Merchant Alert in Oakland's Dimond District

In May 2007 several dozen Dimond merchants put these warning posters in their store windows (around MacArthur Blvd. and Fruitvale Avenue). The posters were still up months later. Merchants do not want to alarm customers; the problem must be serious.

About the same time, Glenview merchants complained to City Hall about crime in their business area, too. Not long ago, the Lakeshore shopping district had the same problem.

Lack of public safety is a problem throughout Oakland. The citywide solution is to bring Oakland's understaffed police department up to a minimum of 1,100 officers. The new mayor and the crowd of small-minded councilmembers all refuse to commit to a solid plan for achieving this goal.