combined-10th-11th-report.pdf

Negotiated Settlement Agreement, Combined Tenth and Eleventh Semi-Annual Report December 2008 Community Outreach The Department recognizes it cannot address the crime situation facing Oakland without the assistance of Oakland residents. Therefore, the Department has invested heavily in the area of outreach, especially to local youths. In 2007, OPD co-sponsored block parties with Youth Uprising and, in conjunction with the Youth Employment Program, have established job fairs in East and West Oakland to improve relationships with local youth. Recognizing the power of the music culture and its influence on the youth in the community, the Department collaborated with several local rappers including “Too Short” to hold direct and productive conversations on how OPD can collaborate to better influence the community. Prosecuting and Charging Repeat Offenders Collaboration is an essential element of community policing. A positive example of this occurred in Police Service Area (PSA) 5. The residents of PSA 5 expressed frustration with criminal control of their neighborhoods. PSA 5 Lieutenant Sharon Williams met with the community and showed them that the Department was making arrests, but the criminals were often released with little or no jail time. Lt. Williams also brought this to the attention of Alameda County Assistant District Attorney Tom Rogers. Mr. Rogers explained to the community that the courts were short on judges to try these cases. With the assistance of their Neighborhood Service Coordinators, residents submitted hundreds of letters to Governor Schwarzenegger’s office explaining the local crime problem and the need for more judges. As a result of this collaborative effort, two new judges were assigned to Alameda County in October of 2007. Another example of collaboration occurred with the District Attorney’s office. The District Attorney’s office cannot prosecute the high number of minor criminal offenses committed in Oakland because of a lack of resources, a reality that frustrates community policing efforts because repeated criminal violations, often by the same perpetrators, continue to reoccur in several communities. This constant criminal activity adversely impacts the quality of life of Oakland residents and destroys the peace and tranquility of our neighborhoods. The Department, in partnership with the City Attorney’s office and with the support of the Mayor’s office, achieved an agreement with the District Attorney’s office to create a Quality of Life Misdemeanor Prosecution Program in the City. The Program authorizes city attorneys to prosecute misdemeanor offenses in connection with community policing projects. The program has been approved and is now in effect. Commitment The Department’s commitment to community policing has been clearly communicated to officers and staff. Patrol Squads and investigators have been working closely with PSOs on different projects to reduce crime and to improve the quality of life for Oakland residents. During Crime Stop meetings, Commanders share details of Patrol Squad SARA projects. This focus on teamwork and accountability demonstrates the Department’s continuing commitment to community policing. In January 2008, the Department reorganized its patrol function to a geographic system of policing and began a new schedule (12 hour shifts) to improve consistency of staffing and continuity of supervision. Implementation of the reorganization was a monumental task. 14