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Agenda Item
7.1 23-0838 Subject: OPD Biannual Staffing Report
From: Oakland Police Department
Recommendation: Receive An Informational Report Of The Oakland Police Department's 2023 Biannual Staffing Levels As of September 30, 2023
Crime levels are too high for the current level of OPD officers. Though it is not always the case that more officers is always the most effective policy choice, the streets of Oakland are lawless right now because of the lack of basic accountability. People drive around the city recklessly with covered or no plates in cars that are obviously not ensured. Though I support automated ticketing cameras, even they are not sufficient for this type of crime. Automated cameras with sufficient enforcement will not result in the kind of results I believe this council wants to see with respect to public sentiment around those cameras. We need both to ensure there is proper deterrence for crime. We need to budget more money to increase the number of OPD officers and staff and hold people accountable for basic criminal acts.
--Tables 2a, 2b, and 2c show a shocking deterioration in police response times; the city needs to prioritize reversing this trend with near-term measures (more officers) and long-term measures (appropriate consequences and rehabilitation for perpetrators.
--In the definitions of the crime priority levels, it's not clear where in-progress break-ins and thefts to residences and businesses fall--are they considered priority 2 "in-progress misdeamors?"
--Table 4. It would be helpful to define "cleared" for the general public
--Table 13, 2nd column adds up to 117%, not 100%.
As per the report, OPD response times are far too long. We need increased staffing so that our residents and businesses receive the support they deserve. 725 officers is not enough for a city our size with high crime levels.
Crime levels are too high for the current level of OPD officers. Though it is not always the case that more officers is always the most effective policy choice, the streets of Oakland are lawless right now because of the lack of basic accountability. People drive around the city recklessly with covered or no plates in cars that are obviously not ensured. Though I support automated ticketing cameras, even they are not sufficient for this type of crime. Automated cameras with sufficient enforcement will not result in the kind of results I believe this council wants to see with respect to public sentiment around those cameras. We need both to ensure there is proper deterrence for crime. We need to budget more money to increase the number of OPD officers and staff and hold people accountable for basic criminal acts.
--Tables 2a, 2b, and 2c show a shocking deterioration in police response times; the city needs to prioritize reversing this trend with near-term measures (more officers) and long-term measures (appropriate consequences and rehabilitation for perpetrators.
--In the definitions of the crime priority levels, it's not clear where in-progress break-ins and thefts to residences and businesses fall--are they considered priority 2 "in-progress misdeamors?"
--Table 4. It would be helpful to define "cleared" for the general public
--Table 13, 2nd column adds up to 117%, not 100%.
As per the report, OPD response times are far too long. We need increased staffing so that our residents and businesses receive the support they deserve. 725 officers is not enough for a city our size with high crime levels.