Oakland City Council Votes to Defund Police, Stripping More Than $17M from Department Budget

[PeteS in CA]

Oakland City Council Votes to Defund Police, Stripping More Than $17M from Department Budget

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/06/24/oakland-city-council-votes-defund-police-stripping-17-million-department-budget/

OAKLAND (KPIX) — The Oakland City Council approved a budget early Thursday evening that will strip $17.4 million in funding from the Oakland Police Department and direct the money toward other programs.

The $18 million is over the course of the next two years.

There was some expectation that the council would delay the controversial decision but, by a vote of 7-2, the Oakland City Council approved a plan that will redirect the funds from the police department to the Department of Violence Prevention with the intention of improving public safety.

Doubling down on stupid. I hope this helps good OPD officers realize they have targets on the backs, and the ones poised to shoot them are city council members.

[GtHawk]

Oakland City Council Votes to Defund Police, Stripping More Than $17M from Department Budget

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/06/24/oakland-city-council-votes-defund-police-stripping-17-million-department-budget/

Doubling down on stupid. I hope this helps good OPD officers realize they have targets on the backs, and the ones poised to shoot them are city council members.

I'd say it's tripling down on stupid considering the crime rate in Oakland. I am sure the councils action will make people feel safe going to watch the home team, what could go wrong with all those potential victims. I'm sure like me after hearing this people will be avoiding Oakland like the plague which should really be a boon to the law abiding merchants and citizens the council is supposed to represent. I wonder if the council might have also taken action to insure that they and their homes are protected while setting up everyone else to be victims.

[AARguy]

Oakland also shuts off the water when houses are afire.

[PeteS in CA]

... I am sure the councils action will make people feel safe going to watch the home team, what could go wrong with all those potential victims. I'm sure like me after hearing this people will be avoiding Oakland like the plague which should really be a boon to the law abiding merchants and citizens the council is supposed to represent. ...

I haven't been to an As game (never to the Raiders or Golden State Warriors) since the 80s or early 90s, and I think the last time I was in Oakland, ignoring travel on freeways, was in 1996. I use I880 and I580 through Oakland to get to running events (I miss Point Pinole!!!), but don't/won't do running events in Oakland.

[mystery-ak]

Oakland City Council Grabs Millions from Police to Cover Social Programs

AWR Hawkins 29 Jun 2021

The Oakland, California, city council diverted over $17 million from the city’s police department Monday, redirecting the funding to social programs.

CBS San Francisco reports the city council’s move comes as Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong warns of a “crisis” of violent crime.

Armstrong said, “Today, we find ourselves in a crisis. We find ourselves reeling from a weekend of violence where we have seen four homicides over a three-day period … Our shootings are up over 70% compared to last year. Our robberies are up 11% this year. There’s been 1,300 robberies in this city already this year.”

He added, “Our carjackings are up nearly 88%. So we see clearly that crime is out of control in the city of Oakland and our response was for less police resources. When City Council members, the majority have voted to defund this police department, that additional $17 million that was reduced from the police department’s budget will have an impact.”

ABC 7 notes the vote to shift funding from police was seven to two.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf opposed the cut in police funding, observing the city could lose 50 officers over it at a time when more police are necessary.

Schaaf’s office also warned 911 response times will increase as a result of the cuts.

more
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2021/06/29/oakland-city-council-grabs-millions-from-police-to-cover-social-programs/

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1409639938442678272

[Wingnut]

Chief Armstrong looks like he is one of the good guys. Must be the only reason he would stay on as Chief and take the disrespect from the communists in the Oakland City council

[AARguy]

We just voted to increase the police budget here. Our streets are safe. Our kids play freely. There was a BLM march and rally here. 4 cars and 13 people showed up... I think most of them were just observers. Northern blue cities aren't dying yet (with a few exceptions like Seattle)... but it seems inevitable. Its great reality TV for us.