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Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
postnewsgroup.com
Weekly Edition. Edition. Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2022
59th Year, No. 15
Pro-Active vs. Reactive Approaches to Oakland’s Violence Crisis
Oakland Police Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong
Oakland Police Allocate More Officers to Combat Gun Violence By Paul Chambers
In an all-hands-on-deck meeting, Oakland Police Department (OPD) Chief LeRonne L. Armstrong challenged his command staff to bring a different approach to fighting crime, with the goal of an immediate impact on the safety of residents, visitors, and businesses in Oakland. Amid the deadliest week this year with eight lives lost, Armstrong deployed additional officers on overtime Sunday to reduce the amount of gun violence. To date, OPD has investigated 96 homicides, compared to 102 lives lost by this same time last year. Although homicides are down slightly over last year, Armstrong added eight officers permanently to the Criminal Investigation Division (CID). The increase in staffing will lead to more criminal investigations and a higher number of solved cases, in turn keeping violent offenders from committing additional crimes in our city. In the coming weeks, OPD will deploy all available resources throughout the city in a coordinated effort to enforce crimes associated with gun violence in Oakland. OPD will also restart the traffic enforcement unit and continue working with our federal and local law enforcement partners to support gun violence enforcement. OPD has investigated 360 assaults with a firearm this year, compared to 465 incidents this time last year, which is a 23% reduction citywide. This year, officers are also on track to recover an astounding number of firearms. So far, OPD officers have safely taken 1,132 firearms off city streets, compared to 1199 during all of 2021. OPD will add up to 50 officers with the successful graduation of the 189th and 190th Basic Academies in October and February. OPD remains focused on proven violent crime prevention strategies such as Ceasefire to also address gun violence. The Department continues to rely on intelligence-led policing with the department’s Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC), and the Violent Crime Operations Center (VCOC), leading focused enforcement and apprehension efforts. Paul Chambers is the strategic communications manager for the Oakland Police Department.
People comfort each other in the wake of the school shooting Wednesday afternoon on the King Estates complex in East Oakland. Photo courtesy of KTVU2.
Students and Staff Wounded in Oakland School Shooting
By Post Staff
Six students and staff were wounded Wednesday afternoon in a shooting at the King Estates campus in the Oakland hills, leaving two with lifethreatening injuries. All the wounded were ages 18 or older and were associated with the campus. As of press time, police were still seeking those responsible for the shoot-
ing. The King Estates campus, located on the 8200 block of Fontaine Street, includes four schools: Rudsdale Continuation and Newcomer high schools, BayTech Charter School, and Sojourner Truth Independent Study. The shooting, which took place shortly before 1 p.m., occurred outside a building on the campus. Oakland Police
Department Assistant Chief Darren Allison said officers are looking for at least one shooter, although more suspects could be involved. No descriptions have been released. The Oakland Police Department contacted Rev. Phyllis Scott, President of the Pastors of Oakland and leader of the Oakland Chaplaincy Program, Continued on Page 12
City Receives $3 Million Grant to Advance Violence Prevention Among School-Age Youth
By Post Staff
The City of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) has received a $3 million, three-year grant to support its violence interruption efforts. In partnership with the Oakland Public Fund for Innovation, the Gilead Foundation awarded the grant to invest in health equity strategy, including a focus on prevention and intervention services to school-age youth, disrupting the pattern of violence. “The Gilead Foundation is proud to support the Oakland Fund for Public Innovation and the City of Oakland’s
Chief of Violence Prevention with the City of Oakland Guillermo Cespedes said the grant will allow “DVP to strengthen families and protect its members from becoming involved in lifestyles associated with violence, while increasing educational outcomes and lifelong learning skills.” Although the Department of Violence Prevention Guillermo Cespedes is the works to advance commuhead of Oakland’s Dept. of nity outreach with life coaching, gender-based violence Violence Prevention. services, violence interrupDepartment of Violence Pre- tion, and community healvention,” said Kate Wilson, ing, this funding is focused executive director of Gilead Continued on Page 12 Foundation.
Vote ‘No’ on Props 26 & 27: Both Are Bad for California By James. E. Vann
Propositions 26 and 27 on the November ballot appear to be related, but their differences are substantial and both are exceedingly harmful. Proposition 26 would result in vast expansion of gambling methods within American Indian lands, with a new extension to California racetracks. Proposition 27 would result in vast expansion of present gaming methods beyond Indian lands, with no limitations, and would add the authorization of ‘online’ gambling. In respect for Native sovereignty, voters previously supported the establishment of Indian gaming. However, neither of the current measures have
Opinion
James E. Vann
significant Indian support. Proposition 26 This measure, somewhat related but unlike Proposition 27, was initiated by a small group of leaders of the largest tribes. Their motivation is their
personal enrichment, not from either demand or need. The currently authorized program of permitted gaming methods at Indigenous casino sites is constitutionally limited. Proposition 26 would remove the present restrictions and permit unlimited gambling methods and selections at casino sites and at California racetracks. Methods would include wagering on sports events, like horse racing, sports teams, auto racing, boxing, wrestling, and a host of events broadcast into casino platforms. The institution of Indigenous casinos has been a needed boon and supplement to mandated federal and state finanContinued on Page 12
While columnist Richard Johnson (right) was meeting with various formerly incarcerated group leaders to develop an outreach plan in response to the rash of recent killings in Oakland, he bumped into Chicago Rapper Common who was also going door-to-door urging the residents to get registered and vote for Pamela Price, his D.A. candidate. Richard said, “We both share something in common, we want to help stop the violence and we want to increase voting as a part of helping to solve problems.” Photo courtesy of Richard Johnson and Jonathan “Fitness” Jones. Part 2 By Richard Johnson
Violence in of itself is a reaction to various triggers that gives it life. In other words, it is a manifestation of situations that prove to be unmanageable in that moment. In order to stem it, we, as a community must recognize it before it becomes the act itself and provide a conduit that allows the cause to be redirected into positivity rath-
Opinion er than negativity. The level of violence today is a culmination of causes over periods of time. Some instances are random, however, most stem from long-standing feuds, “beefs” and generational conflicts that lay dormant until something brings it to the surface. Continued on Page 12
Oakland Could Take More Innovative Steps to Help Solve Homelessness By Janani Ramachandran
First, we must conduct a comprehensive audit of where our homelessness dollars are being spent. The recent City Auditor’s report revealed $69 million was spent on homelessness services for 8,600 people over the past three years – yet at least half the participants are believed to have returned to homelessness. We must conduct a deep dive into the thirdparty entities receiving homelessness contracts and to what extent they use evidence-based models of homelessness reduction. Second, we must establish a regional board across all neighboring East Bay towns because homelessness certainly crosses borders, and the financial costs of assisting our unhoused while building affordable housing should not exclusively fall on Oakland. We must develop a plan to build on land owned by cities, CalTrans, BART, EBMUD, and other public agencies. A regional strategy must also include better partnership with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, which is primarily responsible for providing meaningful mental health and addiction services. Oakland must ensure that our residents in need are able to access the County’s supportive servic-
Opinion
Janani Ramachandran
es, regardless of language or technological barriers, and not waste funds duplicating efforts. Third, we must ensure that we prioritize homelessness prevention, whether tenants or homeowners, from losing their homes. The city should re-allocate some of its homelessness dollars to provide emergency vouchers to at-risk individuals, prioritizing households with children and elders. Finally, we must ensure that we are able to build sufficient housing, especially that which is affordable. Oakland is currently producing under 10% of our state Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) requirements for very low-inContinued on Page 12