Oakland To Offer 'Healing Centers' As Police, Shop Owners Prepare For Ferguson Verdict
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Business owners in Oakland prepped their storefronts in anticipation of protests over an expected grand jury decision on the police shooting of an unarmed man in Ferguson Missouri. Meanwhile, the city says it will open "healing centers" for those who remain troubled by the incident.
Dion Bullock's downtown Oakland shoe store Groupie suffered damage in a protest over the Trayvon Martin case, and fears what might happen after the grand jury's decision on Ferguson.
"As a business owner, we're kind of nervous because we don't know what to expect," Bullock said.
Mayor Jean Quan seemed to warn Oaklanders to expect the worst, calling on business owners in an open letter to save recordings of criminal activity, cover exterior doors with a steel plate, and leave the cash drawer empty.
The Mayor also announced four so-called "healing centers" where people can come to vent their frustrations, rather than taking them out on the city.
The San Francisco Chronicle lists the three locations for dialogue about the shooting as:
- Youth Uprising at 8711 MacArthur Boulevard
- Youth Employment Partnership at 2300 International Bvd.
- Health Communities/Healthy Oakland at 2580 San Pablo Ave and 1485 8th Street.
The city is determined to be ready this time. Police Chief Sean Whent admitted his officers were caught flat-footed during the Trayvon Martin protests.
"What happened that evening was largely an intelligence failure," Whent said.
Read Also:
