Oakland, CA – In alignment with the City’s commitment to reimagine and reconstruct our current public safety system, Councilmember Taylor’s gun violence resolutions strategically uplift prevention, deterrence, and enforcement measures. As a representative of East Oakland, an area that experiences two-thirds of the City’s gun violence and violent crime, he is committed to working collaboratively with key stakeholders in Oakland and Alameda County. Despite yesterday’s deferred action by Council, many items of his public safety proposal are moving forward.
“I’m proud that many elements of my plan have advanced since we made our initial call to action on November 18th. Our call for tangible actions to reduce unanswered emergency calls, address inequitable 911 response, and increase the violent crime clearance rate is being answered.”
Recent actions completed since his call to action was introduced:
- 48 more patrol officers being deployed in East Oakland starting in January
- Two additional police academies approved by council on December 7th
- Increased prioritization on filling civilian positions in OPD’s Criminal Investigations Division
- A commitment to initiate exploratory conversations between city and county elected officials on strengthening reentry and workforce development programs for returning citizens
When reflecting upon yesterday’s discussion of his legislation he noted, “As a city, we can both address the root causes of violence and ensure our police department has adequate staffing levels. The ‘both-and’ approach to public safety is the only viable pathway forward.”
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