Contact: Oakland Police Officers' Association

Phone: (510) 834-9670 

Email: policeofficers@opoa.org

March 1, 2021 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

OAKLAND – Crime numbers released this morning showed that in February Oakland suffered ten (10) more murders, added to the already grisly toll of fifteen (15) murders in January 2021. Twenty-five (25) murders so far in 2021, is a 400% increase year over year. There were a further 103 injury shootings and an additional 153 shootings where a home or vehicle was struck. That works out as more than four (4) shootings a day so far in 2021.      

“Oakland residents and police officers experienced another month of staggering bloodshed on our streets. All the while Oakland’s City Council and Police Commission never addressed the violence and just continued the ‘defund the police’ rhetoric.” said Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan.  

The Oakland Police Department has already seen the disbandment of numerous police units, including traffic enforcement, all walking and bicycle units, and officers in community resource teams that address violence in specific Oakland neighborhoods.