Councilmembers: Got a Problem with 1,100 Police?

For years the Oakland city council showed disdain for an adequate number of police in our city of 400,000 residents.

Most current councilmembers held office in 2002, when they put through a police department hiring freeze of nearly three years.

Most current councilmembers have peddled the phony "balanced approach" lecture for years: "We must balance police with prevention programs." In practice, that means shoveling money out the door to favored nonprofit agencies without competitive bidding, without a solid measure of results, and without basic accounting controls to prevent embezzlement, for example – while police staffing stagnates around 700, despite millions of dollars in new Measure Y taxes.

The rising demand for peaceful neighborhoods and at least 1,100 police is forcing a change of rhetoric. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Chip Johnson reports:

"In recent weeks, at least two members of the Oakland City Council have privately spoken about exploring ways to hiring more police officers to help patrol city streets. One of them, speaking to me on condition of anonymity, said Measure Y will never fulfill the community's needs for more police. And Marcus Johnson, a West Oakland activist, said he met with a member last week to discuss the same issue, but declined to identify the official. ... David Chai, Dellums' chief of staff, said the mayor was open to hearing worthwhile proposals on how to improve public safety, including a plan to hire more officers." (Oct. 9, 2007)

There's a simple test to sort out the sentiments of these councilmembers and the mayor:

A solid commitment to a department of at least 1,100 officers will make a difference in our neighborhoods, will jumpstart investigation of crimes, and will go a long way to restore the dismal morale of the police force.

Please do not chisel us with a lesser number than 1,100. Over the last several years, activists all around the city have come together around the demand for at least this number of police. When Maxwell Park residents, fed up with shootings like the one mid-afternoon in front of their Brookdale Park, went to the city council, they took a citywide perspective, insisting on at least 1,100 officers.

Similar sentiment was widely voiced in Montclair when councilmember Quan attempted to pacify her constituents Aug. 9,2007 at a stage-managed community meeting.

If councilembers want to recognize the need for more police in this de-policed city, let them declare for at least 1,100 officers.