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Police

Gripped by Oversight
How the Police Commission controls OPD’s equipment and operational effectiveness
 • 
Rajni Mandal
3
Policing the police: Oakland's push to remove Internal Affairs from the police department
Oakland considers civilianizing misconduct investigations
 • 
Rajni Mandal
2
Twenty years under watch: will Oakland police finally exit federal oversight this year?
A court hearing is scheduled for July. The federal monitor has used ambiguous evaluation criteria and has not issued a mandatory quarterly report…
 • 
Rajni Mandal
3
Oakland releases police staffing study—it says a minimum of 877 officers are needed
After denying a public records request, the city reversed course and released the full report
 • 
Tim Gardner
7
Oakland is withholding a 2024 police staffing study that cost residents $310,000
The 300-page study says Oakland needs 805 sworn police officers, but the city won’t release it, claiming exemption under the California Public Records…
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Tim Gardner
9
“Our officers have been conditioned to do as little as possible—to stay out of trouble”
Zealous investigations of Oakland police officers have created a downward spiral of morale and performance
 • 
Rajni Mandal
12
Oakland Police Department can’t escape oversight—one man stands in the way
Federal monitor Robert Warshaw has a long history of exploiting distressed cities for personal financial gain. Is he doing it to Oakland?
 • 
Sanjana Friedman
39
Oakland Police Commission punts on the pursuit policy—Chief Mitchell takes charge
At the latest Police Commission meeting, Chief Mitchell states he will revise the pursuit policy. He notes that officers "fear doing their job" due to…
 • 
Rajni Mandal
Governor Newsom gives Oakland an ultimatum on policing
Newsom took aim at the Oakland Police Commission who recently refused a city council directive to update the police pursuit policy
 • 
Rajni Mandal
17
Oakland's city employee counts show a dramatic shift in service priorities over five years
Public safety staff declined by 206 employees (-12%), and other departments added 336 employees (+13%). Police are slated to bear the majority of…
 • 
Tim Gardner
21
Oakland’s crime data mess: How politicians are playing shell games with public safety
Cherry-picked stats and untested reforms have left Oakland’s public safety in disarray.
 • 
Tim Gardner
10
Oakland employee compensation grew 2.5 times faster than inflation, far outpacing other cities
Since 2013, Oakland grew employee compensation by $411M. That’s $184M more than needed to keep pace with inflation. It far exceeds raises of other…
 • 
Michael Ubell
 and 
Tim Gardner
37
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