Jane Tyska Foe Art Michel Resigns -Oakland schools police chief leaving - Inside Bay Area

More at Inside Bay Area: “OAKLAND — Art Michel, the Oakland school district police chief who detained a Tribune videographer last fall during a student protest, will leave the department this week, school district spokesman Troy Flint confirmed Tuesday.

Flint would not give the reasons behind Michel's departure, saying that it was a personnel matter that had yet to be approved by the school board. But some familiar with the situation say the police chief's resignation might have been triggered — at least, in part — by concerns about compensation and benefits, rather than by his confrontation with photojournalist Jane Tyska on Oct. 31, which was captured on video.

Michel retired from the Oakland Police Department as a sergeant in 2003 after 31 years of service. In 2007, he joined the newly resurrected Oakland school district force as a lieutenant and was promoted to interim chief in January 2008. But questions recently arose about Michel's employment in light of his retirement status, such as whether he was "double-dipping" by receiving a salary from one public entity and retirement benefits from another.

Michel declined to answer questions for this story. Flint would not say whether Michel was, in fact, receiving retirement benefits and a salary simultaneously.”

Geoffrey's, a place to be and be seen, is closing - Inside Bay Area

More at Inside Bay Area: “Geoffrey's Inner Circle, the popular black-owned and -operated nightclub in downtown Oakland, is closing.

Owner Geoffrey Pete said little Tuesday other than he is transferring the lease to a church and a nonprofit. Pete has complained in the past, however, that police were unfairly targeting his night spot as well as other black-owned clubs downtown, many of which have closed in the past few years.

Some of the clubs closed voluntarily or were pressured to do so by the city after crowds leaving the establishments were involved in fights, shootings and sideshows that resulted in injuries and death. Police said the incidents ate up overtaxed police resources as officers from beats around the city were called in to restore order and make arrests.

Geoffrey's drew a mature, well-heeled crowd and had relatively few problems compared with other now-defunct nightclubs, such as Mingles and Sweet Jimmie's, but Oakland police Sgt. Kyle Thomas said that changed when Geoffrey's hosted monthly First Saturdays events. Thomas said that just this past weekend more than 30 Oakland police officers and six Alameda County sheriff's deputies responded to help 20 private security guards deal with fights that had broken out among approximately 500 people gathered in the intersection of 14th and Franklin streets after Geoffrey's closed at 1:30 a.m. Sunday.”

Oakland BART Police Shooting Update News

This is a review of the latest (to this date) information on the BART Police shooting of Oscar Grant. The Grant family lawyer John Burris has filed a $25 million damage claim. Two protests are planned for Wednesday one at 3 PM at Fruitvale BART.