9 21-0679 Subject: Additional Police Academy And Enhancing Local Recruitment
From: President Pro Tempore Thao
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution: 1. Authorizing The City Administrator To Use Fiscal Year 2021-22 Police Department Cost Savings To Conduct An Additional Police Academy; 2. Directing The City Administrator To Enhance Efforts To Recruit Police Cadets With Diverse Backgrounds And From Local Community Colleges And Institutions; 3. Directing The City Administrator To Return To Council With Costing For An Additional Police Academy In Fiscal Year 2022-23; And 4. Directing The City Administrator To Return To Council With Potential Options For Providing Childcare For Police Academy Cadets, Including Operational Feasibility And Projected Costs
I am a D4 resident who strongly opposes the funding of an additional police academy. Please vote for the exception so that measure z funding continues without adding more cops, and work to change the police staffing requirement in the measure z reauthorization bill. A big part of the People’s win in the budget vote in June was NO extra police academies. This is a complete betrayal of Oaklanders who worked tirelessly for months to get the city to reimagine public safety. We want resources that actually prevent crime - not more police who only respond after the fact.
We’re also deeply disturbed that the FBI killed 30 year old Jonathan Cortez in East Oakland last week. He leaves behind three children. Libby Schaaf has recently brought in the FBI, the ATF, and the CHP into Oakland. The people want answers about:
What happened, what was the FBI doing in Oakland, what is their scope and under what jurisdiction?
What interactions has the FBI had with the city administration? With the council? Have new agreements been made with the FBI since Libby called them into town? If so, what was city council's role in the process?
How will the City of Oakland hold the FBI and the individual agent accountable?
a criminal justice staff attorney at the ACLU of Northern California (“ACLU)”: ACLU opposes this agenda item requesting funding for a 5th police academy this year and potentially a 6th next year. CM Thao outlines that this is required to ensure compliance with Measure Z. The issue is not helped by lack of will and timely attention, including availability of Measure Z’s exceptions.CM Taylor asked our office to provide legal guidance on this very issue at the outset of the City’s reimagining public safety task force process. My office provided a memo in November 2020 advising that Measure Z has exceptions that may be exercised. Council and City admin could have responded to this concern in late 2020. Our advice was reiterated in a final March 2021 memo. All memos were sent to the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force co-chairs, facilitators, each of the 8 councilmembers, the Mayor, City Attorney, and the City Administrator. We support the council’s decision to reject a similar budget proposal by CM Taylor during the official budget cycle. We encourage Council to do the same here. There is no correlation in police numbers to crime reduction especially when OPD is still performing tasks already directed to be removed by Council. We instead support the policy directive passed with the adopted 2021-22 budget in July to run a Measure Z reauthorization bill to change the minimum staffing requirement. ACLU encourages the Council to vote in opposition.
I do not believe the City of Oakland needs another police academy. The City Administrator has stated that an exemption for having less than 700 sworn officers can be obtained to continue receiving Measure Z funding. Statistics have shown that nationwide even as the police officers per 1,000 residents has dropped in the past 20 years, that violent crime rates have also dropped. We need re-investment in other solutions to the struggles that Oaklanders face that impact public safety.
I support this resolution so that, with the oversight of the Police Commission, the Oakland Police Department can begin moving towards the goals set to diversify the department to ensure all residents are treated respectfully and equitably.
I support an additional police academy. Oakland is now below 700 officers. I read with astonishment that other jurisdictions can request police presence and assistance, and get it- because their police forces have adequate staffing. We also need new officers who are not entrenched in racial profiling practices our city suffers from. There area few who want defund the police, thereare many more who want sufficient staffing doing their job equitably.
I feel the report from the police department in reference to the academy was incomplete. The public should know just what curriculum they are using. Why is only 10% of police force lives in city of Oakland? What is the racial and gender breakdown. Why do so many drop out. Why should we pay for another academy class when this one is not producing and retaining candidates.
I am a D4 resident who strongly opposes the funding of an additional police academy. Please vote for the exception so that measure z funding continues without adding more cops, and work to change the police staffing requirement in the measure z reauthorization bill. A big part of the People’s win in the budget vote in June was NO extra police academies. This is a complete betrayal of Oaklanders who worked tirelessly for months to get the city to reimagine public safety. We want resources that actually prevent crime - not more police who only respond after the fact.
We’re also deeply disturbed that the FBI killed 30 year old Jonathan Cortez in East Oakland last week. He leaves behind three children. Libby Schaaf has recently brought in the FBI, the ATF, and the CHP into Oakland. The people want answers about:
What happened, what was the FBI doing in Oakland, what is their scope and under what jurisdiction?
What interactions has the FBI had with the city administration? With the council? Have new agreements been made with the FBI since Libby called them into town? If so, what was city council's role in the process?
How will the City of Oakland hold the FBI and the individual agent accountable?
a criminal justice staff attorney at the ACLU of Northern California (“ACLU)”: ACLU opposes this agenda item requesting funding for a 5th police academy this year and potentially a 6th next year. CM Thao outlines that this is required to ensure compliance with Measure Z. The issue is not helped by lack of will and timely attention, including availability of Measure Z’s exceptions.CM Taylor asked our office to provide legal guidance on this very issue at the outset of the City’s reimagining public safety task force process. My office provided a memo in November 2020 advising that Measure Z has exceptions that may be exercised. Council and City admin could have responded to this concern in late 2020. Our advice was reiterated in a final March 2021 memo. All memos were sent to the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force co-chairs, facilitators, each of the 8 councilmembers, the Mayor, City Attorney, and the City Administrator. We support the council’s decision to reject a similar budget proposal by CM Taylor during the official budget cycle. We encourage Council to do the same here. There is no correlation in police numbers to crime reduction especially when OPD is still performing tasks already directed to be removed by Council. We instead support the policy directive passed with the adopted 2021-22 budget in July to run a Measure Z reauthorization bill to change the minimum staffing requirement. ACLU encourages the Council to vote in opposition.
I do not believe the City of Oakland needs another police academy. The City Administrator has stated that an exemption for having less than 700 sworn officers can be obtained to continue receiving Measure Z funding. Statistics have shown that nationwide even as the police officers per 1,000 residents has dropped in the past 20 years, that violent crime rates have also dropped. We need re-investment in other solutions to the struggles that Oaklanders face that impact public safety.
I support this resolution so that, with the oversight of the Police Commission, the Oakland Police Department can begin moving towards the goals set to diversify the department to ensure all residents are treated respectfully and equitably.
I support an additional police academy. Oakland is now below 700 officers. I read with astonishment that other jurisdictions can request police presence and assistance, and get it- because their police forces have adequate staffing. We also need new officers who are not entrenched in racial profiling practices our city suffers from. There area few who want defund the police, thereare many more who want sufficient staffing doing their job equitably.
I feel the report from the police department in reference to the academy was incomplete. The public should know just what curriculum they are using. Why is only 10% of police force lives in city of Oakland? What is the racial and gender breakdown. Why do so many drop out. Why should we pay for another academy class when this one is not producing and retaining candidates.