Contact: Oakland Police Officers' Association

                                                                                                            Phone: (510) 834-9670 

                                                                                                            Email: policeofficers@opoa.org

June 21, 2021 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

OAKLAND – On Saturday Oakland suffered its sixth mass shooting of the year. Six shot and one died at Lake Merritt. Statistics released today show that Oakland has suffered 59 homicides this year and a further 295 people shot.

In response to this violence, Oakland’s City Council proposed another wave of defunding the police. In December the Police Department’s Traffic Division, all Foot Patrol Squads and officers assigned to Crime Reduction Teams were disbanded. For this Council that was not enough. Now, the Council President’s proposed budget includes a second round of ‘defund the police’ by cancelling upcoming police academies and reducing the numbers of officers responding to 9-1-1 calls.

“Defunding the police married with the exodus of Oakland Police Officers has stretched the department incredibly thin to respond to the bloodshed on our streets. Officers are leaving Oakland to serve communities that want and value their service. The litany of violent crime victims has already demonstrated that Oakland’s ‘defund the police’ strategy has failed.” said Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan.  

Oakland’s City Council will debate their proposed ‘defund the police’ budget on Thursday, June 24th at 1030AM. To observe the meeting via zoom, click on this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88555241060

Click for Oakland’s crime statistics year to date.