3 15-1035 Subject: Police Commission Charter Amendment Measure
From: Councilmembers Noel Gallo And Dan Kalb
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution On The City Council's Own Motion Submitting To The Voters At The November 8, 2016 Statewide General Election 1) A Proposed Amendment To The City Charter To Create The Oakland Police Commission, The Community Police Review Agency, And A Process For Police Discipline And 2) A Proposed Enabling Ordinance Relating To The Oakland Police Commission And The Community Police Review Agency, And Directing The City Clerk To Take Any And All Actions Necessary Under Law To Prepare For And Conduct The Election
I support - and Oakland needs - truly independent oversight of the police department. Officers must be held fully accountable for misconduct. Currently, OPD polices itself. Citizens who dare to report false arrest, brutality or other forms of abuse perpetrated by OPD face reprisal, often endure harassment, are ignored and retraumatized, and rarely see justice. I am a longtime, law-abiding, homeowner and citizen of Oakland who has been wrongfully arrested, brutalized, and terrorized by OPD. Only OPD - and OPD only - makes me feel unsafe. Because I do not have a lawyer (since lawyers represent those with money or the families of the dead) my complaints to internal affairs and CPRB were used only to gather imformation for cover-up efforts. The evidence is clear and abundant, but as someone accused of a crime, as a latino man, as one citizen, I am powerless against the Oakland Police Department. Without INDEPENDENT oversight, we're all powerless against OPD. Power to the people!
This week’s scandal & the years (I believe 13 years) the department has been on federal oversight, demonstrates a need for stronger community input than what is currently taking place. We need a commission that is independent of political and OPD union influences. Also one that is independent of the Mayor and City Administration. Some would argue that we should trust the individuals who represent our city to do their jobs. Let’s face it, the police union wields strong power over elected officials and the city of Oakland. That will be hard to change. We cannot continue to let the union control and regulate discipline of officers engaged in misconduct when the safety of our community (from overuse of power during arrests, to sexual abuse of minors) is at stake. We need a commission that is made up of a majority of people who are not affected by political influence or games. Please approve the community ballot measure as is and move for full vote by city council. Tonya Love, District 2
I am in favor of the Gallo and Kalb proposal. The police department needs adequate oversight, and more importantly, removal of arbitration as a "back door" that reverses legitimate decisions in personnel matters. Please support this measure for a better police department and safer Oakland.
No one has yet made a coherent argument leading from the current talk about alleged off-duty sexual behavior by some officers to the notion that Oakland needs a police review commission. Such commissions are inevitably a platform for activists who always know in advance that police did something wrong - the last thing Oakland needs, especially with the expense and bureaucracy of a commission. I urge the councilmembers to give no favors to these activists; find a course of action that leaves the burden on them, with no help from the City.
I support - and Oakland needs - truly independent oversight of the police department. Officers must be held fully accountable for misconduct. Currently, OPD polices itself. Citizens who dare to report false arrest, brutality or other forms of abuse perpetrated by OPD face reprisal, often endure harassment, are ignored and retraumatized, and rarely see justice. I am a longtime, law-abiding, homeowner and citizen of Oakland who has been wrongfully arrested, brutalized, and terrorized by OPD. Only OPD - and OPD only - makes me feel unsafe. Because I do not have a lawyer (since lawyers represent those with money or the families of the dead) my complaints to internal affairs and CPRB were used only to gather imformation for cover-up efforts. The evidence is clear and abundant, but as someone accused of a crime, as a latino man, as one citizen, I am powerless against the Oakland Police Department. Without INDEPENDENT oversight, we're all powerless against OPD. Power to the people!
This week’s scandal & the years (I believe 13 years) the department has been on federal oversight, demonstrates a need for stronger community input than what is currently taking place. We need a commission that is independent of political and OPD union influences. Also one that is independent of the Mayor and City Administration. Some would argue that we should trust the individuals who represent our city to do their jobs. Let’s face it, the police union wields strong power over elected officials and the city of Oakland. That will be hard to change. We cannot continue to let the union control and regulate discipline of officers engaged in misconduct when the safety of our community (from overuse of power during arrests, to sexual abuse of minors) is at stake. We need a commission that is made up of a majority of people who are not affected by political influence or games. Please approve the community ballot measure as is and move for full vote by city council. Tonya Love, District 2
I'm in favor of the Kalb/Gallo proposal. Please move the Kalb/Gallo proposal out of Committee to the full City Council for consideration. Thank you.
I'm in favor of the Kalb/Gallo proposal. Please move the Kalb/Gallo proposal out of Committee to the full City Council for consideration. Thank you.
I am in favor of the Gallo and Kalb proposal. The police department needs adequate oversight, and more importantly, removal of arbitration as a "back door" that reverses legitimate decisions in personnel matters. Please support this measure for a better police department and safer Oakland.
No one has yet made a coherent argument leading from the current talk about alleged off-duty sexual behavior by some officers to the notion that Oakland needs a police review commission. Such commissions are inevitably a platform for activists who always know in advance that police did something wrong - the last thing Oakland needs, especially with the expense and bureaucracy of a commission. I urge the councilmembers to give no favors to these activists; find a course of action that leaves the burden on them, with no help from the City.
This proposal is a bit confusing and more limited in scope than the other proposal.