S4 21-0350 Subject: Reimagining Public Safety Task Force Recommendations
From Councilmember Fife And Council President Fortunato Bas
Recommendation: Adopt A Resolution Prioritizing Recommendations From The Reimagining Public Safety Task Force For Consideration In The Fiscal Year 2021-2023 Budget
I urge the council to defund the police department by 50% and approve the Report and Recommendations from the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. I urge the council to implement the recommendations by the Defund Police Coalition.
My name is Cherri Murphy and I am a social justice minister in the East Bay and a faith rooted organizer with East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) . Now more than ever, city council needs to incorporate specific recommendations that APTP and the Defund Police Coalition have crafted over the past 6 months to Reimagine Public Safety in the Town. It’s time Oakland City Council take action to refund and reinvest in a stronger and safer Oakland by defunding the Oakland Police Department by 50%.
#ReimagineNotReform
D4 resident here in full support of the visionary leadership of DEFUND OPD coalition's organizing and the recommendations of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. Oakland deserves well funded services for mental health, housing, education, and victims of gender based violence to name a few. We need more resources to keep us safe, not more police! I urge the council slash the police budget by 50% so Oaklanders can truly thrive. The time is now to prioritize the recommendations of the RPSTF.
My name is Angela Noel. I’m a member of Faith in Action East Bay and Imani Church. I’m speaking to items #2 & S4 to remind the Council of the upcoming budget’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s a chance to open closed doors, attend to long ignored problems, served the unserved—all of which brings safety and healing to every single Oaklander. That said, give priority to the following while you’re Reimagining AND BUILDING Public Safety:
- NUMBER ONE IS CEASEFIRE: a data-driven, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS IN REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. Make SURE Ceasefire has ALL the funds it needs for continued success. This issue is spoken to in recommendation #149.
- About MACRO (#57), I have 4 words: Invest Long-term. Implement. Now.
- FINALLY, PRIORITIZE RECOMMENDATION #122 & safeguard our most vulnerable youth. Prioritize restorative & transformative wrap-around hubs, for instance; housing, & other essential youth-focused investments.
REMEMBER: Ceasefire, MACRO, wrap around hubs for youth!
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth and alternative responses to police. This means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, gender based violence prevention, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
I urge the Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife to remove 50% of the police budget and to refund our community. I support all RPSTF recommendations investing in youth programming and services as well as all recommendations developed to address root causes and create alternative responses to Police.
I also recommend the council to move recommendation #122 and #109 to Phase 1 to increase investment in youth leadership and to create school-site based violence prevention and crisis intervention teams.
I care deeply that the city of Oakland invests in the future of youth now by supporting the Task Force’s recommendations; it is vital to increasing safety for youth and our entire community.
Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland’s youth are prioritized and invested in.
In community,
Jamela Joseph, D6 Resident
Alameda County Director, Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Facilitator, Youth Advisory Board
I am writing as a resident of District 1 to express my strong support the shifting of resources from OPD to other departments in Oakland to better support and uplift our community. The police department has taken hold of the city's budget and left all other aspects of Oakland under resourced. Enforcement and criminalization should never be a cities priority. hope Oakland shifts its fund to support it's residents and not put more law enforcement on the streets with costly military grade equipment that we frankly do not need.
I am a D3 resident in complete support of the recommdations set forth by the Reimagining Task Force. It is time to reimagine what public safety looks like, in a way that prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of all of us. It is time that we refund the community and invest those funds into the things that will actually keep us all safe like housing, food, mental health services. I demand that the city council to make the right decision today and spot wasting money on the bloated police budget and instead invest in actual public safety.
I strongly urge City Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Public Safety Task force and resolution recommendation #122, being put forth by Councilmember Fife and Council President Bas. This recommendation will increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and Oakland youth leaders. Oakland young people deserve to have the resources and investment that nourishes their leadership, which in turn, will ripple into their lives and nourish Oakland's future. As someone who has worked closely with Oakland youth leaders for the past 5 years, I have seen the ways tangible investment in the forms of financial resources, programmatic support, and leadership opportunities for young people leads to positive transformation and change in. Oakland youth deserve more than being asked to give recommendations, but to be in seats where they are decision-makers for policies that will continue to impact them, their peers, families, and communities. Thank you in advance for supporting Oakland Youth Leaders and supporting recommendation #122.
My name is Angie Tam, 32 years resident of Oakland. I'm writing to ask the Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Task Force, especially Recommendation 82: basic income program., and subset of recommendations advocated by Coucilmember Fife and Council President Fortunato Bas. Thank you.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I'm a resident in Oakland, District 4. I'm writing to ask the Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Task Force. It is time to Reimagine Not Reform OPD, which has taken far too many resources with very little to show for it. In my neighborhood, I can see first hand that the safest communities don’t have the most cops, they have the most resources. Resources to put into housing, schools, parks, community programs and small businesses. By reallocating our bloated police budget to fund proven drivers of public safety, we can take care of our people and have the safe neighborhoods everyone desires.
I fully support the recommendations put forward by APTP and the Defund Police Coalition. They provide a roadmap for transforming public safety in Oakland by:
- investing in alternatives to law enforcement for mental health crises and other emergencies;
- moving 911 calls out of OPD;
- adequately funding gender-based violence prevention, response and survivor support services;
- decriminalizing sex work and homelessness and expanding harm reduction programs;
- funding street teams and violence interrupters in community and in schools;
- moving traffic enforcement out of OPD;
- expanding restorative and transformative justice programs;
- capping OPD overtime; and
- eliminating wasteful spending on stuff like OPD’s mounted horse unit, BearCat armored vehicle, and burglary alarm dispatch.
As a young person in Oakland and a youth leader, I strongly support Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially in regards to recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
Invest in youth - invest in the future of Oakland in the right ways. This means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices. You will support their journey in developing advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city. You will make a positive impact on their lives and that shape them into more engaged Oaklanders. As much as there was a push for College and Career readiness in school, do the same through this policy. Being prepared for the future is more than just harder math problems, it means involving youth in all aspects of policy advocacy.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I would like to urge city council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Council member Fife, recommendation #122 in particular which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and Oakland Youth leaders. Youth are demanding that they no longer be an after thought and it’s time for adults to listen! Adopt recommendation #122 and support the continued leadership of the powerful Oakland Youth who put forth this recommendation. The young people know what they need and it’s time that city council listens. Thank you in advance for your support of recommendation #122.
I am writing as a D5 resident, member of the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission and supporter of a strong and effective citywide youth leadership strategy. I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
The Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth during the RPSTF process who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. We need to refund and priortize early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
I urge you to adopt recommendation #122 today and to invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Please vote to ensure that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122 as a Phase I priority.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers by supporting recommendation #122.
I completely support this resolution's prioritizations and scope and and moving these into this real and actionable timeline is what we so need. The vision is here and it is inspiring. It's time. To a just future that starts now.
Oakland youth have long been an afterthought for our elected officials. It's time for that to change. By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will be investing in opportunities for youth to develop the necessary leadership and advocacy skills to help change their communities, their beloved city, and ultimately, themselves and their lives. By investing in youth, you are investing in the future. Don't take this opportunity lightly. r as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I urge the council to defund the police department by 50% and approve the Report and Recommendations from the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. I urge the council to implement the recommendations by the Defund Police Coalition.
My name is Cherri Murphy and I am a social justice minister in the East Bay and a faith rooted organizer with East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) . Now more than ever, city council needs to incorporate specific recommendations that APTP and the Defund Police Coalition have crafted over the past 6 months to Reimagine Public Safety in the Town. It’s time Oakland City Council take action to refund and reinvest in a stronger and safer Oakland by defunding the Oakland Police Department by 50%.
#ReimagineNotReform
D4 resident here in full support of the visionary leadership of DEFUND OPD coalition's organizing and the recommendations of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force. Oakland deserves well funded services for mental health, housing, education, and victims of gender based violence to name a few. We need more resources to keep us safe, not more police! I urge the council slash the police budget by 50% so Oaklanders can truly thrive. The time is now to prioritize the recommendations of the RPSTF.
My name is Angela Noel. I’m a member of Faith in Action East Bay and Imani Church. I’m speaking to items #2 & S4 to remind the Council of the upcoming budget’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s a chance to open closed doors, attend to long ignored problems, served the unserved—all of which brings safety and healing to every single Oaklander. That said, give priority to the following while you’re Reimagining AND BUILDING Public Safety:
- NUMBER ONE IS CEASEFIRE: a data-driven, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAM THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED SUCCESS IN REDUCING GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. Make SURE Ceasefire has ALL the funds it needs for continued success. This issue is spoken to in recommendation #149.
- About MACRO (#57), I have 4 words: Invest Long-term. Implement. Now.
- FINALLY, PRIORITIZE RECOMMENDATION #122 & safeguard our most vulnerable youth. Prioritize restorative & transformative wrap-around hubs, for instance; housing, & other essential youth-focused investments.
REMEMBER: Ceasefire, MACRO, wrap around hubs for youth!
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth and alternative responses to police. This means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, gender based violence prevention, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
I urge the Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife to remove 50% of the police budget and to refund our community. I support all RPSTF recommendations investing in youth programming and services as well as all recommendations developed to address root causes and create alternative responses to Police.
I also recommend the council to move recommendation #122 and #109 to Phase 1 to increase investment in youth leadership and to create school-site based violence prevention and crisis intervention teams.
I care deeply that the city of Oakland invests in the future of youth now by supporting the Task Force’s recommendations; it is vital to increasing safety for youth and our entire community.
Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland’s youth are prioritized and invested in.
In community,
Jamela Joseph, D6 Resident
Alameda County Director, Fresh Lifelines for Youth
Facilitator, Youth Advisory Board
I am writing as a resident of District 1 to express my strong support the shifting of resources from OPD to other departments in Oakland to better support and uplift our community. The police department has taken hold of the city's budget and left all other aspects of Oakland under resourced. Enforcement and criminalization should never be a cities priority. hope Oakland shifts its fund to support it's residents and not put more law enforcement on the streets with costly military grade equipment that we frankly do not need.
I am a D3 resident in complete support of the recommdations set forth by the Reimagining Task Force. It is time to reimagine what public safety looks like, in a way that prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of all of us. It is time that we refund the community and invest those funds into the things that will actually keep us all safe like housing, food, mental health services. I demand that the city council to make the right decision today and spot wasting money on the bloated police budget and instead invest in actual public safety.
I strongly urge City Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Public Safety Task force and resolution recommendation #122, being put forth by Councilmember Fife and Council President Bas. This recommendation will increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and Oakland youth leaders. Oakland young people deserve to have the resources and investment that nourishes their leadership, which in turn, will ripple into their lives and nourish Oakland's future. As someone who has worked closely with Oakland youth leaders for the past 5 years, I have seen the ways tangible investment in the forms of financial resources, programmatic support, and leadership opportunities for young people leads to positive transformation and change in. Oakland youth deserve more than being asked to give recommendations, but to be in seats where they are decision-makers for policies that will continue to impact them, their peers, families, and communities. Thank you in advance for supporting Oakland Youth Leaders and supporting recommendation #122.
My name is Angie Tam, 32 years resident of Oakland. I'm writing to ask the Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Task Force, especially Recommendation 82: basic income program., and subset of recommendations advocated by Coucilmember Fife and Council President Fortunato Bas. Thank you.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I'm a resident in Oakland, District 4. I'm writing to ask the Council to support the recommendations proposed by the Reimagining Task Force. It is time to Reimagine Not Reform OPD, which has taken far too many resources with very little to show for it. In my neighborhood, I can see first hand that the safest communities don’t have the most cops, they have the most resources. Resources to put into housing, schools, parks, community programs and small businesses. By reallocating our bloated police budget to fund proven drivers of public safety, we can take care of our people and have the safe neighborhoods everyone desires.
I fully support the recommendations put forward by APTP and the Defund Police Coalition. They provide a roadmap for transforming public safety in Oakland by:
- investing in alternatives to law enforcement for mental health crises and other emergencies;
- moving 911 calls out of OPD;
- adequately funding gender-based violence prevention, response and survivor support services;
- decriminalizing sex work and homelessness and expanding harm reduction programs;
- funding street teams and violence interrupters in community and in schools;
- moving traffic enforcement out of OPD;
- expanding restorative and transformative justice programs;
- capping OPD overtime; and
- eliminating wasteful spending on stuff like OPD’s mounted horse unit, BearCat armored vehicle, and burglary alarm dispatch.
Thank you,
Razzu Engen
Fairfax, Oakland
As a young person in Oakland and a youth leader, I strongly support Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially in regards to recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
Invest in youth - invest in the future of Oakland in the right ways. This means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices. You will support their journey in developing advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city. You will make a positive impact on their lives and that shape them into more engaged Oaklanders. As much as there was a push for College and Career readiness in school, do the same through this policy. Being prepared for the future is more than just harder math problems, it means involving youth in all aspects of policy advocacy.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I would like to urge city council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Council member Fife, recommendation #122 in particular which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and Oakland Youth leaders. Youth are demanding that they no longer be an after thought and it’s time for adults to listen! Adopt recommendation #122 and support the continued leadership of the powerful Oakland Youth who put forth this recommendation. The young people know what they need and it’s time that city council listens. Thank you in advance for your support of recommendation #122.
I am writing as a D5 resident, member of the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission and supporter of a strong and effective citywide youth leadership strategy. I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
The Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth during the RPSTF process who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. We need to refund and priortize early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
I urge you to adopt recommendation #122 today and to invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Please vote to ensure that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122 as a Phase I priority.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers by supporting recommendation #122.
I completely support this resolution's prioritizations and scope and and moving these into this real and actionable timeline is what we so need. The vision is here and it is inspiring. It's time. To a just future that starts now.
Oakland youth have long been an afterthought for our elected officials. It's time for that to change. By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will be investing in opportunities for youth to develop the necessary leadership and advocacy skills to help change their communities, their beloved city, and ultimately, themselves and their lives. By investing in youth, you are investing in the future. Don't take this opportunity lightly. r as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.
I would like Council to support the resolution put forth by Council President Bas and Councilmember Fife, especially recommendation #122 which would increase investment in the Oakland Youth Advisory Commission and the Oakland Police & Community Youth Leadership Council.
During the RPSTF process, the Youth Advisory Board heard from hundreds of Oakland youth who wanted elected officials to invest in youth - the future. It means refunding and prioritizing early intervention, housing, mental health and substance use counseling, school safety, restorative justice, job and career pathways, and most importantly youth leadership engagement opportunities.
By taking action to adopt recommendation #122 today, you will invest in pathways for youth to amplify their voices and develop advocacy skills that are necessary to change the city, and in effect, change their own lives. You will prepare youth to become more college and career ready. You will give thousands of youth the opportunity to shape our city’s future as well as their own.
Let’s all come together as a community and truly work for all Oakland youth to be college, career and life ready. Thank you in advance for your support and continued leadership in ensuring that Oakland youth have the opportunity to be decision-makers of their future by supporting recommendation #122.