Inside Oakland panel discusses future of Measure Y

This year is a big one for public safety in Oakland. Measure Y, the Violence Prevention & Public Safety Act, which was overwhelmingly passed in 2004, expires at the end of the year. Unless renewed, the city’s already resource-constrained police, fire, and social services budgets face further cuts.

Funding for Measure Y comes from a $97.62 parcel tax and 8.5 percent surcharge on commercial parking lots. Around $19 million is generated annually, with $4 million going to fire prevention, a particularly important issue given the severe drought we are facing. 60 percent of the remaining, or about $9 million, goes to hiring at least 63 Problem Solving Officers for the Oakland Police Department.

The remaining 40 percent, or about $5 million, goes to violence prevention and intervention programs that are targeting the hottest crime spots in the city with research-tested policies that are yielding tangible results.

At the Inside Oakland event on Jan. 24, a panel of representatives from the city of Oakland, Oakland Police Department, a local nonprofit organization, and a small business owner and blogger discussed the benefits of Measure Y, how it has been improved over time, and what further enhancements are needed.

Panelists Included:

Anne Marks, Executive Director of Youth ALIVE!- Click here to see her presentation

 





   

  

 

Len Raphael, CPA 

Sara Bedford, Interim Director, City of Oakland Human Services- Click here to see presentation

 

Interim Assistant Chief Paul Figueroa, OPD

“This is an ethical approach to addressing violent crime – and it’s working,” explained  Paul Figueroa, who as an officer in the 90s was involved in drug busts that contributed to around 30,000 arrests annually in Oakland. He noted that last year the number of arrests was around 8,000 while overall violent crime is down.

Yet the fate of Measure Y is unclear. The city administrator’s office has engaged a consultant to look at polling, conduct outreach and education around the measure, and determine what can and should be taken to the voters in November. This review and evaluation will take place over the next six months.

The Chamber plans to be front and center in helping foster a constructive dialogue around this vital issue for Oakland. Please keep on the lookout for future events, and check out the presentations from the Inside Oakland event on the Chamber’s website, www.oaklandchamber.com.

OPD gets nearly 80 new patrol cars

The City of Oakland is announcing the addition of 82 new vehicles to the public safety vehicle fleet, including a new type of police patrol vehicle.  Eight of the new vehicles were on display at a press conference in Frank Ogawa plaza just before noon today.

The new vehicle offers safety and environmental improvements over the Crown Vic. New features such as a backup camera, blind-spot monitoring and stability control reduce the risk of accidents. The new vehicles are expected to get 30% better fuel economy than the existing patrol cars. In addition, the SUV design provides greater space and better access for officers and their equipment.

Interim Police Chief Sean Whent said, “The addition of these new vehicles to our fleet is greatly needed and very much appreciated. Reliable police cars are an essential tool in effective crime fighting. Our officers rely on them not only to respond to calls for service but they often serve as office space for report writing and preliminary investigations so dependability and safety are important. We are committed to continuing to grow the Police Department and providing Oakland Police Officers with the tools necessary to continue to reduce crime.”

There are 82 new vehicles on order. The first ones ready have been used to train officers. The rest will be deployed over the next few months, as they are up-fit with equipment and communications upgrades by the Oakland Department of Information and Technology.

74 of the new patrol vehicles are part of a lease-purchase program for 153 vehicles for various City departments.  Also included in that program are:

 

•             8 unmarked vehicles for OPD

•             4 fire apparatus vehicles

•             36 parking enforcement vehicles

•             6 street sweepers

•             25 light trucks and vans for PWA, OPD, OFD and Human Services

The City has not bought this many vehicles in a single year since 2001.

 

10 Cops for Oakland paid for by the Feds

With only 615 sworn officers, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) needs all the help it can get.  A Federal grant will pay for 10 of those officers for the next 3 years.

The announcement came at a press conference today with Congresswoman Barbara Lee and Oakland Mayor Jean Quan. The awards are being allocated through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring Program.  COPS is a competitive grant program that provides funding directly to local law enforcement agencies to hire police officers dedicated to addressing specific crime and disorder challenges.

The total number of sworn officers with OPD will increase on Friday when 36 officers graduate from the most recent Police Academy.

OPD Meets with Merchants and Residents to Offer Tips on Fighting Crime

A rash of robberies in the Rockridge area, including a robbery of a KGO producer which led to discussion of crime in Oakland at that radio station this past weekend, led to a get together this morning with area merchants, residents and Oakland Police Department (OPD) Area 2 Captain Anthony Toribio at the Rockridge Library.

Toribio offered a few comments about OPD strategies and staffing and responded to questions.  The Captain told the group that many of the robberies were occurring between the hours of 10 pm to 2am.  To try to add patrols at that time he indicated that Problem Solving Officers (PSOs) who usually had their work shift ending at 11pm were being re-scheduled to have their shifts end at 2am.  He also indicated that where swing shift and graveyard shift overlap (that 10pm to 2am time frame) extra patrols would be made available.   

Efforts are also being made at OPD to better manage response to emergency calls.  Toribio indicated that in a recent three month period patrol officers were being asked to respond to 42 calls during a 10 hour shift. This means officers are moving call to call almost the entire shift rather than patrolling. By making appointments, postponing non-emergencies and better allocation of officers, Toribio hoped to free up more officers to engage in regular patrols.  He did indicate however that officers, including Crime Response Teams, are often called to parts of the city facing higher rates of violent crime.

Toribio was asked about Neighborhood Watch and he encouraged people to join and be involved.  He did emphasize that people should observe and report and not attempt to engage a suspect.  When asked about the hiring of private patrols, Toribio expressed support for the idea and said he directed his officers to get to know private security personnel in their areas.  Toribio did say any private patrol should be identifiably and professionally dressed, he suggested they should patrol an area and engage people (rather than just standing against a wall) and they, like citizens should be eyes and ears and not crime fighters themselves.

People were encouraged to keep their property well lit, porch lights as well as lighting on the side of buildings.  The use of security cameras was also encouraged.  And in addition to monitoring your own property it is permissible to aim cameras in public space as people do NOT have a reasonable expectation of privacy in those public spaces.

 

Among the 45 people who turned out this morning were Chris Jackson of the Rockridge BID, Paul Junge of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Oakland City Council member Dan Kalb. 

 

National Night Out

Tonight thousands of Oaklanders will celebrate in over 670 National Night Out parties, one of the largest efforts in the nation. For the third consecutive year we have made great leaps and broken our city record as we continue to organize block by block to strengthen our neighborhoods.

This year is particularly significant for two reasons:

First, we are pushing police resources out into neighborhoods this summer in a reorganization built on the work of Bill Bratton and Bob Wasserman. We are making police leadership more accessible and more accountable on a neighborhood level by creating five geographic policing areas across the city, each with its own police captain responsible for the area. You can look up your area captain, beat lieutenant and sergeant, and the problem-solving officer for your beat online at http://mapgis.oaklandnet.com/PoliceDistricts

 

Officers lining up for National Night Out assignments.

We have asked officers to spend more time out of their cars: walking, biking, attending meetings, talking with residents, and engaging in a friendly way more often. We are seeing some initial modest reduction of some categories of crimes in some areas.

   

Second, we are making significant progress in the reforms monitored by the federal court. In July our court-appointed Compliance Director, Tom Frazier, wrote in his first progress report that under our new police leadership, the pace of our work has been extraordinary: "The change in the atmosphere of cooperation, and the focus on citizen service and organizational improvement have been recognized by many observers familiar with the inner workings of OPD. Interim Chief (Sean) Whent and his newly-formed executive staff are young, energetic, and obviously hard working." Our reforms include building on our work on the use of force and racial profiling with strengthened policies.  

 

 

In recent weeks, the verdict in the Trayvon Martin killing and the release of the film Fruitvale Station, the story of Oscar Grant's last day, have provided the nation and our city an opportunity to open our hearts and minds about some tough issues.  

Tonight is  an opportunity to show the true spirit of Neighborhood Watch -- an opportunity to get to know and to care for each other's children, rather than fear them.

Finally, this year the City Council passed the major initiatives I proposed for public safety:

• Two new police academies each year
•  Funding for additional CHP officers
•  Over 40 civilian positions to free up officers for crime fighting
•  Major funding for updated police technology, tracking software, police cars, and laptops.

OPD Cadets at last year's NNO rally.

This year we have also recruited three of the most diverse police academies in Oakland history and graduated our first academy in more than four years. We are still trying to grow the number of officers who live in Oakland, and we encourage interested residents to call 888-673-5627.

We are determined to make Oakland safer. We still have a way to go, but we have a plan and new resources. Over the next months we will ask for your opinions on selecting a new chief and finding resources for more police officers. I hope to see you at one of tonight's parties.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Mayor Jean Quan

PROHIBIT Tools of Violence and Vandalism during a Demonstration

Dear Mayor Quan:

On behalf of the thousands of members of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and our Affiliated Merchants, I write to you in SUPPORT of the Ordinance Prohibiting the Possession of the Tools of Violence and Vandalism during a Demonstration.

After just one recent demonstration that included thousands of dollars in property destruction and thousands more in lost wages and business opportunity I wrote an open letter calling for action.  Among the questions I posed was the following:

 If someone brings a crowbar, hammer or object uncommon to a peaceful demonstration, then why are they not held, identified and questioned?

This ordinance clarifies what steps the Oakland Police Department can take to prevent personal harm and property damage. 

It is not necessary to bring a club, impact resistant shield, sling shot, hammer, large wrench, fireworks, paint projectiles, nor fire accelerants to a demonstration.  In fact the presence of these items not only threatens human life and property they threaten to undermine the expression of any idea.

I urge you to SUPPORT this ordinance prohibiting the possession of the Tools of Violence and Vandalism during a Demonstration.

Sincerely,

Joseph J. Haraburda

President & CEO

OPD talks to business owners on plans for future protests

 

About 50 business owners and concerned citizens attended a briefing at the Chamber today with Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent.  The Chief acknowledged OPD was not prepared for Saturday nights protest but told business owners steps have been taken to beef up patrols in the days ahead.

When police do attempt to arrest someone suspected of violence, destruction of property or some other offense, the Chief said others in the crowd interfere with the officers and attempt to free the suspect.  This means in crowd situations OPD needs more officers to make even just one arrest.

 

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley who also attended told the group that in this type of situation it is legal to arrest someone who is wearing a mask and carrying a hammer or spray paint.  Many in the group applauded the idea of taking steps against someone with clear criminal intent before someone gets hurt or property is destroyed.

As those in attendance knew OPD is seriously understaffed.  And during a normal shift fewer officers than you might imagine patrol the entire city.  Chief Whent said strategies like extended shifts, double shifts and cancelled time off were being used to add officers over the next few days and when problems are anticipated.

OPD did call on mutual aid assistance Monday night and that brought extra officers from neighboring jurisdictions.  Mutual aid is only available when there is an emergency – not in preparation for one.  Chief Whent did indicate he is talking with other law enforcement agencies to support in ways they can short of mutual aid.

For people who are able to take video of any criminal activity they were encouraged to send it to the following e-mail address - cwong@oaklandnet.com for follow up by OPD.

Next Steps

What more can we do as a business community?

There is no doubt that over the long term and immediately political leadership is important.  Contact your council member and the Mayor and let them know that more needs to be done to address this crime problem.  The more includes finding ways to increase the number of uniformed police officers on the street, through more hiring, contracts with outside agencies and civilianizing as much work as possible to free uniformed officers for patrol. It will likely require support for a new parcel tax when Measure Y expires at the end of 2014.  

 

Click here to find out who your councilmember is and how to contact them:

http://www2.oaklandnet.com/Government/o/ElectedOfficials/index.htm

We need to find ways to make the statement that violence and the destruction of property are NOT ACCEPTABLE here in Oakland. 

Contact Paul Junge at the Chamber (510) 874-4817 or pjunge@oaklandchamber.com with your ideas on what we can do together to keep our city safe.

SUPPORT: Council President Amendments to Mayor’s Proposed Budget

It is always important in budgeting to be responsible, sustainable and make choices among competing priorities.  Choices are not easy and reasonable people can disagree.  Today the clear need in Oakland is to address crime and promote job growth. 

There are three principal budget proposals: (1) Mayor Quan, (2) Council President Amendments (dated May 30,2013) and (3) Councilmembers Brooks/Gallo/Reid  (dated May 30,2013).  We salute the work and sincere advocacy each effort embodies.  As noted above budgets require making choices.

The Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce supports the Council President Amendments which we recognize as building on the good work done by Mayor Quan.  The Amendments add elements to the budget made possible by a slight revenue increase since the Mayor established her budget.  That these improvements are possible is testament to the prudent, careful work done by the Mayor.

The City of Oakland spends over one billion dollars every year, the General Purpose Fund makes up about $430 million of that.  Because the competing proposals agree in many ways and have a few critical differences we want to lay out our priorities and explain some of the suggestions we find most problematic.

The Council President Amendments budget does the best job of focusing on public safety.  It maintains the Mayor’s plan to run four Police Academy classes and add to civilian staff at OPD.  Spending on police makes up only twenty percent of the total budget.  Over the past six years while city staffing has fallen 16%, sworn OPD staff has dropped 27% and civilian staff has fallen 34%! A focus on rebuilding OPD is needed.

The alternative suggested by Brooks/Gallo/Reid has several particulars with which we disagree.  Eliminating the CHP support contracts that add patrols to Oakland would be a terrible loss.  Cutting the number of civilian staff being added to OPD would undermine the effort to increase the number of officers on the street and could hinder the solving of crimes and the crime reduction strategy just now being implemented. That plan also puts the funding for police academies on a less certain footing – which puts in danger the ability to grow OPD above 700 officers (and perhaps even above current levels). 

Instead among other things it uses that money to reinstate spending in City Council office budgets and most significantly adds several million for a COLA for city employees.  We understand the City is negotiating with employee unions and we encourage that work continue.  It is worth nothing that while the economy shows signs of improving, the unemployment rate in the City of Oakland is still high and thousands of people in the private sector have seen wage reductions, benefit reductions and other challenges.  In a choice at current levels between spending to increase OPD staffing and offering pay increases we choose public safety.

One other note on spending to address crime.  At current levels one of the biggest factors restricting job growth in Oakland is crime.  In previous communications, we have shared with you anecdotal evidence that fear of crime may cause some employers to leave and prevent others from coming to Oakland.  Investments in public safety today won’t just hopefully save lives and property but pay dividends in increased investment, more jobs and a broader, more robust tax base that will make greater city spending possible.  

Problems remain.  There are negative fund balances, underfunded pension and health liabilities, increased contribution demands coming from state programs and the normal upward pressure on costs.  Revenue streams are scheduled to expire and there are no guarantees that current revenue upticks will continue.  This Council and Mayor will need to find ways to do more with less and serve the needs of the businesses and citizens of Oakland.

The Council President Amendments to Mayor Quan’s Proposed Budget is the best option and deserves your support.  It has ours.

 

OPD Gets a New Interim Chief

Just two days after Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan stepped down citing medical reasons, Sean Whent has been appointed Interim Chief of Police, effective immediately.

 

 

It’s part of a new executive leadership team of the Oakland Police Department announced today by Mayor Jean Quan and City Administrator Deanna J. Santana.

 

Chief Whent is a 17-year veteran of the Oakland Police Department. His most recent job was Deputy Chief and commander of the Bureau of Risk Management with responsibility for overseeing the Training Section, Internal Affairs Division, Office of Inspector General, the Criminalistics Division and the Personnel Assessment Unit.

 

Interim Chief Whent has moved quickly to stabilize the leadership of the Oakland Police Department by announcing the following appointments:

Paul Figueroa: Acting Assistant Chief responsible for day-to-day operations of the Police Department.

Eric Breshears: Deputy Chief, Commander of Bureau of Strategic Initiatives including the Ceasefire program and Compstat.

Danielle Outlaw:  Acting Deputy Chief, Commander of the Bureau of Risk Management, which includes the Training Section, Internal Affairs Division, Office of Inspector General, and Criminalistics Division

David Downing: Acting Deputy Chief, Commander of Bureau of Field Operations

At the time of Howard Jordan’s medical leave the Assistant Chief was Anthony Toribio who said at the press conference today that he made a personal decision to step down to the position of Captain of Police and that he supports the new leadership.

Mayor Quan said a national search for a permanent Chief will begin immediately.  City Administrator Santana estimated the cost of the search at roughly $30,000 and Quan said it may be more as she adds community input to the process.  The Mayor indicated she hoped the appointment would come as soon as possible.

The selection of Whent and his subsequent selection of a leadership team came after consultations with Compliance Director Thomas Frazier.

Multiple Arrests of Violent Gang Members Today

In an action coordinating Federal, State, County, Oakland and other city’s law enforcement, 24 high risk arrest warrants were served throughout the Bay Area early today.  The subjects were principally members of the Case Gang in Oakland who Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan says has been one of the two most violent gangs in Oakland over the past five months.

It is part of Operation Ceasefire.  According to police, just last October hundreds of people, mainly gang members identified as previously violent, were called in to meetings to tell them that violence had to stop.  While help for people willing to lay down their guns was offered, there was also a warning, whatever gang was “first or worst” to act violently would be targeted for arrest. 

 Oakland Police (OPD) identified two groups, Case Gang and Money Team as having been the “first and worst” and therefor targeted for arrests in the last four to five weeks. Since February 5, OPD says they have made 33 felony arrests and recovered 26 firearms.  This severely limited the Money Team leaving today’s action principally focused on the Case Gang.  In the action today, 16 arrests have been made as of noon and many more firearms seized.

At a press conference in Oakland, Chief Jordan was joined by U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag, CA Attorney General Kamila Harris, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley, Alameda Co. Sheriff Greg Ahern and Oakland Mayor Quan.

U.S. Attorney Haag said that over 160 Federal agents participated in the serving of the arrest warrants today.  Federal agencies involved included, the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Secret Service, Homeland Security and U.S. Marshals.

CA Attorney General Harris said with the support of Gov. Brown and CHP, her office’s Division of Law Enforcement has been helping in the Ceasefire project.  Harris said since its inception just a few months ago, 23 people have been arrested with 167 criminal cases charged and 55 firearms seized.  She said in addition to the Operation Ceasefire focus on violence her office has also focused on home invasion robberies in Oakland.

Also assisting today were San Mateo and Contra Costa Sheriffs as well as police in Antioch (where at least one arrest warrant was served) and Alameda County Probation officers.  Oakland Housing Authority police and State probation have been contributing to the Operation Ceasefire action as well.  

Alameda DA O’Malley, and other speakers, took note that while hundreds of law enforcement personnel took part in the action serving these 24 high risk arrest warrants today, there were no injuries.

Federal Judge signs OPD oversight order

Senior Federal District Judge Thelton Henderson signs the order creating “Compliance Director” to oversee Oakland Police Department operations.  After nearly ten years of Federal Court oversight the possibility of OPD being run by a Federal receiver was avoided by an agreement between the City and the plaintiff attorneys who brought the civil rights case against OPD.  The hearing scheduled for tomorrow has been cancelled.

The appointment of a Compliance Director, likely a person agreed to by the plaintiffs the City and Senior Federal District Judge Thelton Henderson, will have broad powers to direct OPD activity, including the power to remove the Chief of Police.  That power and others could be appealed by the City to the Judge.  The appointment of the Compliance Director also included specific spending authority for the Compliance Director.  It is hoped that the appointment will help OPD achieve the remaining requirements of the negotiated settlement agreement that has brought about the Federal oversight of OPD. 

 The parties have until December 21 to agree on someone to serve as Compliance Director or the judge will appoint one.

Congratulations to Chiefs Jordan & Reed

The Chamber salutes Police Chief Howard Jordan and Fire Chief Teresa Deloach Reed for their appointments to Oakland’s public safety departments. Mayor Quan has taken the “interim” tag off Chief Jordan while at the same time naming Reed, the former San Jose Assistant Fire Chief, to head the Oakland Fire Department.

Chief Jordan is a 24-year veteran on Oakland’s Police Department and the city’s first homegrown police chief since 2004. He has worked as patrol officer, watch commander, SWAT team member, criminal investigator and head of the school police department since joining the force in 1988.

When Chief Reed takes over the Fire Department in March, Oakland will join a growing list of Bay Area cities, including San Francisco and Berkeley, to have female fire chiefs. She had spent her entire career in San Jose where she worked alongside Oakland City Administrator Deanna Santana.

OPD Clears Encampment at Frank Ogawa Plaza

The Oakland Police Department, with the help of seven other law enforcement agencies from around the Bay Area, cleared Frank Ogawa Plaza this morning completing the operation by about 7am.  Police Chief Howard Jordan, at a press conference at 8:15 am announced that there had been no injuries to officers or others and no use of force.  The Chief also said there had been 32 people arrested; only nine of those arrested gave an Oakland address.

Mayor Quan said she was glad the activities ended peacefully and she urged people to respect the decision of the city to close the encampment.  Both the Mayor and City Administrator Deanna Santana suggested public safety concerns, including last weeks’ murder on the plaza, required this action.

Santana and Jordan said they hoped the plaza would be re-opened by 5 or 6 pm today.  They both indicated that while peaceful assembly and expression would be allowed, lodging would not be permitted.  Chief Jordan said a police presence 24/7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) would be maintained to insure that no tents, sleeping bags, camping equipment or other lodging materials could be set up in Frank Ogawa Plaza.