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Yesterday, the new Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts set himself apart from other lawmen. He's been making the rounds in community meetings throughout the city, but yesterday he spoke of his life mission and love of young people. In his passionate and charming talk as keynote for the Martin Luther King community celebration at the Taylor United Methodist Church in West Oakland, he spoke with honesty about his difficult upbringing in South Central Los Angeles, losing a young person on the streets of Long Beach, and finding the answer to the question"God, why am I here"? The crowd of 1000 got on their feet when he asked people to take a pledge to do anything it takes to prevent violence like the kind that paralyzed Christopher Rodriquez (who was in the audience). He asked the crowd, "What would you do if failure wasn't an option" and rejected the complacency and numbness that seems to follow violent street crimes. Could the police department finally have ...

More at Zennie62.com | Follow me on Twitter! | Get my widget! | Visit YouTube | Visit UShow.com Oakland Councilmember Jean Quan has an email newsletter with some interesting information. Take this item with the headline "Community Policing and Other City News". The Councilmember reports that the Oakland Police have set up a red light camera at High and Foothill (paragraphs broken by me): Red-light Camera Now In Place at High and Foothill: In an effort to reduce red-light related accidents, OPD announced it installed a Red Light Camera Enforcement System (RLCES) at High St. and Foothill Bl. The system will capture red-light violations and warning notices will be mailed to violators for 30 days. After the 30 day warning period, starting September 29, 2009, citations will be issued for red light violations. The four intersections in the City now being monitored by the automated red-light camera system will be marked by an advisory street sign, notifying app...

This Chicago Police Department car was spotted in San Francisco  after the Oakland funeral for the four murdered Oakland Police officers. According to the blogger "AVCR8TEUR": Many of you might have read about the tragic shooting death of four Oakland police officers last week. This past Friday, police department representatives from all over the world attended the memorial service held at Oakland's Oracle Arena. Eight representatives from the Chicago Police Department drove 38 hours through a snowstorm in Wyoming to Oakland to show their support. The spotting of police from around the country happened to this blogger, too.  While at a new sports bar called "Players" in San Francisco, I met six members of the Boston Police Department who, while they didn't want to be on video, did give me an honorary badge!   Thanks BPD!

More at Inside Bay Area : “OAKLAND — In the wake of the shooting deaths of four police officers, African-American leaders from around the city gathered Wednesday morning for a closed-door meeting to discuss issues facing the black community. They said the killing by Lovelle Mixon, a 26-year-old fugitive parolee, was the tipping point for black clergy, civic leaders and police to air their concerns and create an action plan to address youth violence. The slayings also provide a lens to look more closely at existing rehabilitation and re-entry programs for ex-offenders and parolees, they said. "We are saddened and in shock," said Raymond Lankford, a pastor and founder of Healthy Oakland, a community organization that promotes nonviolence. "Words can't express what we feel."”

Tonight our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the officers who gave their lives defending peace in our city. This is undeniably one of the worst days in Oakland’s history. It is impossible to explain such a senseless and tragic crime. Our police officers risk their lives every day that they are on the job, and we honor them for their service, their bravery and their dedication to Oakland. The members of the City Attorney’s Office grieve the horrible loss of officers who dedicated their lives to serving and protecting our city. Our sincerest condolences go to their families, their colleagues and the entire Oakland Police Department. John A. Russo Oakland City Attorney

More at Inside Bay Area : “OAKLAND — The family of Jerry Amaro III, who died a month after suffering broken ribs from an alleged police beating in 2000, filed a $10 million civil-rights lawsuit against the city in federal court Tuesday. The lawsuit follows revelations last month that the FBI is conducting an investigation of the incident, including the role played by then-Lt. Edward Poulson, who was later promoted to captain and became head of the department's Internal Affairs Division in 2008. Poulson was placed on paid leave Jan. 22. Attorneys John Burris and Jim Chanin said Amaro was the victim of excessive police force, but also said that a number of officers conspired to cover up the facts surrounding his death, and to conceal information from Amaro's family and the public.”

Oakland police chief resigns, blasts City Council - Inside Bay Area : “Criticizing the Oakland City Council for paying only "lip service" to resources for public safety, embattled Police Chief Wayne Tucker announced his resignation this morning. Tucker, at a press conference, spoke for about 10 minutes and then handed the podium to Mayor Ron Dellums. "Quite frankly I've lost faith in the City Council," Tucker said. "They've given lip service to public safety in the city." Oakland City Council members on Monday said that Tucker should resign or be fired because of scandals plaguing his department -- a position they planned to announce at a news conference today while calling for a vote of no-confidence.” -- I don't think Chief Tucker understands how to run a police force in a 21st Century urban environment like Oakland, especially in the wake of the Oscar Grant murder.

More at Inside Bay Area : “OAKLAND — The Oakland Police Department wants to fire 11 officers at the center of the department's search warrant controversy, pending an administrative hearing, police and city officials confirmed Thursday. The officers were told of the department's plans earlier this week through a letter sent to their homes. The group includes two sergeants but no command staff. Another officer, Karla Rush, was given notice last year that the department wanted to fire her. The department also wants to suspend at least one officer and cleared several others, sources said. In total, 18 officers were under investigation in relation to the search warrant imbroglio. The department wants to fire the officers because of false statements made on sworn affidavits given to judges in hopes of securing search warrants for the homes of mostly suspected small-time drug dealers in East Oakland. Some officers also were given notice because they gave untruthful statements to inter...

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 retirem...

Visit Spot.us : “What's really wrong with OPD? The reported failings of the Oakland Police Department are serious and well-known. Cops lie to obtain search warrants. Brass assign detectives with known ties to the suspects they are investigating. On any given day, the department has an absentee rate of 30 percent. Morale is in the cellar. The current chief has taken a leave of absence, and from the outside, it's not clear who's running things at 445 7th Street. By interviewing current and former Oakland police officers I hope to arrive at a deeper understanding of what ails OPD, what internal culture gives rise to the failings described above. This is not the sort of reporting that is likely to turn up evidence of concealed wrongdoing, but rather it seeks to shine a light on problems that are hiding in plain sight.” -- Only $31.73 to go to raise money for Alex Gronke and The Oakbook to cover this story. It's part of a new website company called "Spot.us" where...

During dinner with a good friend, I had a chance conversation with Oakland Police beat officers in the Lake Merritt area. After a lively talk, they told me to share with you this message: do not walk by yourself at night. Even as the area is safer after the arrest of the "Takeover Robbers" the terrible economy leaves many vulnerable. There's an increased police presence around Central Oakland, but the police totally do not want you to walk anywhere by yourself at night. Period.

Oakland forum tonight to address police-involved shootings - Inside Bay Area : “Forum on officer-involved shootings: Oakland's Citizens' Police Review Board will hold a public forum tonight on officer-involved shootings after the city saw a string of them earlier this year. The event begins at 6:15 p.m. in City Council chambers at 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza. Patrick Caceres, Citizens' Police Review Board analyst, said the forum will include presentations from the Oakland Police Department on use of force and what procedures the department goes through when officers do fire their weapons. Also scheduled to attend is Jim Chanin, an attorney who has represented clients in a number of police misconduct cases. "The main reason this was organized is because there were a number of high-profile officer-involved shootings at the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008," Caceres said.”

Just in time for the holiday party season we have this report of a planned DUI check by the blog "Oakland North".  The basics are that Oakland Police are planning a DUI check point set up "somewhere between the Oakland / Berkeley Boarder, which I take to mean College Avenue, or Telegraph Avenue, or Claremont Avenue.   That's the heart of the North Oakland dining district.   Here's the rest of the Oakland North post: The DUI checkpoint show will be coming to an intersection near you, on December 12, somewhere along the North Oakland and Berkeley border. While the casual, wine-with-dinner drinker and driver might do well to mark that date on the calendar and avoid getting behind the wheel at all, it’s worth revisiting that fuzzy, ill-understood question of just how much drinking it does take to meet the fateful 0.08% blood alcohol limit. MORE   

Today's Oakland Tribune contains happy news for Oakland Tribune photographer Jane Tyska, myself, and others in the media.  The Alameda County District Attorney has declined to file charges against Tyska, who was wrongly accused of vadalism and inciting a riot by irate Oakland School District Police Chief Art Michel.  Were it not for Tyska's quick thinking to video the entire interaction with Michel,  the officer would have gotten away with filing a false police report and defaming Tyska's character.   I for one and very happy for Jane, almost to tears.  I don't care how that reads, it's not appropriate for anyone in a position of authority, and especially carrying firearms to act in the way Michel did, who reportedly has mistreated Tyska before  .  If you hav not seen the video that was "seen round Oakland" and part of the World, here it is: The next question is what's next? Will the Oakland Tribune file charges? Will Jane? Or is this the en...

Remember our blog post featuring a chilling video showing how Oakland Unified School District Police Chief Art Michel verbally abused and detained Oakland Tribune photographer Jane Tyska? To refresh, Chief Michel claims that Tyska hit his police cruiser with her camera, where Tyska says she did not and indeed, the video shows that she was making a video of a protest. Michel used his claim to launch a verbally abusive tirade against Tyska, an event that he's reportedly very remorseful about.   (If you've not seen the video, it's here: Well, I just talked with a good friend of mine who will not be revealed, and who reports that this episode was not the first time Tyska has had a "run-in" -- as my friend put it -- with Art Michel. My source is not clear regarding the reasons for Michel's dislike for Tyska, but it's clear he's got something against her. My source also personally has known Police Chief Michel for some time but has n...

Oakland Tribune photographer Jane Tyska was just doing her job when an Oakland Police Officer named Art Michel alledgedly hit Tyska as she was filming.  It's too bad Jane didn't get a shot of the car as it went by -- I'd have done that right off.  But it's clear the Oakland Police are developing a kind of track record of hostility to the press.  First there's the matter of Chauncey Bailey, then there's this issue of the way Jane was treated and detained. Police should consider journalists as off-limits to their treatment.  To treat someone the way Michel handled Jane, who I know, is not only terrible, it should be grounds for dismissal.  I view it as interfering with a journalist's job, just as a police officer has the right to charge a person who keeps them from doing their job.  It's obvious Officer Michel was being unnecessarily harsh with Tyska.  He should be forced to at the very least apologize to Jane.  Michel was out of line....

In the matter of determining just really who murdered Chauncey Bailey last year and why, I just talked with another source who personally w as ups et that Sargent Derwin Longmire was being accused of wrong doing.  "Longmire was interfering with the case of another investigator who was over the Yusuf Bey case (where Bey is the CEO of Your Black Muslim Bakery), and who was very upset with him because of his actions.  This other investigator told Longmire that it was not his case to be involved with" said my source, who talked on condition of   anonyimity .    The question is why did Longmire get involved with the Yusuf Bey case?  The Oakland Tribune reported that the persons involved would not talk with them.  But what they mean is they would not speak on the record.   My source contends with vigor that Longmire "is a good, upstanding police investigator.  A good man".   The source says that the entire matter has been turned over to O...

Van Jones is an Oakland-based author, activist, and spokesperghts who's known for his work in civil rights and against violence in Oakland. But I went to talk with him about his newest work: a book he wrote called The Green Collar Economy.

This League of Women Voters video gives two views on the proposed parcel tax for the City of Oakland Called Measure NN. The basic argument is that this pays for much needed more police officers. The measure on the ballot reads: To provide more police services to neighborhoods and businesses for the purpose of preventing crime and enhancing resources for investigation of crimes, shall the City of Oakland authorize a parcel tax to fund the cost of (1) adding a total of 105 police officers and 75 police services technicians; (2) a crime data management system for crime analysis; and (3) mandatory independent annual audits and evaluations with performance standards?

I agree that we need more police, but will people vote for a new tax in this economic climate?  I guess is "yes."   Here's the Tribune  ... Oakland chamber backs tax to boost city police force By Kelly Rayburn Oakland Tribune Article Last Updated: 10/02/2008 11:00:57 PM PDT OAKLAND — Measure NN, the city's ballot measure to impose a parcel tax in exchange for more police officers, will have the support this fall of the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, whose CEO called it key to attracting business and changing the perception of Oakland as an unsafe city. The ballot measure would add 105 police officers and 75 police services technicians over a three-year period. It would also mandate use of a new crime-data management system. "The chamber has been a vocal and consistent advocate for improving public safety," chamber Chief Executive Officer Joe Haraburda said in a statement. "Getting more cops on the street will help reduce crime, increase inc...