By Sarah Ravani

Oct. 14, 2022

Two gunmen fire 30 rounds at an East Oakland school, injuring six. A 5-year-old girl is wounded when gunfire breaks out at a peewee football game. Two teenage brothers are shot and killed at a birthday party in North Oakland. The owner of a beloved Filipino restaurant is slain in front of his young son.

These are some of the tragedies that have broken the hearts of Oaklanders over the past year as gun violence grips the city.

The city’s next mayor will have to grapple with how to tackle the crisis — and Oakland’s 10 mayoral hopefuls say they know what to do.

Half of the 10 candidates want to grow the police force. Six candidates said they would expand a new city program that sends civilians to respond to some 911 non-violent calls, in theory freeing up police to focus on violent crime. Those same six also say they want to increase investments in the city’s Department of Violence Prevention.

Their proposals come as voters become increasingly concerned about gun violence in the wake of spiking homicides since the pandemic began. Oakland recorded more homicides in 2021 than in any year since 2012. The city is on pace for similar numbers this year with 101 homicides so far compared to 102 at this point last year.

The uptick in violence has many Oaklanders on edge. Earlier in the week, business leaders gathered outside of City Hall — where a victim was shot to death a month ago — to call for boosting the number of police officers to 900. Oakland has about 680 officers now. It’s budgeted for 752 officers but has struggled to attract and retain staff. The group also wants the city to start downtown foot patrols.

Zack Wasserman, chair of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, said at the event that crime is “out of control.”

Many voters seem to agree with Wasserman. A poll of voters last fall found that 78% are concerned about crime. Two-thirds of respondents said they feel less safe in Oakland than they did in 2017.

“Most people are just tired and want to see real change,” said Jim Ross, an Oakland-based political consultant.

Many of the mayoral candidates want to see the police force grow. Loren Taylor, a council member and third-generation Oaklander, supports growing the department to 800 cops.

Loren Taylor, a council member and third generation Oaklander, supports growing the department to 800 cops. Taylor speaks to the attendees during the Jewish Community Mayoral Candidate Forum at Temple Sinai on September 15, 2022.

Loren Taylor, a council member and third generation Oaklander, supports growing the department to 800 cops. Taylor speaks to the attendees during the Jewish Community Mayoral Candidate Forum at Temple Sinai on September 15, 2022.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Staff Photographer / The Chronicle

Taylor said he wants a police academy added next year to help increase staffing for violent crime investigations. Oakland’s homicide clearance rate was 35% last year and is at 43% so far this year, which critics say is too low.

Ignacio De La Fuente, a former council member who represented the Fruitvale from 1992 to 2013, wants up to 800 officers. He said he would give the department the political support to attract experienced officers. Seneca Scott, a neighborhood activist, said he wants to see the department grow to 900 officers and audit each city department to “identify waste” in their budgets to give to the police.

The police department has grappled with a rise in attrition over the years. Most recently, it’s reported about nine officers leaving per month all year, said Barry Donelan, the head of the city’s police union. Donelan said if the department assumed it had an average attrition of five officers per month, it would still take years to build the department up to 900.

Plus, it’s challenging to recruit officers in Oakland, Donelan said.

“This profession, folks don’t want to come into it,” he said.

In addition, Oakland’s police academies have had low graduation rates — this year, the department held five academies, three of which will graduate before 2023. The first academy started with 39 trainees, but only 26 graduated. A second academy started with 40 trainees and graduated 30.

The department’s third and fourth academies started with 26 trainees. One is in session and another will graduate next year.

Council Member Sheng Thao, who said she wants to hire the number of officers currently budgeted, wants to work with the chief to create a pipeline from Merritt College. Thao is seen at the Jewish Community Mayoral Candidate Forum at Temple Sinai on September 15, 2022.

Council Member Sheng Thao, who said she wants to hire the number of officers currently budgeted, wants to work with the chief to create a pipeline from Merritt College. Thao is seen at the Jewish Community Mayoral Candidate Forum at Temple Sinai on September 15, 2022.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez, Staff Photographer / The Chronicle

Council Member Sheng Thao said she wants to hire the number of officers currently budgeted and is hoping to work with the chief to create a pipeline from Merritt College.

Ross said voters have a strong desire for an in-person response following a 911 call. People are often asked to fill out a report online when they call 911 to report a stolen item.

Overall, the candidates supported expanding a new city program — called MACRO — that sends civilians to respond to some 911 non-violent calls. The pilot project, which began taking 911 calls in August, serves only East and West Oakland right now, but six candidates — Council Member Treva Reid, Gregory Hodge, Allyssa Victory, Tyron Jordan, Taylor and Thao — said they would like to expand it citywide.

The program, which is in an 18-month pilot phase, received $5 million in city funds for operation costs.

Officials are in the process of hiring 10 more people to join the staff of 26 so they can add a swing shift. Michael Hunt, a spokesman for the Fire Department, said there isn’t enough data yet to know how much it would cost to expand it citywide. It’s also not yet clear whether the program has freed up police.

In addition, six candidates — with the exception of De La Fuente, Scott, Peter Liu and John Reimann — said they would like to see more investment in the city’s Department of Violence Prevention, a small department tasked with addressing gun violence in Oakland that operates on a budget of about $25 million over two years.

Hodge said the police department should have 700 officers — fewer than currently budgeted but more than the positions currently filled — and focus on serious crime. He’d also like to double funding for the Department of Violence Prevention and he wants to create a program similar to Richmond’s Office of Neighborhood Safety, which was responsible for a 55% decrease in gun-related homicides and assaults between 2010 and 2016. The program is similar to the city’s Ceasefire program, but unlike Ceasefire it offers cash to its participants.

Ross said Oaklanders are fed up with the status quo and want to see change now.

“How are you going to improve public safety? How are you going to clean up the streets? That’ s the best message that would resonate with folks right now,” Ross said. “How are you different than now?”

Sarah Ravani (she/her) is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani