On Improving Public Safety + Hiring Police

Live blogging #oakdebates | 7:04pm

Ignacio De La Fuente wants to raise the level of police staff, and help them “do more with less.”

Theresa Anderson-Downs thinks that we “have enough police” and points to community policing and implementing a “block by block’ strategy as the key to crime reduction.

Carol Lee Tolbert says that bringing benefits and pensions in line will the “only way’ to get more officers on the street and “build trust” between the community and police department. Wants OPD to come into compliance with the federal consent decree.

Rebecca Kaplan thinks “we should be providing a combination of beat cops, fire services” says that she voted against the layoffs for officers.