On March 9, 2013 the second in a series of meetings titled "Short Term Strategies, Long Term Solutions" was held at West Oakland Middle School.
See notes on the first event.
Meeting Notes:
1.First set of meeting notes:
Approx attendance: about 100
1. Opening Libation/ Drum Call
3. Big Ideas in policing presented
a. Problem solving, call reduction, partnerships, geographic policing, Ceasefire, compstat, community policingmm accountability, performance measurement
4. Questions for small groups: People were broken into small groups (by nametag/colored dot)
a. What crime do you experience in your neighborhood?
b. What would you like the police to do differently?
c. What can you and your community do differently?
d. If you were an OPD officer, what would you do to win the trust and support of the people of Oakland?
5. Ideas I liked that I heard: truth and reconciliation committee, walk the blocks together as neighbors, blacklinking.com, adopt-a-spot.com, West Oakland Parent Action Network; Youth Organizing Leadership Opportunities@ McClymonds HS
6. Common themes
a. Problems: Random shootings, homicides, sex trafficking, sideshows, drug deals, dumping, break-ins
b. Changes police can make: Increase presence, get out of cars, do foot or bike patrols, talk to people in a friendly, respectful manner, get to know the community
c. Things the community can do: Get to know each other, report information to each other regarding problems, join community groups, create and attend events for youth, families, and neighbors, use social networking and email to stay connected, get involved with each other to create jobs/improve quality of life
d. What a police officer should do: Live in Oakland or be more aware of community culture and issues, be accountable, admit wrong doing and reconcile with the community, be respectful, communicate, acknowledge issues of race
7. Q/A
a. Q: Could the money that is going to be used toward Stop and Frisk go toward youth? A: Our dept. is against Stop and Frisk. We follow constitutional policing. We document every time that we stop someone.
b. Q: How do we know that these solutions are going to be implemented? Q: What is going to happen to all of this information? nA: We take all this, synthesize it, and use it as action steps. We will continue the dialogue with the community. We want the community to be a part of the selection process.
c. Q: Define what is reasonable suspicion. What can be done for ex-felons trying to get jobs? A: Regarding reasonable suspicion: it’s a lengthy description, but it’s related to the 4th amendment. It’s based on what is in the officer’s mind regarding that person’s suspected criminal activity. Supervisor Carson facilitates the ‘Clean Slate.’ We are also working on ‘Ban The box’ so that people are not discriminated against when trying to get jobs.
d. Q: What can we do to have a Shooting Free Safe School Zone? A: We have a grant for cops to be placed in middle schools. At some schools, we do parent patrols.
e. Q: I am nervous about my grandsons. What does the chief mean by reasonable suspicion, because this affects my community differently due to racism. A: There are different levels of suspicion (mere, reasonable, articulable).
f. Q: What did you mean by saying “Ceasefire is forever?” A: Ceasefire is a method – not necessarily a program.
g. Q: What about economic development? A: Our budget was devastated last year. We are still going through the review process and will see what will happen in April. We know that it all boils down to public safety in order to improve economic development.
h. Q: Where is the section of this townhall that involves youth? What about a resolution for bad police officer? West Oakland has not been getting the new jobs – why? A: There are plans for a youth forum. Regarding police accountability: Disciplinary actions cannot be revealed to the public by law. We do have a process in place for filing complaints against officers. Officers are required to carry complaint packets. We also accept anonymous complaints.
Small group notes:
|
|
Problems |
Changes police can make |
Changes community can make |
OPD: what can they do? |
|
1 |
Gunshots, homicides, sirens, victims |
Increase presence in high crime areas, reduce officer-involved shootings, improve accountability |
Stand together (example: West Oakland Parent Action Network), report crimes, know your neighbors |
Be willing to help; communicate |
|
2 |
Sideshows, shootings, prostitution, drugging, loud music/loitering, intimidation, vandalism |
Give information about crimes going on, more cops out of cars, keep up with complaints, reduce response wait time, partner with agencies |
Have community events and expand them, jobs for ex-felons, youth events, family events, encourage entrepreneurship |
Live in Oakland, more accountability |
|
3 |
Same as other groups |
More meetings like this, update Nixle, attend parent groups, union pays for lawsuits (rather than public gen. fund) |
Walk with developers, involve artists, involve business owners in jobs for youth, give new neighbors important info, volunteer with youth
|
? |
|
4 |
Loitering, drug dealing, squatting, homicides, illegal dumping, side shows, child sex trafficking, homeless camps |
Consistent PSO, Cops need to get out of their vehicles, talk to people – don’t stare people down, systemic change in overall system, acknowledge wrong-doing |
Share info of suspicious activity, inform each other of meetings, use social networking to stay in touch, adopt a spot, neighborhood walks |
Get to know the people you serve, truth and Reconciliation commission, be involved in community to understand the culture |
|
5 |
Random shootings, break-ins, threats near schools, car vandalism, |
Respond in a timely manner, more patrols, work in schools to connect with youth (not as police), be friendly |
Join a neighborhood watch, host intergenerational dialogue, youth events, be involved in neighborhoods, file police reports |
Make an effort to get to know the people you serve respectfully |
|
6 |
Dumping, drugs, car break ins, shootings |
Build relationships with community around us, communication system improvement (911) |
Respond to community issues – quality of life concerns, look each other in the eye, identify root causes of violence, more jobs to improve community |
Increase visibility, get out of cars
|
|
7 |
Snatch and grabs, break-ins, blight, assaults, school safety (grade 6-12) |
Engage with public, be accountable for weapons usage (tasers and guns), get out of the car, address people respectfully, tell them why they are being stopped, respect requests for no contact |
Engage the police, identify the cops, |
Train officers better, be aware of racial profiling |
|
8 |
Same as other groups, drugging |
Cops living in neighborhoods, get out of cars, respect community, get to know us |
Document and share info, create listservs, phone trees, community boards, get to know each other |
Protect people who communicate with police, talk about issues of race, have sensitivity training |
|
9 |
Same as other groups, animal abuse, sex trafficking |
Get to know the community; walk/bike the streets, cut down on car chases, support jobs for youth, decrease fear of community |
Work closer with officers, vote, get involved civically, beautify our parks, create a community calendar, post information, create gatherings and groups, identify leaders in the neighborhood |
Befriend people, be pleasant, be accountable
|
|
10 |
Gangs, blight, shootings, murders, drugging, truancy |
More foot patrols, more police in schools, more police interacting with community |
More cooperation, report crimes, events, join NCPC
|
? |
|
11 |
Same as other groups, rape, graffiti, theft of recycled goods, dumping |
Use technology, coordinate policing agencies, higher visibility |
Mentor youth, youth events, form groups, better transportation for shopping |
Be friendly, inform citizens of solutions |
|
12 |
Shootings, theft, break-ins, drugging, traffic violations |
More presence, foot patrols, partnerships with other efforts that address causes of violence |
Show vested interest in community, report crimes, make solutions to problems known to community, beautify community |
Humanize us, reduce response time, respect our issues, get involved in community |
|
13 |
Same as other groups, including: car break ins and domestic violence |
Pay attention to community blogs, focus on quality of life issues |
Work together, organize clean-ups, break down barriers – race and gender, acknowledge the presence of your neighbors, pressure landlords to improve blight
|
Communicate, Be personable, build trust, public acknowledgement of wrong doing |
2.
News Coverage:
"Crime problems, solutions discussed at Oakland public forum." ABC7, March 9, 2013.
