The Oakland Police Officer's Association (OPOA) has called for the resignation of Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, describing the city under her leadership as an "international embarrassment" and claiming that her policies have contributed to an increase in the danger for its citizens. OPOA President Huy Nguyen, during a Tuesday press conference, claimed that for nearly two years, the leadership has repeatedly failed and that the citizens are the ones suffering as a result, NBC Bay Area reports.
According to the NBC Bay Area coverage, the OPOA has issued a deadline for Thao to resign by August 8, suggesting that her departure could quickly allow a new leader to take office in the upcoming November elections and save the city millions of dollars. Amidst the criticism, Mayor Thao has remained firm, arguing that the call for her resignation is meant to distract from progress, such as the city's deal to sell the Oakland Coliseum. She pointed to a decrease in overall crime by 32%, including an 11% drop in violent crime, despite the OPOA's claims of delayed and inaccurate crime data due to understaffing.
Further expressing their dissatisfaction, the OPOA highlighted recent violent events in Oakland, including a sideshow that resulted in shootings and the subsequent downscaling of the police force from 712 to 678 officers in the recently passed budget. The union insisted that the city, now more than ever, requires robust policing, stating, "We have 750 police officers. We are working backwards if we think that we can function at 600 police officers or 678 police officers in the city", according to NBC Bay Area.
The police union's push for resignation comes against efforts already underway to recall Mayor Thao. However, union leaders believe a recall effort would be too timely and expensive, advocating for immediate resignation as the preferred path forward, KTVU reports. OPOA's sentiments were echoed by the Oakland branch of the NAACP and former city councilmember Loren Taylor, who also has called for Mayor Thao to step down amidst surging weekend crime referenced by OPOA Vice President Timothy Dolan, who said nine people were shot in 30 hours, as revealed by CBS News San Francisco.
Despite the criticism, supporters of Thao argue that the city's problems are not her sole responsibility and that time is needed for her policies to take effect. Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project, while critical of Thao's public safety strategies, stated that Thao deserves the opportunity to enact her plans for the city, as per CBS News San Francisco.
