COUNCIL PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE SHENG THAO’S STATEMENT ON THE PASSAGE OF HER UNILATERAL POLICE HIRING PLAN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - December 7th 2021
Press Contact:
Brandon Harami, Council Aide
bharami@Oaklanca.gov
OAKLAND CA - Oakland City Council President Pro Tempore Sheng Thao released the following statement after the passage of her unilateral police hiring plan:
“Our city is facing a public safety crisis and our ability to respond to and investigate violent crimes has been deeply hampered due to a staffing crisis in the Police Department. While I believe that the solution to violent crime is deeper investments in our communities and in non-police interrupters, we must have adequate staffing in our police department to ensure we can remain Measure Z compliant and increase our abysmal clearance rate.
“This is why I introduced a plan to begin a national recruitment effort for quality officers. This plan is bold and disruptive and recognizes that waiting until 2023 for new recruits to finish training will not fill the vacancies we have now. I am thrilled the City Council recognized the need for this plan and voted to pass it today and look forward to working out new incentive programs at the December 21st Council meeting.”
“This policy does not touch one cent of the historic $18 million in investments we made into violence interruption programs and moving forward I am committed to investing more dollars into the Department of Violence Prevention and other critical, non-police responses to crime. Furthermore, I am committed to continuing this holistic response to violent crime by working to bring more dollars into affordable and transitional housing, healthcare, childcare, and other strong economic investments into our city.
“From delayed 911 responses, lack of crossing guards, inadequate traffic engineers, and gaps in firefighter coverage, the Administration continues to struggle to hire adequate staff across the board. My office is working diligently to fill these critical roles with passionate public servants who love this city as much as I do.”
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