50 signatures reached
To: Councilmember Kalb and Council President Kaplan
Oakland District 1 Neighbors Demand Police Oversight
Adopt the Measure LL cleanup that would allow effective resident oversight of the Oakland Police Department. We need to strengthen the Police Commission so we can ensure that the Oakland Police Department is firmly and permanently dedicated to constitutional policing.
Why is this important?
We got yet another reminder of the crying need for effective and powerful civilian oversight of the police from both the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis and the brutal overreactions of police departments across the country to the resulting demonstrations.
But Oakland has the potential to be different and to lead the way for the rest of the country. Although we have a strong community-led police commission to oversee our police department, the City Administration’s resistance has hobbled the Commission. The Commission’s powers need to be clarified in a new ballot measure that would further amend the City Charter.
The Coalition for Police Accountability has partnered with the Police Commission to create a joint Charter amendment that will allow the Commission to be truly effective in ensuring that the Oakland Police Department is firmly and permanently dedicated to constitutional policing. When this Charter amendment is enacted, we will finally be able to transition from federal court oversight through the NSA to local oversight by the Commission.
Those who see political advantage in opposing progressive reform have been promoting the idea that the Commission is trying to enlarge its power and interfere with the operations of the Police Department. That is simply not true. Please look carefully at the changes we are proposing and evaluate them for yourselves.
The main changes from current law that the Coalition and the Police Commission are proposing are as follows:
1. The Commission can hire its own attorneys who will report to it and not the City Attorney.
2. The Commission will be able to hire an Inspector General who will audit the police department and be able to recommend policy changes to the Commission.
3. The Commission will have access to all police department records and files.
4. The Commission will be able to impose discipline in cases where the investigations have not been completed in time or when required body camera footage has not been a component of the investigation.
We want the Police Commission/Coalition draft adopted–there is strong community support for it. District 1 residents are asking Councilmember Dan Kalb and Council President Rebecca Kaplan to please move forward with these important changes. We are living through unprecedented times that demand bolder action by the Oakland City Council.
But Oakland has the potential to be different and to lead the way for the rest of the country. Although we have a strong community-led police commission to oversee our police department, the City Administration’s resistance has hobbled the Commission. The Commission’s powers need to be clarified in a new ballot measure that would further amend the City Charter.
The Coalition for Police Accountability has partnered with the Police Commission to create a joint Charter amendment that will allow the Commission to be truly effective in ensuring that the Oakland Police Department is firmly and permanently dedicated to constitutional policing. When this Charter amendment is enacted, we will finally be able to transition from federal court oversight through the NSA to local oversight by the Commission.
Those who see political advantage in opposing progressive reform have been promoting the idea that the Commission is trying to enlarge its power and interfere with the operations of the Police Department. That is simply not true. Please look carefully at the changes we are proposing and evaluate them for yourselves.
The main changes from current law that the Coalition and the Police Commission are proposing are as follows:
1. The Commission can hire its own attorneys who will report to it and not the City Attorney.
2. The Commission will be able to hire an Inspector General who will audit the police department and be able to recommend policy changes to the Commission.
3. The Commission will have access to all police department records and files.
4. The Commission will be able to impose discipline in cases where the investigations have not been completed in time or when required body camera footage has not been a component of the investigation.
We want the Police Commission/Coalition draft adopted–there is strong community support for it. District 1 residents are asking Councilmember Dan Kalb and Council President Rebecca Kaplan to please move forward with these important changes. We are living through unprecedented times that demand bolder action by the Oakland City Council.
How it will be delivered
Email the signatures to Councilmember Kalb and Council President Kaplan