UC Berkeley researchers analyzed 785 encampment‑closure postings from January 2021 to December 2024 and found that 156 camps were closed more than one time. One spot was swept 18 times during that period, according to UC Berkeley News. The team’s brief, released yesterday in the American Journal of Public Health, geocoded the city’s closure notices and tracked how patterns shifted over time. Their takeaway: the trend looks less like a solution and more like dispersal, with people being moved around rather than rehoused.

City records drove the mapping

Lead author Chang’s team leaned on Oakland’s public “Completed Encampment Management Operations Since 2021” database to translate sometimes vague closure postings into map points. The portal, maintained by the City of Oakland, logs full closures, partial closures and deep cleanings, and is updated each month. Previous local number‑crunching with the same records has already flagged a pattern of repeated actions at a relatively small number of sites.

Sweeps moved southeast into East Oakland

On the map, the statistical center of encampment closures shifted about 1.5 miles southeast from its earlier spot near Lake Merritt, landing in census tracts with lower household incomes and higher proportions of Hispanic residents. The paper calls that out as a key trend. Researchers say it could point to tougher enforcement in new areas after the Supreme Court decision or to people setting up new encampments in response to earlier sweeps. "The problem hasn't been solved. They’ve just pushed them somewhere else," the paper’s first author told UC Berkeley News.

Grants Pass v. Johnson altered the legal landscape

On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that enforcing generally applicable camping bans on public property does not automatically count as cruel and unusual punishment. Legal analysts said that the shift would give cities more room to carry out encampment closures. The Court’s opinion is available on the Supreme Court website. The researchers underline the timing of Oakland’s spike in sweeps but stress that their data can show correlation, not a direct legal cause.

Public‑health and budget consequences

Researchers and local health reporters warn that encampment sweeps can cut people off from medical and social services, lead to the loss of medications and essential supplies, and drive up risks such as overdose and hospitalization. Those harms have been documented in local coverage. The study urges cities to shift money away from repeated clearances and into shelter and housing, and to report not just enforcement activity but also health, economic and displacement outcomes. The brief appears in the American Journal of Public Health, while reporting from KQED has chronicled the on‑the‑ground fallout in Oakland.

What Oakland’s policy says

Oakland’s Encampment Management Policy calls for outreach and, when possible, offers of shelter before a closure, and the city points to the Completed Encampment Management Operations log as a public record of that work. Advocates and some researchers counter that the existing records do not show what happens to people after crews leave or whether shelter offers ever turn into permanent housing. The authors of the study call for more transparent tracking of outcomes and for shifting funds toward shelter and housing instead of cycling the same sites through enforcement.

The Berkeley team’s analysis gives Oakland a closer look at its own practices at a moment when the city is already arguing over how far to lean on sweeps. Do closures actually clean up streets, or do they simply shuffle the most visible poverty into different corners of town? With city records, a major Supreme Court ruling and mounting public‑health reporting all on the table, the paper lays out a stark set of tradeoffs for local leaders weighing whether to keep ramping up enforcement or put more resources into shelter and housing.

Officers say a department transcript shows the father's preliminary breath-alcohol reading came back at 0.31%. He was later found and arrested on suspicion of DUI, hit-and-run, and child endangerment. Neighbors who saw the chaos unfold did not just stand there. They hit record, called it in and helped officers get both drivers off the road.

What the police say

According to the Vacaville Police Department, witnesses reported that an underage driver in a parking lot hit four parked vehicles, and that they captured the incident on video. In the department's summary, officers say the boy had no license, his father then swapped seats with him and drove away, and officers later located and arrested the father.

BAC reading and prior arrests

A department-attached transcript shows the father's preliminary breath-alcohol test registered at 0.31%. For comparison, California's per se legal limit for most adult drivers is 0.08%, according to the California DMV. The post also notes the man has multiple prior DUI arrests that had resulted in felony charges, although he was not identified by name in the update. "Please don't drink and drive," the department wrote in its social media warning.

Legal exposure

In California, driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher is a per se violation under Vehicle Code §23152. Leaving the scene after causing property damage can be charged under Vehicle Code §20002, and exposing a child to danger falls under Penal Code §273a. Repeat DUI arrests combined with hit-and-run allegations can give prosecutors room to seek enhanced penalties or felony charges, depending on the defendant's record and the facts of the case.

Neighbors' role and local context

Vacaville police publicly thanked the residents who documented the scene and called the incident in, saying those tips helped officers track down the vehicle and get the drivers out of circulation before anything worse happened. The department has leaned on social media before to get its DUI message across. In March, a post about wine, pizza and a sleeping driver highlighted another high-profile DUI arrest and a fresh round of online reminders.

The investigation into the parking lot crash is still underway, and formal charges will be up to Solano County prosecutors. Police are asking anyone with video or additional information about the incident to contact the Vacaville Police Department.

Orzas To Take Over Walnut Creek Studio

According to a press release, the center’s North Broadway studio will be taken over by Aaron Orza and his wife, Kristin Lindsay Orza, who plan to run the space under a new academy, as reported by The Mercury News. The change is being framed as a handoff rather than an overnight shutdown, with both current school leaders and the incoming team emphasizing continuity for students through the end of the spring session. They have said they will work with families to keep the transition as orderly as possible.

Sixty-Year Local Tradition

Founded in 1967, the Contra Costa Ballet Centre grew into a fixture for family recitals and full-scale productions, including a Nutcracker that became a holiday tradition for the community, according to the school’s history on its website. The centre notes that it produced three main shows a year and trained dancers from beginner levels through a company track. For many local families, it became a reliable pathway to regional conservatories and professional companies.

Final Shows At The Lesher

The centre’s spring repertory production of Alice in Wonderland at the Lesher Center for the Arts last week doubled as its final public performances, according to the Lesher Center for the Arts. Program notes credited the Contra Costa Ballet Foundation and a cast made up of students and guest artists. For performers and families, the run functioned as both a culminating showcase and a farewell.

Directors Cite Pandemic Strain

Dishong and Cammack, who took over the centre in 1987 and led it together for 39 years, told reporters that the school had been strained financially by the COVID-19 pandemic and its lingering fallout. “It’s been a wonderful journey,” Dishong said in an interview with The Mercury News, reflecting on decades of teaching. They described the closure as the culmination of sustained financial pressure rather than a sudden collapse.

Who Are Aaron And Kristin Orza?

Aaron Orza is a veteran performer and teacher, and his faculty profile at Vitacca School for Dance lists a long tenure with the San Francisco Ballet along with extensive coaching experience. Kristin Lindsay Orza’s bio cites work with Ballet Florida and Company C. The couple have led training programs whose students have been accepted to top intensives and conservatories, according to their professional pages. The Orzas say they intend to preserve opportunities for current students while introducing a pre-professional curriculum under their direction.

What Comes Next For Students

The centre posted a message thanking families and describing a “silver lining” as leadership transfers, and its calendar shows spring classes wrapping up with a summer intensive planned, per Contra Costa Ballet Centre. That notice asks families to stay engaged through the transition and identifies early June as the target window for the handover. Administrators say they will share details about enrollment and class continuity as the incoming leadership finalizes plans.

Local Arts Landscape

The closure joins a series of small and mid-sized Bay Area performing arts organizations that have scaled back or shut down in recent years amid rising costs and reduced revenue, a trend noted in regional arts coverage. The San Francisco Chronicle has documented similar shutdowns, highlighting the fragile economics facing community arts groups. In Walnut Creek’s dance world, the Orzas’ takeover will be closely watched as a test of whether a new model can keep classical training alive locally.

According to CBS Sacramento, Dixon police confirmed the fatality but have not provided additional details about what led up to the incident. The outlet reports that an investigation is underway and that authorities are still withholding the victim's name.

Safety risks tied to powered industrial trucks

Federal safety agencies say powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts, are a known workplace hazard that can cause serious and sometimes fatal injuries when operations go wrong. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires operator training and other safety controls to reduce those risks, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has issued alerts advising workplaces on how to prevent forklift-related injuries.

What comes next

No further details have been released, according to CBS Sacramento. This story will be updated if police or city officials provide more information.

In a news release and video, the city said it is working with wildlife agencies, including the California Academy of Sciences and the National Marine Fisheries Service, to determine next steps, according to KTVU. The city’s statement says experts have advised that allowing the whale to naturally decompose on site is the safest and most environmentally appropriate option. Officials are asking trail users and nearby residents to avoid the stretch of the Bay Trail south of Marina Park while teams work.

Necropsy and Who Will Respond

Scientists plan to perform a necropsy to look for signs of trauma, entanglement, disease or poor body condition and to collect tissue samples, per The Marine Mammal Center. The center notes that necropsies are often collaborative efforts involving the California Academy of Sciences and NOAA’s stranding program when access and permits allow. Tissue analysis can take days to weeks, and in some cases may not produce conclusive results if decomposition has advanced.

How This Fits Into a Larger Pattern

Conservation groups and researchers say the San Leandro stranding comes amid an unusually high number of gray whale deaths along the West Coast this year, with some groups warning 2026 could be among the deadliest on record, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. Recent Bay Area analyses and necropsies have often pointed to vessel strikes, entanglement and poor body condition as leading factors in whale deaths, and researchers are advocating prevention measures. A pilot thermal‑camera and AI detection network that alerts mariners to whale locations is one of the tools being tested to reduce collisions, per the Los Angeles Times.

What Residents Should Do

Anyone who spots the whale or other distressed marine life should stay well clear, keep pets away and report the sighting to the West Coast stranding hotline at 1‑866‑767‑6114, according to NOAA Fisheries. Officials stress that people should not attempt to move, touch or approach the animal; responders will assess whether a necropsy, removal or natural decomposition is the appropriate course. The city says it will provide updates after investigators complete the necropsy and determine next steps.

According to the California Lottery, yesterday's Fantasy 5 draw produced those winning numbers and shows a single top-prize ticket worth $356,320. The Lottery’s Fantasy 5 page also notes the game is held daily after a 6:30 PM sales cutoff, and it listed the next draw’s estimated top prize at about $82,000.

The lucky ticket was sold at Hilltop Food Mart, 4251 Hilltop Dr. in El Sobrante, as reported by The Mercury News. That report also points out this isn’t the first brush with big money for the corner store: it previously sold a $5 million scratcher in September 2019. Staff at Hilltop Food Mart could not be reached for comment.

How to claim your prize

For anyone holding a potential winner, the process depends on the amount. Prizes of $599 and under can be cashed at any participating Lottery retailer. Winnings of $600 and above must be claimed at a California Lottery district office or by mail. Winners are advised to sign the back of the ticket, keep it secure, and remember that draw-game tickets must be postmarked or received by Lottery offices within 180 days of the draw, per the California Lottery.

A busy spring for Fantasy 5 winners

This latest win lands in the middle of a busy spring for Fantasy 5 payouts across California, with recent top-prize tickets popping up at small delis, gas stations and local markets. A recent May winners recap highlighted how low-key, everyday purchases sometimes turn into serious money.

If you think you might be holding the El Sobrante winner, sign the back, stash it somewhere safe, and double-check the numbers on the California Lottery website or mobile app. Hilltop Food Mart’s listed address is 4251 Hilltop Dr. in El Sobrante.

As reported by the East Bay Times, women serving in California city halls and at the Capitol say they face both more frequent and more gendered abuse than their male colleagues. They describe a mix of violent online messages and physical-world tactics such as targeted mailers that reveal home addresses, protests on their doorsteps and threats that extend to family members. The through line, they say, is an effort to scare them out of office.

Those stories line up with national data. A report from the Brennan Center found that women in local offices are more likely to report threats and harassment than men. According to the report, 23% of women local officeholders said they had received threats, compared with 16% of men. The gap is similar for race: 25% of elected officials of color reported threats, compared with 18% of white officeholders. In shorter-window surveys, 12% of women reported threats aimed at their family members, compared with 8% of men.

Local Incidents Put Fear On The Doorstep

In the Bay Area, the danger has not been theoretical. On June 14, 2022, a homemade explosive device was found in the street near San Jose Councilmember Dev Davis’s Willow Glen home. Investigators later characterized it as a functional, homemade, destructive device. Detectives identified a suspect and made an arrest in January 2024, and court records say a search of the suspect’s home turned up materials tied to improvised explosives. "I want people to be civically involved," Davis told reporters after the incident, according to CBS News.

Neighbors in Oakland saw a different kind of escalation. In April 2022, a convoy of truck protesters rolled up outside the Rockridge home of Assemblymember Buffy Wicks to denounce proposed vaccine and abortion legislation. Police responded while the demonstration remained largely peaceful, but Wicks' office said the scene underscored an unnerving reality: controversy at the Capitol can now follow lawmakers straight back to their neighborhoods, per the SF Chronicle.

How Abuse Is Rewriting The Job Description

The ripple effects go well beyond a nasty inbox. National surveys reported by TIME show that harassment is changing the calculus for many officeholders, particularly women. Almost 40% of local officials surveyed said threats and abuse made them less willing to run for reelection or seek higher office. Among women, that reluctance climbed to about half of the respondents. Researchers warn that if those numbers hold, the pipeline of future candidates will shrink.

Local leaders say the targeting feels different for women, and more personal. Assemblymember Mia Bonta told reporters that the intensity of political hate has normalized violent and abusive comments toward women in public life. County officials like Sylvia Arenas describe the political arena as reflecting broader patterns of violence against women, rather than existing apart from them. 

What Researchers And Officials Say Needs To Change

Experts who study the trend say the fix has to be both muscular and preventative. The Brennan Center report urges states to systematize how they monitor threats, expand security resources and training for officeholders, and tighten protections around home addresses to limit doxxing. The report also calls on social media companies to enforce stricter rules around death threats and targeted harassment so that officials and their families are not left to fend for themselves in online spaces.

For Bay Area voters and the people who represent them, the message in the research and recent incidents is hard to miss. The costs of public service are rising, and women are often paying more. If policymakers want a truly representative bench of leaders, experts argue, they will have to treat threats and harassment as a problem of governance itself, not just one more ugly side effect of modern politics.

Court testimony made public this week alleges that Diaz’s boyfriend, Amadi Monroe, sent a message saying he had shot the 30-year-old and apologized. Diaz was reported missing on Aug. 8, 2023, and investigators later found her body inside a Lexus on Aug. 11, 2023.

According to The Mercury News, court records say Monroe texted that he shot Diaz and expressed remorse, and detectives later tied the Lexus to a series of Oakland shootings on Aug. 8, 2023. That same day, another man, Jerald Larnell Clark II, was shot and later died at Highland Hospital after he was found wounded in front of his home.

Video and vehicle tie multiple scenes, investigators say

Homicide investigators told a grand jury they reviewed security video from a nearby residence that allegedly shows someone firing at Clark from Diaz’s Lexus. The same car was then flagged as a suspect vehicle in three other shootings that day in East Oakland, details that prosecutors say help link what might otherwise look like scattered episodes of gunfire into a single deadly pattern, per Hoodline.

Court schedule and charges

Monroe has been held in custody since his arrest and faces pending murder and firearms-possession charges, according to court documents. The Mercury News reports he is scheduled to return to Alameda County court on June 12, as prosecutors work to consolidate evidence tied to the shootings.

Family reaction

Before any of that was public, Diaz’s family had been flooding social media with pleas and videos, asking for help to find the missing 30-year-old. The alleged confession text landed after those appeals, according to court testimony and local reporting. In coverage that pulled together chilling details on the double killing, loved ones described Diaz as a Bay Area woman whose sudden disappearance left a community desperate for answers.

Now prosecutors and family members are focused on the June hearing, where court filings and testimony could clarify how the district attorney intends to proceed and whether additional charges tied to the Aug. 8 shootings might be filed. Neighbors say the case has once again put a harsh spotlight on long-standing worries about gun violence in parts of East Oakland.

The complaint, filed May 13 in Alameda County Superior Court, names Pacific Gas & Electric, Redgwick Construction Co., subcontractor Mayo Asphalt Milling, and Alameda County as defendants, according to the court complaint. The filing says three people were inside the home on the 800 block of East Lewelling Boulevard when the blast flattened the house, leading to multiple surgeries for the residents. It lays out the family’s injuries and alleges the defendants knew gas was leaking for hours before the explosion but still did not warn people living nearby, according to the same complaint.

Federal investigators have put together a preliminary timeline that reads like a slow-moving nightmare. A crew struck a gas service line at about 7:25 AM. Workers reported leaks and isolated one section around 8:18 AM, but gas on the main line was not shut off until roughly 9:29 AM, and the home exploded about 9:36 AM, according to an initial report from the NTSB. The agency notes the main distribution running along East Lewelling was installed in 1942 and says its probe is focusing on excavation practices and PG&E’s leak response procedures, with physical evidence from the scene now undergoing lab analysis.

The lawsuit details brutal injuries. Maria Del Socorro Duenas Ponce suffered a fractured neck, burns and throat and jaw damage that required ventilator support and multiple surgeries. Her daughter, Soledad Flores, had two broken ribs that needed surgery. Jesus Duenas Ponce sustained extensive burns and broken bones and is still struggling with mobility and limited use of his hands, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The suit also says the family lost everything they owned when the house was leveled.

The plaintiffs contend PG&E, Alameda County and the contractors knew gas was escaping near the home for more than two hours and failed to alert residents. The complaint also claims PG&E’s statement that crews “knocked” on doors before the blast is contradicted by neighbor video, according to Pleasanton Weekly. A PG&E spokesperson told local outlets the utility is reviewing the lawsuit and said federal rules tied to the active NTSB investigation limit what the company can say for now.

NTSB Timeline Raises Safety Questions

The NTSB’s early findings focus on whether standard leak response and excavation rules were followed and on why gas continued to flow in the system after crews had been on scene for hours, according to the NTSB. Investigators are poring over physical evidence, the condition of the decades-old pipeline and communication logs between work crews and emergency responders. What they conclude could shape how utilities and contractors respond to reported gas leaks in the future.

Legal Fallout And What Comes Next

The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, creating a public nuisance and trespass, and it lists more than 50 individual defendants, according to the court complaint. The family is represented by Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, and the civil case is pending with no trial date yet, as both lawyers and federal investigators continue to collect evidence.

“We’re trying to get them to as close to normal as possible, trying to get as much of their old life back as possible,” attorney Niall McCarthy said of his clients’ recovery, according to NBC Bay Area. With the NTSB investigation still active and the lawsuit now on file, neighbors and regulators alike will be watching to see whether utility operators and contractors followed the rules and whether new safeguards are needed to prevent another catastrophe, per reporting from the San Francisco Chronicle.

According to the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, those public systems are staring down nearly $3 billion in yearly losses tied to federal changes under H.R. 1, plus roughly another $800 million hit from the governor's May Revision. The 17 systems serve about 3.7 million patients annually and deliver a large share of Medi-Cal and uncompensated care. Without a state lifeline, CAPH and local hospital leaders warn layoffs and service rollbacks are all but guaranteed.

The California Health Care Foundation has laid out just how disruptive H.R. 1 could be for Medicaid. The package of federal changes amounts to nearly $1 trillion in reductions over the next decade and could push millions off coverage. CHCF says those cuts, combined with tighter eligibility rules and payment caps, would shove even more uncompensated care onto safety-net hospitals already running close to the edge.

Lawmakers and hospital workers rolled out the $500 million request at a State Capitol news conference on May 19, pressing negotiators to lock the money in before the budget is finalized. San Diego Voice & Viewpoint reported that members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, including Assemblymembers Tina McKinnor and Patrick Ahrens, stood alongside health system executives and union members to make the case.

Supporters pointed to short-term fixes already in motion. Assembly Bill 108 advanced in May to send emergency grants to financially distressed public and nonprofit facilities, and lawmakers say those dollars have literally kept some hospitals' doors open. As advocates have highlighted, MLK Community Hospital in South Los Angeles briefly came close to shutting its maternity unit before it received urgent state support. Those steps have bought time, officials say, but advocates argue a far larger rescue is needed to fend off deeper cuts.

"H.R. 1 cuts that will begin this fall and continue until the new year will not just put a hole in California's public health safety net, it will burn down the net," Assemblymember Tina McKinnor told reporters, adding that "if public hospitals close, Californians will die," according to coverage of the event. San Diego Voice & Viewpoint carried both the lawmakers' warnings and the organizers' budget demand.

Why Lawmakers Say Time Is Running Out

Advocates say the clock is ticking because Gov. Newsom rolled out his May Revision on May 14, and the Legislature is up against a constitutional budget deadline in mid-June. The California Budget & Policy Center notes that the May Revision does not fully backfill the federal cuts, leaving lawmakers to decide how much short-term aid to provide while they wrestle with longer-term fixes. The Legislative Analyst's Office has also warned that the tight calendar shrinks the window for action before the June 15 deadline.

What It Means For Patients

Roughly 14 million Californians rely on Medi-Cal, and public hospitals provide a disproportionate share of care for those patients, state officials point out. Per the California Department of Health Care Services and independent policy analyses, experts warn that rising uninsured rates and lower reimbursement levels typically translate into shuttered units, longer emergency room waits and staffing cuts, particularly in communities that already have limited options.

Lawmakers are pitching the $500 million request as a first-step stabilizer while the bigger federal and state policy fights play out. With budget talks on a tight schedule, advocates and hospital leaders say the next two weeks will effectively decide whether California is willing to shore up the hospitals that serve its most vulnerable residents.

Detectives say the trouble started on May 9 in the 2100 block of Peralta Boulevard, where communication lines were cut. According to police, the same suspects returned days later and struck the area again, hauling away more cable while thousands of residents and businesses remained offline.

How Detectives Built the Case

In a press release from the Fremont Police Department, investigators say they pulled surveillance footage showing individuals and vehicles matching the suspects’ descriptions near the initial crime scene, then connected it to similar incidents reported in other parts of Fremont.

Officers later served a search warrant on one suspect vehicle and one suspect’s home, where they say they found tools and other evidence tied to the string of crimes. According to the department, the series allegedly includes the May 9 cable cut, a May 13 return that netted about $5,000 in stolen cable, and similar conduct documented on May 20.

Arrests and Charges

Fremont officials identified the four arrested residents as David Elmore, Nicole Elmore, Eric Kosskela and Marc Rice. The Alameda County District Attorney's Office has charged them with damaging or tampering with telephone or electrical lines (PC 591), felony vandalism (PC 594) and grand theft (PC 487), along with a PC 12022.6(a)(2) enhancement tied to damages greater than $200,000, according to the Fremont Police Department’s announcement posted on Facebook. The case is listed as case number 260512403.

Why It Matters Locally

When communication lines are sliced, the fallout can spread fast. Internet, phone and security systems can all go dark at once, leaving homes, businesses and public services scrambling until repairs are finished.

Fremont is not the only Bay Area community dealing with this problem. A similar cable theft last November at BART’s Hayward yard forced service suspensions and left the transit agency with a repair tab of more than $1 million. In that case, investigators have struggled to identify suspects and recover stolen spools of wiring, highlighting how tricky these cases can be once the metal is stripped and sold.

How to Report Tips

The Fremont Police Department is asking anyone who saw the incidents or who may have information to contact the Investigations Unit at (510) 790-6900, to text "Tip FremontPD" to 888-777, or to submit an anonymous tip through the department’s tip page. Media inquiries may be sent to FremontPDPIO@fremont.gov, according to the department.

Legal Process

Police say they have presented the investigation to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and that charges have been filed. Those charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty in court.

What happened

Just after 10 AM, officers responded to reports of gunfire on the 1600 block of Eighth Street, a short walk from Prescott Elementary. When they arrived, they found a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. As of Thursday, there was no immediate indication that anyone had been arrested, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Victim and investigation

The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was hospitalized and described as stable. A police spokesperson said the Oakland Housing Authority would be taking over the investigation, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

About Prescott Elementary

Prescott Elementary has been part of West Oakland for more than 150 years and currently serves students from pre-K through fifth grade, according to Prescott Elementary's website. The school sits in a dense residential neighborhood, where any incident of street violence tends to land hard on parents, students, and longtime residents alike.

How to help investigators

Investigators have not announced any arrests and continue to process the scene. Anyone with information, photos, or video that might help detectives is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department Homicide Unit at (510) 238-3821, call the anonymous tip line at (510) 238-7950, or email cidvideos@oaklandca.gov, as noted by KTVU.

This story will be updated as officials release more details. If you witnessed the shooting, police are asking you to contact the OPD Homicide Unit at (510) 238-3821.

According to reporting by The Oaklandside, the April webinar was advertised to officers as a lesson in "how to speak to city councils" and drew widespread interest from law enforcement around the region. The outlet reported that roughly 1,000 users registered, and that both Flock employees and local police were invited to a 60-minute session focused on messaging and budgeting. A Flock spokesperson told the publication the company screened RSVPs and pitched the event as community-engagement training.

What the training promised

Flock’s own event listing says the webinar covers how to "make a case for ALPR to your city council" and offers fundraising and media strategies to promote camera programs. The company describes the material as tools to help officers with community outreach and testimony, rather than direct lobbying, according to information on Flock Safety's website.

How big this network already is

Flock has been aggressively expanding its footprint, with corporate material and recent press releases describing its system as deployed in thousands of communities across the country. A company release and related industry coverage say Flock’s network now spans more than 5,000 communities, a scale critics argue raises the stakes when a vendor is helping public officials hone their sales pitches. One such release was carried out in 2025 by GlobeNewswire.

Bay Area councils are already pushing back

On the ground, Bay Area officials and residents have already started tapping the brakes, resisting expansions and calling for audits and tighter rules. KQED reported that Berkeley this spring rejected a proposed multi-million dollar expansion after city staff flagged risks tied to data sharing and legal compliance. In Richmond, officials shut down their ALPR network last year over a "national lookup" feature that could allow outside searches, and they are now weighing whether to turn the cameras back on, according to Richmondside and recent city records.

Lobbying lines and local messengers

Civil-liberties advocates argue that training officers to deliver what look like vendor talking points to elected officials blurs the already fuzzy line between policing and procurement. Public records and lobbying registries show that Flock also relies on outside firms; directories list lobbyists linked to Politicom Law and other consultants, including a local contact identified in LobbyLinx's profile for Flock.

Meanwhile, Richmond’s public-comment file includes warnings from privacy group Secure Justice that vendor-driven campaigns can expose cities to legal and civil-rights trouble. Those letters are included in the city’s official meeting packets. Richmond City documents show one such submission signed by Secure Justice’s executive director.

Legal risk in plain sight

California law limits how automated license plate reader data can be shared with federal and out-of-state agencies, and state officials have already gone to court over problematic data flows. KQED notes that the state attorney general has brought cases where local ALPR data ended up accessible to federal agencies, a key concern driving recent audits and reversals of surveillance contracts.

For now, the Flock training has generated more scrutiny than immediate policy change. Council members and privacy advocates say the vendor-led sessions highlight why surveillance procurement debates should play out in public and why officers who testify should be trained by independent experts, not the companies seeking contracts. The Oaklandside reported that the Oakland Police Department said it did not plan to attend the webinar, while Flock continues to describe the sessions as purely educational.