Mayor, Let's Have That Conversation
on Police Staffing

By Charles Pine

At his most recent town hall meeting on Oct. 13, Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums said, "If you want to go to 1,100 police, then let's have that conversation." He was replying to my statement that Oakland maintains only half a police department. Most major cities have 35 to 45 officers per 10,000 residents; Oakland has only 18. I concluded that we need at least 1,100 officers, up from 720 or so today, in order to achieve peaceful neighborhoods across our city.

The mayor's statement was a dramatic change from his assessment three weeks earlier, "I don't believe the residents support the idea of a huge increase in the police force."

We all hear the endless reports of outrageous muggings, armed robberies, auto thefts and vandalism, not to mention disruptions by sideshows and "boom cars" with their hyped-up stereos. We need real police presence on the streets. Devotees of the thug culture of disrespect should know an officer is nearby and will respond promptly. We need investigators to identify those who have attacked and burglarized. We need community policing officers and walking officers who work on festering issues without having to rush to the next 9-1-1 call.

Chart added by ORPN. Source: OPD reports

To be fair to the mayor, understaffing and excuses for it were around for years before Ron Dellums walked into City Hall. Reading the budgets for 1994 and 2005, we find that total City staffing increased by 357 positions – but net hiring of police officers was less than two dozen. Most current members of the city council held office when it imposed a hiring freeze of nearly three years on the police department. The ban ended only after voters passed Measure Y and its taxes, yet we have fewer officers today than when the measure was written. Why pay more money for fewer police? We can have fewer police for free. Meanwhile, Los Angeles added 330 officers net in the last two years.

A common response insists we must balance policing with social programs that are supposed to address the "roots" of violence. The rhetoric of balance is either misinformed or cynical. In the past decade and more Oakland has spent many tens of millions of dollars on such programs. Real balance today means getting to at least 1,100 officers.

How might the mayor promote a conversation about staffing the police force and re-orienting the City's billion dollar budget to do it? For a start, he could convene a public panel including the voice that has made much of the public aware of our police staffing shortage. In genuine discussion and debate, not a scripted show, we could get into people's concerns and make real progress toward uniting around a plan for peaceful neighborhoods in this potentially great city.

Mayor Dellums, I'm ready to talk and listen. Are you ready for the conversation?