Asst. Chief Admits Hundreds of Police Needed

Oakland's assistant chief of police Howard Jordan, interviewed by KTVU reporter Jana Katsuyama, admitted the City is short by hundreds of officers compared to other cities and compared to the job of maintaining peaceful neighborhoods in Oakland.

(See the three-minute TV report here.)

KTVU cited records showing that at 7:33 p.m. on a typical Sunday evening police were fully engaged responding to 39 situations while 50 more calls were waiting for help. More than half the people who called did not get the quick response that could apprehend the criminal or prevent an assault.

For example, KTVU spoke to Oakland resident Nancy Sidebotham. After someone attacked her with a large stone, it took police two days to respond, by then merely taking a report.

Assistant chief Jordan told KTVU that Oakland is two to three hundred police short. For the first time, a top City official got specific about the understaffing – and went halfway. In fact, Oakland is at least 400 officers short compared on a population basis with Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, St. Louis, and most other major cities.

Police chief Wayne Tucker does not admit to specific understaffing. Indeed, he became known for giving loose, contradictory numbers when he spoke at community meetings. City Hall recently created the new post of assistant chief, sandwiched between the chief and several deputy chiefs. Few other cities have such a top-heavy command structure. In recent weeks, assistant chief Jordan has replaced Tucker as the department's top public spokesperson.

Press release announces big step toward peaceful neighborhoods

Resident Sidebotham also told KTVU viewers not to accept excuses for understaffing. "We need to stop playing the game of saying we can't do it. Other cities are doing it."

Oakland needs at least 1,100 police, up from 700-some today. This minimum is not negotiable. Enough police can deter crime by their frequent presence on the streets, respond quickly to calls, and investigate crimes and apprehend criminals.

The police department does not determine how many officers it has. With a rhetoric-oriented mayor, Oakland residents need to find a councilmember who will lead the way to at least 1,100 police.