Oakland, CA – Today, October 12, 2021, the City of Oakland’s Public Safety Committee will receive an informational report from the City Administrator regarding the status of implementing the July 2020 Council directive, introduced by Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, to transfer Special Events Permitting out of the Oakland Police Department (“OPD”) to be handled by civilians. Although the proposal passed Council over a year ago, it has not yet been implemented by the administration.
Several community members and organizers have shared their strong support to remove the Special Events Permitting out of OPD to be handled by civilians, due to the expensive fees, waste of police time, undermining of arts and culture events, and lack of transparency in how the fees are calculated. As reported by Oakland News Now, “Critics of the current policy are frustrated: In the years prior to the pandemic, Oakland used as much as 84% of its festivals and fairs fund to pay the police department for security instead of directly supporting artists and cultural institutions. This police-led permitting system is cost-prohibitive and inequitable, critics say. They argue it hurts opportunities for artists and small businesses, hampers Oakland’s arts and culture and related industry, and slows recovery from pandemic restrictions.”
Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, along with Council member Carroll Fife scheduled the informational report to today’s 1:30 PM Public Safety Committee, to deliberate on the delay and status of the implementation of this important council directive. Kaplan stated: “redirecting the Event Permitting out of OPD to civilians will allow OPD to focus on responding and investigating serious crime, missing persons, and removing illegal guns, and will remove important and expensive barriers to Oakland’s arts and cultural events and economy.”
The Vice Mayor has continuously advocated and successfully passed resolutions to have OPD to focus on serious crimes and stopping illegal guns.
Item: Link
Tuesday, Oct 12, 1:30PM Public Safety Committee
Zoom Link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83853066942
Agenda: Link