Phone: (510) 834-9670 

Email: policeofficers@opoa.org

May 16, 2022 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

OAKLAND – In a recent newspaper article , the collapse of Oakland’s 911 emergency response was laid bare. The story highlighted what every Oakland Police Officer sadly sees all too often: Oakland residents calling 911 in need of urgent help, and there is nobody to respond. This tragic circumstance results from the divestment in public safety by Oakland’s city leaders, who deploy a skeleton police department to respond to Oakland’s needs.  

The article highlighted the dangerous state of affairs of our city’s 911 response. Although every Oakland Police Officer and many residents already knew that Oakland’s inadequately staffed police department regularly has nobody to respond to residents' calls for help, the article illustrated these real-world impacts. 

In response to the article Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan said, “Unfortunately, this failure is brought to you by Oakland City Council Members who have decided to abandon the basic mission of city government, responding to residents' calls for help.”

Oakland drove away eighty-six (86) police officers last year, and thirty-seven (37) of them left for other police departments. A further forty-four (44) have left so far in 2022. The police department can not hire fast enough to keep pace with Oakland’s police officer exodus. Officers are leaving for communities whose leaders support public safety. Do not vilify police officers and strive to care for the residents who call 911.