Oakland seeks community input as search for new police chief begins
OAKLAND -- It has been six months since Oakland police chief LeRonne Armstrong was fired and the police commission is just beginning the process of finding his permanent replacement.
At community forums, this weekend and next, the Oakland Police Commission is seeking public input as they begin the search for a new person to lead the department. The commission is responsible for vetting candidates for chief and for submitting a final name to the city council and mayor for approval. If he or she is rejected, the entire process starts over.
"We've all seen this is a challenging job that comes with a lot of, sort of ... political dynamics," said David Jordan, vice chair of the Oakland Police Commission.
Those "political dynamics" were ratcheted up by the way Armstrong was let go. Despite having considerable support in the African American community, Mayor Sheng Thao fired him after six months leave a day before the police commission was set to express their views on his performance.
"Previously, we've done community forums once we have our top candidate selected and then move forward from there," Jordan said. "But, at this point, we are looking to really sort of bake into the cake, if you will, community perspective ... especially right now."
Although the turnout at the first forum at the Golden Gate branch of the library was fairly small, people expressed views ranging from confidence in police judgment to doubts about their limitations.
"I know that, in Oakland, there's a lot of barriers that you can't cross over but they certainly need to change some of the policies," said resident Caroline Burgess. "I think the police maybe are more in tune with what needs to go on -- as does the community -- but we tend to not, you know -- we're kind of toothless."
"He'll be overseeing more public taxpayers' dollars than any other person," said Oaklander Wilson Riles. "And, often, police chiefs rise through the ranks without a lot of training in how to efficiently and effectively administer those funds."
"You can't change the homeless situation by arresting people," Scott Braley said. "I think one of the characteristics the police chief should have is -- not only the ability but the enthusiasm -- to hand off some particular responsibilities to other social organizations. And to argue that those organizations need to be funded."
Assata Olugbala was an Armstrong supporter but she said she hoped people could put their anger aside for the good of the town.
"Whoever is chosen, I hope they give them the opportunity to prove that they can get the job done," she said. "And don't come in with a lot of negativity or blame so they make the job even harder than what it already is."
Thomas Leach, who is African American and an Armstrong supporter, said that, after the way the chief was treated, the Black community will be closely watching the city's decision on a replacement.
"He needs to be an African American from the community who has come up through the ranks, that has some street credibility in Oakland," Leach said. "You can't come from the outside in because you're not accepted. That's just the way Oakland is."
That's the political reality right now in Oakland. With feelings still raw, ask supporters who should replace LeRonne Armstrong and they'll say someone just like LeRonne Armstrong.
