Reader Commentaries:

Commentary: Oakland Needs Safe Streets and Neighborhoods

Oakland crime is out of control. Our city is in crisis and our residents are in shock. Oakland is one of the 10 most dangerous cities in the country. Our 2008 murder rate is nearly 60 percent higher than at this same time last year. Recently, a young East Oakland mother was killed while she slept in her bed; she was struck by a bullet intended for a group of people outside her home, a 10-year-old boy was permanently disabled when a bullet ripped into him while he took piano lessons in Montclair, diners were robbed at gunpoint at six restaurants in just the last two weeks, and many residents have been assaulted on the streets, and subjected to car-jackings and other personal and property crimes.

The mayor and City Council have acknowledged our public safety crisis and pledge to raise staffing levels to the 803 officers approved four years ago by the end of this year. This is good news but not enough. Oakland will still have 272 fewer officers than the national average for cities our size. With crime problems far beyond average, a plan that calls for so few officers has little chance of making Oakland safe.

The Jobs and Housing Coalition and many Oakland residents strongly urge the mayor and City Council to pass a comprehensive public safety plan that would:

• Increase the number of police officers to 1,075.

• Re-deploy officers from desk jobs into the streets and neighborhoods of Oakland.

• Adopt COMSTAT or similar command and control practices that have proven effective in other cities.

• Place GPS systems in police cars to enhance deployment of resources faster and more efficiently.

• Audit awards of Measure Y violence prevention money for greater accountability.

Public safety measures can work. New York City, with over 20 times the population of Oakland, used to be known as the country’s crime capitol. With solid management, innovation, and redirected resources, New York transformed itself into a vibrant metropolis that allowed its hidden treasures to emerge. Oakland can and must do the same.

Some politicians say that Oakland cannot afford 1,075 police officers. However, in recent polls, 79 percent of the voters say “we need to take extraordinary measures to stop crime and reduce violence.” Elected officials will have to figure out where the money will come from and we stand ready to assist in that effort. But the bottom line is clear—Oakland cannot afford not to hire more police officers!

We agree that more police will not solve the social and economic problems that so often contribute to crime. Nevertheless, Oakland must first protect residents from criminal activity so that it can attract new businesses, jobs, and promote housing production. Only then will we raise the revenue needed to improve schools and social services to address other systemic issues.

The Jobs and Housing Coalition urges the mayor and City Council to take immediate action to ensure public safety. We will support their efforts with great enthusiasm and encourage all Oaklanders to do likewise. In addition, we will help bring the Safe Streets and Neighborhood Act of 2008 before the voters to increase the number of police officers to 1,075 and deploy them in the streets and neighborhoods of the city. The petitioning will begin soon; please sign on so that this measure can appear on the November 2008 ballot.



Gregory McConnell is president and CEO of the Jobs and Housing Coalition, an association of business and housing leaders who actively seek to help Oakland become a better city.