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Oakland’s City Council Created This Public Safety Crisis A Diminishing Number of Police Officers and Soaring Violent Crime – Oakland Police Officers Look for Solutions to Better Serve our Hardest Hit
Dec 20, 2021
Contact: Oakland Police Officers' Association
Phone: (510) 834-9670
Email: policeofficers@opoa.org
December 20, 2021
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oakland’s City Council Created This Public Safety Crisis
A Diminishing Number of Police Officers and Soaring Violent Crime – Oakland Police Officers Look for Solutions to Better Serve our Hardest Hit Residents.
OAKLAND – This weekend Oakland suffered homicide #133 - the highest number since 2006 - and the Oakland Police Department’s sworn staffing fell to 669 - the lowest number since 2014. This year 700 people have been shot in Oakland. That equates to an average two people shot per day in 2021, and a homicide just about every two days.
Despite dwindling numbers, Oakland Police Officers, continue to work hard for Oakland. Today, Oakland Police Officers embraced redeployment; putting more police officers in patrol - to answer 911 calls - and more officers in the neighborhoods hardest hit by violent crime.
“I am proud of the dedicated, determined and hardworking women and men of the Oakland Police Department that strive every day to serve our residents. While some Council members just talk about crime, Oakland Police Officers are on Oakland’s blood-soaked streets responding to the victims of the violent crime. The redeployment announced today is but a band-aid to stop the bleeding until the Oakland’s City Council embraces the reality that the city needs a minimum of 1,000* police officers.” said Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan.
Oakland has more than double the violent crime rate of the other two large bay area cities. But the San Francisco Police Department is authorized 2,140 police officers and San Jose 1,157.
About the Oakland Police Officers’ Association: The Oakland Police Officers’ Association (OPOA) represents all sworn members at all ranks within the Oakland Police Department. Representing the hardest working Police Officers in America. The OPOA can be found on the Web at www.opoa.org.
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* The average statewide police staffing number is on average 235 police officers per 100,000 population. Oakland would need 1,048 sworn police officers (56% increase) just to attain statewide average, not accounting at all for Oakland’s high crime rate.
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