Deep-rooted public concern over the steady climb of crime rates in Oakland, California, led frustrated business owners and residents to gather in protest, seeking public safety reform. This sentiment is not isolated to Oakland alone; a February survey by the Public Policy Institute of California indicated that 76% of respondents considered violence and street crime a significant problem in their communities. Between 2019 and 2022, statewide violent crime surged by 13.5%, with Oakland's numbers indicating an 18% increase.
Many small business owners have suffered the repercussions of this alarming rise. The Dominican restaurant Sobre Mesa's co-owner, Durell Coleman, revealed two attempted break-ins during the establishment's three years in Oakland, as reported in the same CalMatters article. Business owners expressed concern that they are not adequately protected by both the police and city government. The implications of this increase in crime stretch beyond small businesses, as retail giant Target announced the closure of an Oakland store and two others in the Bay Area, citing organized retail theft as the reason.
HAPPENING NOW: Dozens of businesses in Oakland are going on strike from 10am-12pm to protest the city’s inaction to rising crime levels. Many say they’re losing customers and foot traffic because of car break-ins, carjackings, robberies and assaults. @abc7newsbayarea pic.twitter.com/TWeC70JOIy
— Lena Howland (@LenaHowland) September 26, 2023
In response to citizens' outcry and a spike in crime, Oakland police have advised residents to employ countermeasures such as air horns to alert neighbors to intruders and add security bars to doors and windows. Still, many residents feel these measures are not enough and are instead considering leaving the state altogether.
NAACP Oakland Branch President Cynthia Adams and Oakland pastor Bishop Bob Jackson demanded that elected leaders ensure public safety in a letter released in late July. The letter highlighted the disproportionate effect of crime on African Americans in East Oakland and other parts of the city, citing "failed leadership" as the reason for the current crime surge. However, the Alameda County District Attorney's Office rejected this characterization, stating their disappointment with the "false narrative" propagated by such influential figures.
While opinions on the problem's source may vary, the undeniable truth is that crime has significantly increased in Oakland. Although homicides have dropped by 14% in the last year, there has been a 41% rise in burglaries and a more than 20% rise in robberies as revealed by the CNN article. This surge in crime even led lifelong Oakland resident Kristin Cook to make the difficult decision to move to Texas out of concern for her family's safety.
Interim Chief of the Oakland Police Department, Darren Allison, acknowledged that the increase in crime negatively impacts the quality of life for both residents and visitors. The department is currently focusing on sustainable crime prevention solutions and law enforcement according to the same CNN report. Oakland Police Officers' Association (OPOA) President Barry Donelan argues that the city must employ more police officers on the streets. The city's police department has 715 officers currently, while the OPOA believes that closer to 1,200 officers are needed to handle the volume of calls and the population size effectively. Mayor Sheng Thao stated commitment to working with community partners to find ways to prevent crimes and hold perpetrators accountable but has faced criticism for Oakland missing a deadline to apply for a portion of the $267 million allocated by the state to combat retail theft rings.
.jpg){kind=link}