A "Top 100" Squad – or a Walking Officer?

A few days ago, City Hall and police chief Tucker announced their latest plan to combat violent crime in Oakland, Operation Ceasefire.

The team of police and social workers will create and maintain a list of the supposedly 100 most violent thugs. Each one will be called in (although it might be difficult to find the nine wanted for murder) and given a choice: clean up your act and we'll give you job counseling and such, or know that we will prosecute you to the full.

For context, here's what happened in the Dimond district last night, according to the partner of the victim:

My boyfriend, who is 6 feet 4 inches, was jumped last night between 10:30 and 11:00 p.m. walking to his car.  This was not on some side street, but right in front of Cybelle's Pizza at Fruitvale Ave and MacArthur Blvd.

The thugs were two black males, approximately 19-22 years old, 5 feet 10 inches, with rows/twist hair about shoulder length.

They ambushed him from behind. He ran out into the street. They pushed his face into the ground and hit him on the head. He now has a large gash in his forehead and on his nose. Fortunately, someone drove by and yelled, and the thugs took off.

He called 9-1-1. The dispatcher told him to wait in the area until the police arrived. Really!?!

A couple of months ago  our neighbor was attacked at the BofA ATM on Fruitvale at MacArthur Blvd. He too was assaulted, thrown to the ground and had a gash on his head. He described similar perpetrators.

This is bulls**t. If there was a regular beat cop who knew the area and the regulars, maybe we wouldn't have to suffer this mindless repetition of violence and crime.

We love our neighborhood, but have had enough of the issues surrounding us. This brazen assault, right out in the open street, is a painful example of the failure of the City and its representatives.

– Posted by Adrienne to a neighborhood list

We don't know whether the two thugs qualify for the Top 100. If there are approximately 2,000 active criminals who commit 95 percent of the crime in Oakland, the odds are 9-to-1 that neither of them are targets of Operation Ceasefire.

Dimond residents have called for restoration of their walking officer for over a year. Late this Spring they got a part-time officer who spends two days a week in the Dimond and three days a week on other duties.

Operation Ceasefire brings in no new police officers. Just the opposite, it takes staff away from regular patrol, investigations, and community policing.

Oakland has half a police department. Until the city council comes up with a solid commitment and plan to get to at least 1,100 officers, neither Fruitvale Avenue, MacArthur Boulevard, nor any other flatland street in Oakland will be a peaceful street.

A block away from the location of this vicious assault, the 80-unit Lincoln Court housing complex for seniors is nearing completion. Councilmember Quan pushed through City subsidies and sweetheart loans for it. We hope someone advises residents not to go out for evening pizza; better tip for delivery instead.

Now Quan wants an even bigger senior housing project, even more unfit for its neighborhood, at MacArthur and High. Why do councilmembers spend all sorts of money bringing in new residents while letting public safety collapse?

The Ceasefire we need is a halt to the madness of the councilmembers. They, their developer friends, and their allies in grant-supported agencies are killing Oakland in front of our eyes.