PEOPLE all across Oakland tell me they have broken down in tears under the onslaught of sideshows, boom cars, drug dealing at neighborhood corners, disturbances from "party houses," daylight burglaries, and car break-ins – the culture of disrespect that dominates streets across our city.
However, Oakland may still win glory. It's only February, but we already have a contender for most outrageous statement of the year. Referring to overtime expense in the understaffed police department, Councilmember Jean Quan insisted an audit "gives us a chance to stop the bleeding." (Tribune, "Firm is hired to audit cops overtime cost," Feb. 3)
There are two possible reasons why the Oakland Police Department is over budget ("bleeding"): the department wastes money, or the council did not budget enough to maintain public safety.
There is clear evidence for the latter. At only 176 police per 100,000 residents, Oakland has half the officers of Atlanta (354), Boston (367), Cleveland (381), etc., etc.
The first priority of city government is peaceful streets. That's why the school district has schools and the city has the police department. Yet in recent minutes of budget deliberations, Councilmember Quan lists a Safe City as fifth of six priorities for the upcoming budget, demanding in addition that the police department get no new money.
In a city that mulls over $200 million to $300 million for a baseball stadium (while we are still paying for the Raiders fiasco), in a city that buys properties at market value then hands them to favored developers for one dollar, a council member's statement that the police budget is "bleeding" is truly outrageous.
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Oakland police work overtime when people get shot at sideshows. Since Oakland has only half a police department, what other choice is there?
By any reasonable standard, Oakland should have at least 1,100 police officers. Current staffing is fewer than 700. Last November voters passed parcel and parking tax Measure Y.
During the campaign, Councilmember Quan responded to opponents' assertions that Measure Y guaranteed no new police. She wrote, "This [Measure] brings the total number of police to 802." Council President Ignacio De La Fuente echoed Quan, as did a city "Fact Sheet."
Yet the facts in a recent city report reveal that Oakland will have only 718 officers by June 30, 2006, and will not get 802 for years to come, if ever. The reason? You must train new hires in police academies, and the city lacks the resources, or the will, to train quickly enough. Meanwhile, every month about four officers retire or quit.
Council members who spoke so firmly about 802 officers were either not telling the truth, or they were ignorant of the facts to a shocking degree.
Do council members think taxpayers will pay more than $250 million for Measure Y over the next 10 years, while getting no peace in return? Talk of a tax revolt is in the air. Oaklanders are fed up with sideshows on the street – and with doubletalk from City Hall, too.
Charles Pine is a neighborhood activist in East Oakland.
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