City of OaklandCandidate for Mayor

Oakland is in the midst of a public safety crisis: 134 people were killed in our city in 2021, and we are on track to [meet/surpass] that number in 2022. As families and communities––including those in my city council district, representing an outsize percentage of these tragic killings––mourn loved ones and try and pick up the pieces, our police officers simply cannot keep up. 

A recent report showed that, over the course of 11 months last year, there were 115 instances in which Oakland police were so overwhelmed with 911 calls that they had to prioritize on the fly, sending officers only to emergencies that seemed to present imminent danger. It is absolutely crucial that, as we try to solve the root causes of crime and homicide in our city, we fix the resource gaps and staffing shortages that are adding to the chaos.

I have always believed that our city deserves a more deliberate response: one that is not subject to political tides, but instead emerges from our deep familiarity with Oakland’s particular issues and how they relate to national conversations about gun violence, police violence, and racism.

I co-led Oakland’s Reimagining Public Safety Task Force to develop innovative and equitable solutions to our public safety challenges, many of which we adopted in the current city budget. In November, I introduced my “Stand TALL Oakland” Call to Action, a comprehensive plan to reduce the amount of gun violence and crime we are experiencing across Oakland and Alameda County.

Some elements of the plan are already moving forward and this month I am proposing legislation to advance others. Finally, we’re making progress. 

My plan has five equally important parts, the first of which—increasing the number of sworn officers through the police academies—was approved in December when the council funded two new academies. 

Second, we must increase our ability to solve crimes and hold perpetrators accountable by expanding the number of civilian staff working on OPD criminal investigations. These civilian investigators (who do not carry weapons or make arrests) can be activated immediately, as opposed to the 5-8 months it takes to stand up new officers. Similar investments have already proven effective at enhancing public safety across the country. 

Third, we should install surveillance cameras in key areas of our city to aid in those investigations. This should be carried out in consultation with privacy experts, including the Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission, and in a manner that respects civil liberties.

Fourth, we must quickly fill the eight positions needed to fully staff the Ceasefire unit, an innovative homegrown public safety model that has been proven to have enormous impact on reducing gun violence and recidivism, ending gang activity, and strengthening police-community relations. 

Fifth, we need an informational report from the city administrator that includes a proposal for doubling the clearance rate of homicides, a plan for increasing the number of sworn officers to 800, a summary of funding opportunities for new gun tracing efforts, data on the effectiveness of 911 surge units, and a plan to ensure equitable 911 response across Oakland. 

Public safety is an intersectional issue requiring a focus on racial justice, investment in new technologies, and yes, adequately resourcing our law enforcement and violence prevention teams with well-trained and community-minded men and women. That’s why delivering real public safety for every Oakland community demands a detailed, multi-pronged, comprehensive approach like mine. 

As Mayor, I will make these systemic, comprehensive change to immediately reverse the trend of homicides and crime in our communities.