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A Big Step Forward for Civilian Oversight of Police in Oakland, 6/23/09: photos & audio
Advocates for police accountability in Oakland got a boost on Tuesday, June 23rd when the Public Safety Committee voted 3-1 to send the proposal for "civilianizing" citizen complaints against OPD to the full City Council. The Oakland Police Department, its Internal Affairs division, and City Administrator Dan Lindheim put up resistance, but another show of community support for increased civilian oversight at the meeting seems to have kept the majority of committee members focused on pushing the proposal forward. While it remains likely that OPD and Dan Lindheim will continue to resist until the City Council actually votes, it appears probable that a majority of Council members will support the proposal when it comes before them on July 7th. At that point, over $1 million will need to be found to cover the costs of initial implementation that will not be available from the city's general fund due to budget shortfalls this year, but there are a number of potential grants available once the proposal is approved by the full Council.
(Dan Lindheim, third from right in photo below, introduces and opposes the civilianization proposal agenda item. Photos of some of the many speakers in favor of the proposal are further below, along with full audio of meeting.)
(Dan Lindheim, third from right in photo below, introduces and opposes the civilianization proposal agenda item. Photos of some of the many speakers in favor of the proposal are further below, along with full audio of meeting.)
On April 28th, the Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee agreed -- with the Mayor's Task Force on Police Issues, PUEBLO, and a strong showing of community members who spoke at the meeting -- that it would be in Oakland's best interest to "civilianize" citizen complaints against the Oakland Police Department, that is that all such complaints should go to the existing Citizens' Police Review Board (CPRB) rather than allowing OPD internal affairs to continue controlling most of those investigations. At that time, the committee directed members of the Mayor's Task Force, OPD, and the City Administrator to work together to create a plan to implement transferring intake responsibilities for citizen complaints to the Citizen's Police Review Board.
Since then, several meetings between the parties were held but City Administrator Dan Lindheim and OPD essentially continued to resist, coming up with obstacles rather than truly working toward a plan to present to the Public Safety Committee. A rough outline of an implementation proposal was pulled together -- the CPRB would have new hires in place and trained by the beginning of 2010 and then assume responsibility for complaint intake by July 2010 -- but it was not a fully detailed plan. Not having a completed plan was the reason cited by City Council and committee member Larry Reid in voting against the proposal.
The problem with waiting for a full plan, though, is that as long as OPD etc can drag the process out at the committee level they will continue to hem and haw and not contribute to a full plan being developed. For instance, the NSA (Negotiated Settlement Agreement) has been consistently referred to as a hindrance by those opposed to civilianization of citizen complaints, but there's no reason to assume that the CPRB could not live up to the same court supervision that OPD currently is. [The NSA came out of the notorious Oakland Riders case whereby a judge is scheduled to audit the OPD until the middle of 2010 and can extend the court supervision if the court deems OPD has not lived up to its mandated expectations.] Another false dilemma raised by opposition forces is the duplication of citizen complaint intake by both the CPRB and OPD IA, but that is exactly what would have to happen as the transition of responsibilities takes place. Additionally, while funding remains to be found as Dan Lindheim has been eager to point out, funding outside of the City's general funds (i.e. grants) cannot even be applied for until the City Council announces support for the proposal. Lastly, the Mayor's Task Force, PUEBLO, nor private citizens can really push OPD and the City Admin to do anything -- that requires solid direction from the City Council.
Fortunately, the majority of committee members present recognized that, since they had already agreed to support the proposal "in principle" two months ago, that it was time to push it forward and more forcefully direct the City Admin to begin making a more detailed plan for implementation. Council/committee member Nancy Nadel noted that the City has talked about increased civilian oversight of the Oakland Police Department for 12 years and it is finally time to move forward.
PUEBLO is asking supporters to mark Tuesday, July 7th on their calendars and to come speak before the Oakland City Council in support of civilianization of citizen complaints against OPD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note that full transfer of the intake of citizen complaints from OPD IA to the CPRB will represent one step towards the larger goals of police accountability groups. Transfer of the entire citizen complaint process to the CPRB and eventual authority to impose officer discipline are longer term goals. Discipline-related changes will require a modification to the City Charter, and so activists are hoping to get a measure on the ballot mandating such a change in November 2010.
recent related stories
City Admin Dan Lindheim Trying to Kill Civilianization of OPD; We Need You on Tues 6/23!!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/18/18602511.php
We must participate in budget hearings to save civilian police review proposal in Oakland!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/26/18598350.php
For Civilian Oversight of Oakland Police, Please Attend Budget Hearing Thurs. May 28
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/27/18598669.php
Victory for Civilian Oversight of Citizen Complaints Against Oakland Police
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/27/18591408.php
People United for a Better Life in Oakland (PUEBLO)
http://peopleunited.org
Since then, several meetings between the parties were held but City Administrator Dan Lindheim and OPD essentially continued to resist, coming up with obstacles rather than truly working toward a plan to present to the Public Safety Committee. A rough outline of an implementation proposal was pulled together -- the CPRB would have new hires in place and trained by the beginning of 2010 and then assume responsibility for complaint intake by July 2010 -- but it was not a fully detailed plan. Not having a completed plan was the reason cited by City Council and committee member Larry Reid in voting against the proposal.
The problem with waiting for a full plan, though, is that as long as OPD etc can drag the process out at the committee level they will continue to hem and haw and not contribute to a full plan being developed. For instance, the NSA (Negotiated Settlement Agreement) has been consistently referred to as a hindrance by those opposed to civilianization of citizen complaints, but there's no reason to assume that the CPRB could not live up to the same court supervision that OPD currently is. [The NSA came out of the notorious Oakland Riders case whereby a judge is scheduled to audit the OPD until the middle of 2010 and can extend the court supervision if the court deems OPD has not lived up to its mandated expectations.] Another false dilemma raised by opposition forces is the duplication of citizen complaint intake by both the CPRB and OPD IA, but that is exactly what would have to happen as the transition of responsibilities takes place. Additionally, while funding remains to be found as Dan Lindheim has been eager to point out, funding outside of the City's general funds (i.e. grants) cannot even be applied for until the City Council announces support for the proposal. Lastly, the Mayor's Task Force, PUEBLO, nor private citizens can really push OPD and the City Admin to do anything -- that requires solid direction from the City Council.
Fortunately, the majority of committee members present recognized that, since they had already agreed to support the proposal "in principle" two months ago, that it was time to push it forward and more forcefully direct the City Admin to begin making a more detailed plan for implementation. Council/committee member Nancy Nadel noted that the City has talked about increased civilian oversight of the Oakland Police Department for 12 years and it is finally time to move forward.
PUEBLO is asking supporters to mark Tuesday, July 7th on their calendars and to come speak before the Oakland City Council in support of civilianization of citizen complaints against OPD.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note that full transfer of the intake of citizen complaints from OPD IA to the CPRB will represent one step towards the larger goals of police accountability groups. Transfer of the entire citizen complaint process to the CPRB and eventual authority to impose officer discipline are longer term goals. Discipline-related changes will require a modification to the City Charter, and so activists are hoping to get a measure on the ballot mandating such a change in November 2010.
recent related stories
City Admin Dan Lindheim Trying to Kill Civilianization of OPD; We Need You on Tues 6/23!!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/18/18602511.php
We must participate in budget hearings to save civilian police review proposal in Oakland!
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/26/18598350.php
For Civilian Oversight of Oakland Police, Please Attend Budget Hearing Thurs. May 28
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/05/27/18598669.php
Victory for Civilian Oversight of Citizen Complaints Against Oakland Police
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/04/27/18591408.php
People United for a Better Life in Oakland (PUEBLO)
http://peopleunited.org
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it'll be so much more easy to keep the lid on those unruly poor folks next time the police slaughter somebody, now that there are "civilian" government officials holding their reins.
HAHAHAHAHAHA. what a fucking joke.
HAHAHAHAHAHA. what a fucking joke.
currently we have a system in oakland where cops killed 6 people 2008 and the investigations were overseen by a cop who himself beat a man to death and covered it up. not surprisingly the overseer found no fault in the shooting of 6 unarmed oakland citizens. as it is, cops have little reason to think twice before doing whatever they please
full civilian oversight means that when cops attack unarmed people that citizens who are not cops can call those cops to account with discipline. this gives cops reason to think twice before they abuse citizens
many people think of that as an improvement worth making, especially people of color who are abused constantly in east and west oakland. people in the hills and north oakland don't care either way, cops don't beat and shoot them
this story is not yet full civilian oversight with the power to discipline cops. that will have to come in a ballot measure next year
full civilian oversight means that when cops attack unarmed people that citizens who are not cops can call those cops to account with discipline. this gives cops reason to think twice before they abuse citizens
many people think of that as an improvement worth making, especially people of color who are abused constantly in east and west oakland. people in the hills and north oakland don't care either way, cops don't beat and shoot them
this story is not yet full civilian oversight with the power to discipline cops. that will have to come in a ballot measure next year
One poster states: "people in the hills and north oakland don't care either way, cops don't beat and shoot them "
I hope this is not completely, absolutely true because when people whoever they may be become immune to the suffering and violation of human rights of others, we are at a terrible place where it is just each one of us for ourselves, or each demographic group for their own. We do not connect anywhere and we cannot see beyond our own little, selfish world.
I know there are people of all colors from all parts of Oakland who don't want our citizens to be abused, injured or killed by cops. Let's not lump everyone together and make some statement about demographic groups as if everything is stereotypical. It is almost like someone in the Oakland Hills saying that everyone in East Oakland or West Oakland is a thug, robber or muderer. How untrue. Just like someone who might believe if you drive through East or West Oakland something bad is going to happen...how untrue.
Now that I've said that...some of what the poster says is very true. That people who are not abused don't care. Just like people don't care when someone is executed. Of if a child is killed in Pakistan by an american drone. We isolate and become only concerned about our little corner, our family, our people. There is a lot of need for education and for people to open their hearts and minds to the lives of others.
Can we rise above our selves and become a community?
I hope this is not completely, absolutely true because when people whoever they may be become immune to the suffering and violation of human rights of others, we are at a terrible place where it is just each one of us for ourselves, or each demographic group for their own. We do not connect anywhere and we cannot see beyond our own little, selfish world.
I know there are people of all colors from all parts of Oakland who don't want our citizens to be abused, injured or killed by cops. Let's not lump everyone together and make some statement about demographic groups as if everything is stereotypical. It is almost like someone in the Oakland Hills saying that everyone in East Oakland or West Oakland is a thug, robber or muderer. How untrue. Just like someone who might believe if you drive through East or West Oakland something bad is going to happen...how untrue.
Now that I've said that...some of what the poster says is very true. That people who are not abused don't care. Just like people don't care when someone is executed. Of if a child is killed in Pakistan by an american drone. We isolate and become only concerned about our little corner, our family, our people. There is a lot of need for education and for people to open their hearts and minds to the lives of others.
Can we rise above our selves and become a community?
Policing should be a concern to all citizens.
But it is important to note that of the 45 people Oakland police shot between 2004 and 2008, not a single one was of European descent. I do not consider that a coincidence or an aberration.
As for the first commenter here (hahahahahah/joke), when I see something like that my first thought is "Cop!" Cop, trying to sow dissent to civilian oversight. Look who objected to the proposal above, cops and a white city manager. Hahaha clearly is in that category in my mind.
But it is important to note that of the 45 people Oakland police shot between 2004 and 2008, not a single one was of European descent. I do not consider that a coincidence or an aberration.
As for the first commenter here (hahahahahah/joke), when I see something like that my first thought is "Cop!" Cop, trying to sow dissent to civilian oversight. Look who objected to the proposal above, cops and a white city manager. Hahaha clearly is in that category in my mind.
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