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Oakland Police Department wants to fire 11 officers in warrant scandal - Inside Bay Area

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

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 retirem

Spot.us - Pitch: Oakland Police Blues

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

Oakland Police: Do Not Walk Alone At Night In Lake Merritt

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 City Hall forum tonight to address police-involved shootings - Inside Bay Area

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.”

Oakland Police DUI Checks To Hit North Oakland, December 12th

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   

Jane Tyska v. Art Michel Alameda County DA Does Not File Charges Against Tyska

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