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Columnist Stinnett: Council Should Add More Police
Columnist Peggy Stinnett of the Oakland Tribune has called on the city council to hire more police.
After reviewing a kidnaping case that she championed for months, Stinnett concludes:
"Obviously, the answer is more police officers to serve this stressed-out city that is wracked with crimes of all sorts. Almost every neighborhood complains of not having enough officers. One of the latest is the Fruitvale district." (Tribune, Jan. 9, 2006)
Stinnett's remark is an implicit rebuke to councilmembers like Jean Quan who take the position, "Police may be a priority, but not to give more money."
Stinnett continues:
"The next question is, what is getting in the way of hiring more cops?
"The Oakland City Council has money – $2 billion – in its two-year budget. That's the biggest budget ever, due to an improving economy and a still booming real estate market.
"Oakland voted last year to hire more police when voters approved Measure Y."
Although Stinnett does not discuss the councilmembers' betrayal of the requirements of Measure Y, she concludes:
"Even if there were no Measure Y, the City Council could hire more police. They have the authority and the money to do it.
"So where's the political will?"
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