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Agenda Item
4 26-0503 Subject: OPD Staffing Report
From: Oakland Police Department
Recommendation: Receive A Bi-Annual Informational Report From The Police Department On Recruiting And Police Staffing Levels
Last year Oakland had both record low officers and record low homicides.
I continue to beg you to view police staffing through a lens reality and data.
Some information you should know, via Oakland Observer.
OPD’s staffing report, current as of late February, shows an extended high attrition rate and low academy completion rate that combined has led to the plummeting police numbers. 30 officers have left since November, 2025 for example–an astonishing figure that's nearly equal to the total number of academy graduates expected for the fiscal year's worth of academies.
Several factors to note above all others in the exits from OPD. One is the historically high figure for migration to another police agency since last March—at 28 it’s as many as the previous two years combined.
A questionable presentation of data follows the numbers, citing the "top" rationales for leaving, but not actually citing the data. OPD argues then that officers are leaving due to the fear of heavy discipline and the negotiated settlement agreement, but gives no data or description of what "top" means.
13 officers were terminated, per the data since that same date, another high water mark. Retirement remained high with 22 officers retiring during that same period.
I am a candidate for Oakland Mayor 2026, it is essential we have more police than the current level. For a city this size and with all the crime, I would open up the flood gates for recruitment. We need big changes, not baby steps The police commissioners who think we don't think we need more police are wrong.Infact, I think we need to remove the police commission and replace it with an advisory police commission. In addition we need to change the ordiances of Oakland and reduce all the oversight on our OPD, both of these matters are hindering our offices from doing carrying out their duties. P.S. I believe it is also hindering our recruitment.
Last year Oakland had both record low officers and record low homicides.
I continue to beg you to view police staffing through a lens reality and data.
Some information you should know, via Oakland Observer.
OPD’s staffing report, current as of late February, shows an extended high attrition rate and low academy completion rate that combined has led to the plummeting police numbers. 30 officers have left since November, 2025 for example–an astonishing figure that's nearly equal to the total number of academy graduates expected for the fiscal year's worth of academies.
Several factors to note above all others in the exits from OPD. One is the historically high figure for migration to another police agency since last March—at 28 it’s as many as the previous two years combined.
A questionable presentation of data follows the numbers, citing the "top" rationales for leaving, but not actually citing the data. OPD argues then that officers are leaving due to the fear of heavy discipline and the negotiated settlement agreement, but gives no data or description of what "top" means.
13 officers were terminated, per the data since that same date, another high water mark. Retirement remained high with 22 officers retiring during that same period.
I am a candidate for Oakland Mayor 2026, it is essential we have more police than the current level. For a city this size and with all the crime, I would open up the flood gates for recruitment. We need big changes, not baby steps The police commissioners who think we don't think we need more police are wrong.Infact, I think we need to remove the police commission and replace it with an advisory police commission. In addition we need to change the ordiances of Oakland and reduce all the oversight on our OPD, both of these matters are hindering our offices from doing carrying out their duties. P.S. I believe it is also hindering our recruitment.