A new scheme for policing Oakland has been completed as the City has been divided into five distinct policing districts, each with its own command staff. The plan, which was first approved in January, will hopefully provide more direct and accountable policing with greater community interaction.
Initially, the City established two districts in East Oakland to address rising crime rates. For the past three months, those districts have been working under two different police captains. Each controls independent patrol officers, school resource officers, crime reduction teams and others who focus on the district. To improve communication with the communities, they have convened community advisory meetings within the district.
Originally presented to the city in 2007, the district-based policing method was shelved due to shortages in staffing and resources. However, the two consultants who first advocated for the scheme returned to the City as part of a team of consultants hired to control rising crime rates and enact federally mandated reforms.
Read the full article at the Contra Costa Times.