As a resident of District 1, I want to strongly encourage the city council to immediately act to defund the Oakland Police Department and to redirect those funds into tangible support for the community of Oakland. Focusing on housing and nutrition stability, mental health care, and community led conflict resolution programs will do far more to make Oakland a safer city than pouring more money into a clearly problematic institution.
Hi, my name is Isabel Garcia, I’m 15 years old and I live in Downtown Oakland and attend Oakland Technical High School. As you know many Oakland residents have proposed to cut the Oakland Police Department budget by 50%. The Oakland Police Department has a history of police violence and brutality that will ultimately never end unless the police department is defunded and lessened. The Oakland Police Department budget should be distributed back into the youth groups, help for the homeless population, job training, and school, as well as to support civilians' jobs such as teachers, social workers, and healthcare workers, who have a vital part in protecting and improving the Oakland community. There should be a focus on allocating these funds to support people of color communities and underfunded neighborhoods.
All-around, the city of Oakland will see a drastic change in the improvement and decreased police-related violence with the defunding of the police department.
Hello, I am an Oakland resident in District 1 and I am asking that you reduce OPD's budget by at least 50%. OPD has been a dangerous embarrassment for decades with no real change in crime despite a growing budget. By reducing or even better yet, completely defunding OPD, we can invest that money into programs which will have a much greater, and more humane effect on crime. Especially with the budget crisis caused by Covid-19, we need to invest our budget into effective services, such as education, jobs, mental health care, and restorative justice.
I was born in Oakland, and am a current D1 resident. I am asking that the Mayor and Council defund OPD by 50% (at the very least), prevent general funds from being used for settlements and unauthorized overtime, and that that money be reinvested into the services that actually make us safe, in particular housing. I suggest putting more into ACAH.
I am an educator who worked in OUSD for years. I am also a person of faith and member of Oak life Church who lives in District 1. I support Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that Oakland Police Department by defunded by at least 50% with a goal to invest $150 million into the Black New Deal. I want CHP's contract to end and I want to end the use of tear gas on protestors. This is the MINIMUM request that should be followed to support black and brown lives. I have encountered the police many times in my work and have been frightened and horrified by the misuse of power, funds, in violence in the name of "order". I have seen police harm black and brown people and believe that if actually invest in the WELFARE of BIPOC and seek alternatives to police, that we would be much closer to solving this crisis than if we continued to make the same mistake over and over by investing too much money in OPD.
I am an Oakland resident in District 3 and I ask that we begin defunding the OPD by at least 50%, with that great amount of money being reinvested back into productive services within our community. Mental health care, housing, education, medical emergency services; all can benefit from the millions of dollars being spent on a police department that is overfunded and uninterested in protecting and serving our community,
You guys are after $25 M to balance. 7:30 at Gallo's House was Staged to support illegal use of Y funds. You should budget better... Don't Have Funded Non Profits writing off Losses in Millions of $$$.
I am a life-time Oakland resident and member of SURJ Bay Area, writing to support the Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that the city council defund the Oakland Police Department by at least 50%, and that you reinvest those critical resources into life-affirming services that actually keep our communities safe, prioritizing the leadership and demands from our Black community.
As Oakland residents, we therefore demand that you take immediate action to ensure the following:
-Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
-Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
-Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, and mental health workers to keep the community safe.
Oakland can not wait any longer for a budget that meets the needs of its residents. The only way to achieve this is to take immediate steps to Defund OPD.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Atkins-Pattenson
Resident of Oakland, D3
My name is Rev. Kurt A. Kuhwald. I am an Oakland resident writing or the Council to place itself in the stream of change that is sweeping this country. An immediate transfer of Oakland Police Department budget monies to be used for funding community and public service needs to develop a forward looking, truly transformative City budget. The amount that needs to be transferred is 50% of the OPD budget.
My name is Gabriel Haro and I am calling to reallocate Oakland police funding towards education, health, housing and other services that will support our community with a conscious effort to reduce inequities for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Queer, Trans, folks as well as those impacted economically by COVID and those facing homelessness. I also call towards increasing the ability of Oakland residents to hold OPD accountable by reducing the influence of the Police Officers' Association (or better yet dissolving it entirely), granting more power to the police commission, and changing the makeup of the commission to reflect Black and Brown communities rather than using mayor appointees.
I have been an Oakland resident (District 1) for the past 9 years. We ask that you do the following:
1. Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
2. Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
3. Discontinue use of general fund dollars to pay for settlements due to police murder, misconduct, and negligence
4. Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, and mental health workers to keep the community safe
Please do us the courtesy of discussing this in terms of Oakland, and not how it works in cities in which we do not live, go to school, or work. Please stop pumping money into the OPD when there are hundreds of ways in which it will be better spent. Stop the bleeding.
My name is Pete Woiwode, I live in District 1, and I am asking that the city council take action today to defund the police department by 50%, return that money to the Black community, and cancel the contract with CHP.
My name is Tatiana Fiermonte, I am an Oakland Resident, and like many others I am writing in to call for the defunding of the Oakland PD. Police violence must end, and reform has not and will not work. Defund by at LEAST 50% and reinvest in other social programs that will actually help far more than funneling cash into over-policing. Please, actually listen to your community and take action to change things in Oakland for the better.
My name is Gabriella Mingoia and I live in District 2. I demand that the Oakland Police Department be defunded by 50% and the city invest in housing, jobs, mental health workers, and restorative justice. It is unacceptable that over 40% of our city's budget is allocated the police department. The police do not protect and serve our community, but rather terrorize our community. If the city wants to protect and serve us, then they should invest in the community, not policing. Defund the police now.
I second the concern brought up by another commenter, lorenzo reynoso, at 12:58pm PDT in this agenda. What happened to the 50+ comments under agenda item 7 that suddenly disappeared minutes ago? I hope this can be resolved and the comments replaced where they were posted.
My name is Jacob Kahn and I'm a resident of District 5 (previously of 1 and 3), urging you to commit to begin defunding the Oakland Police Department. It is unaccountable, obstinate, unfathomably wasteful, and does not keep our communities safe—it terrorizes them. We've seen this in the inflammatory, arbitrary, and violent response to recent protests, and we see this every day in the way the police act with impunity to systematically target, endanger, and harm communities and persons of color.
This process begins by defunding OPD's general fund budget by at least 50% and committing that $150 million to community services (health, housing, work, environmental justice, and schools) in Black and Brown communities.
I am a district 1 resident and educator and I am writing to support Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that city council defund the Oakland Police Department by at least 50%, invest that $150 million into the Black New Deal, stop the use of violence against protestors, and cancel CHP's contract and remove them from Oakland. I believe these policies are just the start of what we, as a community, must do in order to keep our Black and brown residents safe. I am tired of cuts to education while our police budget grows. We CANNOT allow major cuts to education and other essential programs (that are already underfunded!) due to the anticipated COVID-19 related budget shortfall, while continuing to fund a police department that terrorizes our Black residents, people without access to housing, and protestors standing up for what is right.
I call on you to meaningfully reduce the Oakland Police Department’s funding during this month’s budget adjustments and prioritize saving and expanding essential investments in our communities most impacted by police violence.
Reforms of policing practices alone are not enough. The scandal-plagued OPD consumes 44% of Oakland’s General Fund, more than nearly any other major city in the nation. This does nothing but further harm low-income communities of color. I agree with Council Member Fortunado Bas: we need to de-invest in OPD and further invest in the “fundamental needs of every community member." We must meet this moment and listen to the millions across our country who are demanding action as we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Erik Salgado, and countless other victims of police murder around the country.
I am calling on the council to reduce the OPD budget by 50%. Near my home, people live in tents under the freeway and in parks. Dozens of public schools are slated to close. City workers are denied adequate raises and benefits. Mental health services are near nonexistent. Yet, the city continues to spend obscene amounts on militarizing the police and paying out ridiculous overtime and settlements. It is time for the council to prioritize the well being of our communities, rather than violence. Invest that $150 million into public services that include housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice programs, and mental health services to actually improve the quality of life of Oakland communities. I also demand that you advocate for OUSD to terminate their police contracts and eliminate school police. Also, cancel the California Highway Patrol's (CHP's) contract and remove them from the City of Oakland permanently.
As a resident of District 1, I want to strongly encourage the city council to immediately act to defund the Oakland Police Department and to redirect those funds into tangible support for the community of Oakland. Focusing on housing and nutrition stability, mental health care, and community led conflict resolution programs will do far more to make Oakland a safer city than pouring more money into a clearly problematic institution.
Hi, my name is Isabel Garcia, I’m 15 years old and I live in Downtown Oakland and attend Oakland Technical High School. As you know many Oakland residents have proposed to cut the Oakland Police Department budget by 50%. The Oakland Police Department has a history of police violence and brutality that will ultimately never end unless the police department is defunded and lessened. The Oakland Police Department budget should be distributed back into the youth groups, help for the homeless population, job training, and school, as well as to support civilians' jobs such as teachers, social workers, and healthcare workers, who have a vital part in protecting and improving the Oakland community. There should be a focus on allocating these funds to support people of color communities and underfunded neighborhoods.
All-around, the city of Oakland will see a drastic change in the improvement and decreased police-related violence with the defunding of the police department.
I am a D1 resident calling for the immediate defunding of OPD by at least 50%. Follow APTP's leadership and invest in proactive systems, not policing.
Hello, I am an Oakland resident in District 1 and I am asking that you reduce OPD's budget by at least 50%. OPD has been a dangerous embarrassment for decades with no real change in crime despite a growing budget. By reducing or even better yet, completely defunding OPD, we can invest that money into programs which will have a much greater, and more humane effect on crime. Especially with the budget crisis caused by Covid-19, we need to invest our budget into effective services, such as education, jobs, mental health care, and restorative justice.
I was born in Oakland, and am a current D1 resident. I am asking that the Mayor and Council defund OPD by 50% (at the very least), prevent general funds from being used for settlements and unauthorized overtime, and that that money be reinvested into the services that actually make us safe, in particular housing. I suggest putting more into ACAH.
I am an educator who worked in OUSD for years. I am also a person of faith and member of Oak life Church who lives in District 1. I support Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that Oakland Police Department by defunded by at least 50% with a goal to invest $150 million into the Black New Deal. I want CHP's contract to end and I want to end the use of tear gas on protestors. This is the MINIMUM request that should be followed to support black and brown lives. I have encountered the police many times in my work and have been frightened and horrified by the misuse of power, funds, in violence in the name of "order". I have seen police harm black and brown people and believe that if actually invest in the WELFARE of BIPOC and seek alternatives to police, that we would be much closer to solving this crisis than if we continued to make the same mistake over and over by investing too much money in OPD.
I am an Oakland teacher and I support defunding the Oakland police department by 50%!
I am an Oakland resident in District 3 and I ask that we begin defunding the OPD by at least 50%, with that great amount of money being reinvested back into productive services within our community. Mental health care, housing, education, medical emergency services; all can benefit from the millions of dollars being spent on a police department that is overfunded and uninterested in protecting and serving our community,
You guys are after $25 M to balance. 7:30 at Gallo's House was Staged to support illegal use of Y funds. You should budget better... Don't Have Funded Non Profits writing off Losses in Millions of $$$.
Dear Mayor Schaaf and City Council Members,
I am a life-time Oakland resident and member of SURJ Bay Area, writing to support the Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that the city council defund the Oakland Police Department by at least 50%, and that you reinvest those critical resources into life-affirming services that actually keep our communities safe, prioritizing the leadership and demands from our Black community.
As Oakland residents, we therefore demand that you take immediate action to ensure the following:
-Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
-Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
-Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, and mental health workers to keep the community safe.
Oakland can not wait any longer for a budget that meets the needs of its residents. The only way to achieve this is to take immediate steps to Defund OPD.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Atkins-Pattenson
Resident of Oakland, D3
My name is Rev. Kurt A. Kuhwald. I am an Oakland resident writing or the Council to place itself in the stream of change that is sweeping this country. An immediate transfer of Oakland Police Department budget monies to be used for funding community and public service needs to develop a forward looking, truly transformative City budget. The amount that needs to be transferred is 50% of the OPD budget.
My name is Gabriel Haro and I am calling to reallocate Oakland police funding towards education, health, housing and other services that will support our community with a conscious effort to reduce inequities for Black, Brown, Indigenous, Queer, Trans, folks as well as those impacted economically by COVID and those facing homelessness. I also call towards increasing the ability of Oakland residents to hold OPD accountable by reducing the influence of the Police Officers' Association (or better yet dissolving it entirely), granting more power to the police commission, and changing the makeup of the commission to reflect Black and Brown communities rather than using mayor appointees.
I have been an Oakland resident (District 1) for the past 9 years. We ask that you do the following:
1. Reduce OPD’s allocation from the General Fund by 50% (roughly $150 Million)
2. Disallow unauthorized overtime by OPD
3. Discontinue use of general fund dollars to pay for settlements due to police murder, misconduct, and negligence
4. Invest in housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice, and mental health workers to keep the community safe
Please do us the courtesy of discussing this in terms of Oakland, and not how it works in cities in which we do not live, go to school, or work. Please stop pumping money into the OPD when there are hundreds of ways in which it will be better spent. Stop the bleeding.
My name is Pete Woiwode, I live in District 1, and I am asking that the city council take action today to defund the police department by 50%, return that money to the Black community, and cancel the contract with CHP.
My name is Tatiana Fiermonte, I am an Oakland Resident, and like many others I am writing in to call for the defunding of the Oakland PD. Police violence must end, and reform has not and will not work. Defund by at LEAST 50% and reinvest in other social programs that will actually help far more than funneling cash into over-policing. Please, actually listen to your community and take action to change things in Oakland for the better.
My name is Gabriella Mingoia and I live in District 2. I demand that the Oakland Police Department be defunded by 50% and the city invest in housing, jobs, mental health workers, and restorative justice. It is unacceptable that over 40% of our city's budget is allocated the police department. The police do not protect and serve our community, but rather terrorize our community. If the city wants to protect and serve us, then they should invest in the community, not policing. Defund the police now.
I second the concern brought up by another commenter, lorenzo reynoso, at 12:58pm PDT in this agenda. What happened to the 50+ comments under agenda item 7 that suddenly disappeared minutes ago? I hope this can be resolved and the comments replaced where they were posted.
My name is Jacob Kahn and I'm a resident of District 5 (previously of 1 and 3), urging you to commit to begin defunding the Oakland Police Department. It is unaccountable, obstinate, unfathomably wasteful, and does not keep our communities safe—it terrorizes them. We've seen this in the inflammatory, arbitrary, and violent response to recent protests, and we see this every day in the way the police act with impunity to systematically target, endanger, and harm communities and persons of color.
This process begins by defunding OPD's general fund budget by at least 50% and committing that $150 million to community services (health, housing, work, environmental justice, and schools) in Black and Brown communities.
I am a district 1 resident and educator and I am writing to support Anti Police-Terror Project's demands that city council defund the Oakland Police Department by at least 50%, invest that $150 million into the Black New Deal, stop the use of violence against protestors, and cancel CHP's contract and remove them from Oakland. I believe these policies are just the start of what we, as a community, must do in order to keep our Black and brown residents safe. I am tired of cuts to education while our police budget grows. We CANNOT allow major cuts to education and other essential programs (that are already underfunded!) due to the anticipated COVID-19 related budget shortfall, while continuing to fund a police department that terrorizes our Black residents, people without access to housing, and protestors standing up for what is right.
I call on you to meaningfully reduce the Oakland Police Department’s funding during this month’s budget adjustments and prioritize saving and expanding essential investments in our communities most impacted by police violence.
Reforms of policing practices alone are not enough. The scandal-plagued OPD consumes 44% of Oakland’s General Fund, more than nearly any other major city in the nation. This does nothing but further harm low-income communities of color. I agree with Council Member Fortunado Bas: we need to de-invest in OPD and further invest in the “fundamental needs of every community member." We must meet this moment and listen to the millions across our country who are demanding action as we mourn the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Erik Salgado, and countless other victims of police murder around the country.
I am a resident and voter in District 1.
I am calling on the council to reduce the OPD budget by 50%. Near my home, people live in tents under the freeway and in parks. Dozens of public schools are slated to close. City workers are denied adequate raises and benefits. Mental health services are near nonexistent. Yet, the city continues to spend obscene amounts on militarizing the police and paying out ridiculous overtime and settlements. It is time for the council to prioritize the well being of our communities, rather than violence. Invest that $150 million into public services that include housing, jobs, youth programs, restorative justice programs, and mental health services to actually improve the quality of life of Oakland communities. I also demand that you advocate for OUSD to terminate their police contracts and eliminate school police. Also, cancel the California Highway Patrol's (CHP's) contract and remove them from the City of Oakland permanently.