a cc to see how long it will take to get remediated. But then again, for some reason I think this a**hole has an “in” with the PD.
Maybe it’s time for a new Police Chief.
i recently learned that if you crush bedbugs and smoke them you can get a nice high!
what if we collect these suckers and make some money?
see for yourself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol9NM1A-wFg
Claycord.com has bedbugs. I’ve seen ’em, and it’s a BIG one.
I called code enforcement in PH and within two weeks the problem was rectified.
PH knows how to get s**t done.
Agree that bedbugs are a serious issue.
If they start taking root in the community you may pick them up from a restaurant or coffee shop. Or your kids may pick them up from school.
DO NOT WANT!