https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAjmgIhZ4T8 Oakland News Now Presents: Social Media Policy Ad Hoc Committee Meeting (1.18.22) . A vlog by the YouTube channel named in the video’s upper left corner and serves as the original blog post for this content. via IFTTT Note from Zennie62Media and OaklandNewsNow.com : this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of … Read more
As the smoke clears in Oakland on the most hideous of police crimes, mass-rape and child exploitation, we see a silent coup occurred in the chaos. It gave us the Oakland Police Commission. After decades of tireless work by a group of dedicated citizens, 83% of voters came out to create independent, civilian oversight of … Read more
Oakland – Mayor Libby Schaaf and the Selection Panel for the Oakland Police Commission today announced the opening of the application process to serve on the Oakland Police Commission. “Oakland’s volunteer Police Commission is currently the most powerful and independent Police Commission in the country,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “When the actions of a … Read more
Regina Jackson EOYDC/Chair of Oakland Police Commission From YouTube Channel: February 16, 2021 at 03:36PM ONN – Regina Jackson EOYDC/Chair Of Oakland Police Commission With Robert L. Harris Note from Zennie62Media and OaklandNewsNow.com : this video-blog post demonstrates the full and live operation of the latest updated version of an experimental Zennie62Media , Inc. mobile … Read more
Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong From YouTube Channel: February 5, 2021 at 02:55PM ONN – Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong This is what I wrote here at Oakland News Now on February 21, 2020, just less than one year ago: LeRonne Armstrong For Oakland Police Chief: Long-Time Deputy Chief Should Be Top Cop Oakland Mayor … Read more
Gene Hazzard is Oakland’s latest in a line of people who remind the Oakland City Council and in this case, the Oakland Police Commission, of when it’s screwing up. In the October 22, 2020, meeting of the Oakland Police Commission, Mr. Hazzard did not contain his displeasure with the way now former Oakland Police Commissioner … Read more
Oakland – Over the last week the Oakland Police Commission made two bold policy actions to keep Oaklanders safe. The Oakland Police Commission unanimously approved a new use of force and asphyxia policy for the Oakland Police Department during Commission meetings (October 8 and October 15th). The Police Commission’s action was fully supported by leadership of the Oakland Police Department, the Community Police Review Agency (CPRA) and several community groups, many of whom assisted Commissioners in developing the new policy by providing personal perspectives and subject matter expertise.
The revision process was led by an Ad Hoc Committee of three Commissioners and supported by legal and policy experts, a project management consultant, Police Department leadership, and representatives from the City and community.
“This policy is the culmination of almost a year’s worth of hard work and is a first step in rebuilding trusted relationships,” said Commissioner Ginale Harris, Ad Hoc Committee Chair. “The Black community has suffered enough. We needed a new use of force policy that clearly guides officers to protect us, not harm us. I don’t believe that policy changes behavior, and I believe it’s going to take more than just this policy to have accountability. However, I do believe this new policy is a start, especially in holding officers accountable.
It’s one of the most progressive policies out there and I’m very proud of the collaborative work that this effort has produced,” added Harris.
The Commission and the Oakland Police Department agreed to overhaul Oakland’s outdated use of force policy after completing a limited revision in January 2020 that brought Oakland into compliance with Assembly Bill 392. That initial revision made clear that a more substantive change was required.
Despite significant challenges created by the ongoing pandemic, the Ad Hoc Commissioners initiated a community engagement process to surface public sentiment and ideas and incorporated this feedback into the final policy.
“This policy was created during an exceptional time; mass protests, calls for police reform, economic recession and a global pandemic. Those conditions required that the Commission innovate to ensure the voices of those most marginalized and directly impacted by police use of force were included. I want to extend gratitude to the many community voices that made important changes in the policy possible,” added Commissioner Tara Anderson, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee. “This policy is a milestone. It is not a bookend, but instead a chapter in the work towards rebuilding stronger, safer and more equitable communities in Oakland.”
Changes to Oakland Police Department’s use of force policy include the use of the term “weapons” instead of “tools” to signify the gravity involved, as well as:
• Prioritizing the sanctity of life
• Requiring the use of de-escalation tactics, and directing officers to
consider disengagement as an
alternative to the immediate application of force
• Using person-centric language throughout
• Placing strict necessity and proportionality requirements on all uses of
force
• Requiring officers to intervene if they view other officers using
inappropriate force
• Pushing far beyond the Constitutional “floor” for police Use of Force
policies, among other things
“There is an ever-present tension when looking at a policy like this one because it initiates the review of so many other related policies and training bulletins. It also requires cooperation and collaboration with other entities like the City Council, state legislature and maybe even federal authorities,” said Commissioner Henry Gage III, member of the Ad Hoc committee and Vice Chair of the Oakland Police Commission. “This is a better policy than the one that came before it. It is a new foundation, and one we intend to build on.”
A revised version of Special Order (SO) 9205 Banning of the Carotid Restraint and All Forms of Asphyxia was approved during the Thursday night Special Commission meeting. The language added by the Commission clarified expectations about rendering medical assistance and explicit prohibitions on applying pressure to the chest, back, stomach or shoulders. SO 9205 goes beyond the prohibitions on carotid and chokehold signed into law by Governor Newsom last month, the Commission’s policy bans additional forms of contact known to cause serious injury and death.
The implementation of this new version of Department General Order K03 (Use of Force) and the additional language on Asphyxia in SO 9205 will go into effect immediately.
This post based on a press release to Zennie62Media.
Oakland District Two Councilmember Nikki Bas’ Digitized Newsletter
Last week, I was so moved to see #MomsHouse on Magnolia Street finally become community-owned as permanently affordable, transitional housing for unsheltered mothers.
Congratulations to Dominique Walker, Tolani King, Misty Cross, Sameerah Karim and Carroll Fife for leading this movement to end corporate speculation and house more Oaklanders. I am proud to have stood with them over the last year to call attention to making housing a human right, together with Council President Rebecca Kaplan, Councilmember Dan Kalb and Assemblymember Rob Bonta.
Moms 4 Housing
Sustainable, Healthy Use of Lake Merritt – Lake Merritt Vending Pilot Program Update
Coming out of the second weekend of our Lake Merritt Vending Pilot Program, we were excited to be joined by Parks and Recreation Advisory Commissioner Dwayne Aikens, Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kev Choice, the Oakland Black Vendors Association and neighbors to:
• Promote health and safety during COVID-19,
• Support struggling small businesses and entrepreneurs in this difficult time, and
• Ensure sustainable, equitable and inclusive long-term use of the Lake.
This pilot program for merchandise vendors will take place through November 22nd on El Embarcadero and along Lakeshore to Beacon from 10am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
This weekend, Community Ready Corps (CRC) will be joining the pilot to promote public health during COVID. Volunteers will distribute COVID kits that have face masks, hand sanitizer and gloves to help promote compliance with the County Health Order.
My team is grateful for the collaboration of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission (PRAC), the Oakland Black Vendors Association, James “Old School” Copes, city departments, and the community to ensure access, safety and equity at the Lake for everyone in our city.
This is what an Oakland for all of us means to me — working with a coalition of diverse stakeholders to ensure the Lake, as our city’s pride, is an enjoyable public space that each of us can use.
Moms 4 Housing
TUESDAY 10/20: Oakland City Council Meeting Preview Homeless Encampment Management Policy and Community Safety
Tuesday, October 20th’s 1:30pm City Council meeting will include the following important agenda items:
Item 6: COVID-19 Emergency Response And The Creation Of Clean Air Buildings For Use Of The Community During The COVID-19 Shelter In Place Emergency.
Thanks to our awesome District 2 constituent and outgoing Cleveland Heights Neighborhood Council Co-Chair Rachel Broadwin for introducing us to Dr. Rupa Basu, Section Chief for the Air and Climate Epidemiology Section of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment at CalEPA. At our September Council meeting, I expressed concern that our air quality and temperature triggers were too high to fully protect the health and safety of our most vulnerable residents. At my urging, our Fire Department staff met with Dr. Basu to discuss recommendations for activating extreme weather Emergency Respite Centers (ERC) in Oakland. As an outcome of the conversation and further discussions with internal stakeholders and community feedback, the activation triggers for the City of Oakland have been lowered to an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200 – Very Unhealthy (versus what was previously 250) and temperatures forecasted to reach/exceed 95 degrees for 2 consecutive days or 100 degrees in one day. We are grateful for Dr. Basu and Rachel’s important expertise as we navigate these challenging times!
Item 7: Gun Violence Top Law Enforcement Priority resolution from President Kaplan to prioritize the decrease in illegal guns and gun violence by increasing gun tracing, improving response time to shooting notifications, and prioritizing response to gun crime.
Item 8: Homeless Encampment Management resolution, which proposes to designate priority areas for encampment management and outlines actions including the criteria for assessing what locations will be prioritized for enforcement or other homelessness interventions from the city.
Item 14: Adopt either the resolution proposed by the Oakland Police Commission or Oakland Police Department banning the carotid restraint and all forms of asphyxia.
Item 16: I’m co-sponsoring with President Kaplan, a resolution Terminating the Oakland Police Department’s Participation In The Joint Terror Task Force to ensure compliance with our local and state laws and focus on threats based on evidence, not bias or racial profiling.
See details to join the meeting and provide public comment. You can also share e-comments here.
TUESDAY 10/27: Community & Economic Development Meeting – Impact Fees, Economic Recovery Recommendations
On Tuesday October 27th at 1:30pm, the Community and Economic Development Committee will discuss two important items:
Item 2: Informational report on Impact Fees for Affordable Housing, Jobs/Housing, and Transportation and Capital Improvements, and
Item 3: Informational report on the Economic Recovery Council’s Draft Recommendations.
Oakland Workers, Know Your Rights! COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave
Oakland Workers Rights
Thank you to East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) for creating Know Your Rights materials on the emergency protections for Oakland workers passed by Council earlier this summer, which I was proud to co-sponsor.
The City’s Emergency Paid Sick Leave policy requires certain employers to provide leave to workers who test positive for COVID-19, present symptoms, are caring for family members who were exposed or present symptoms, or are at high risk from an infection. Check out and share the flyers in English and Spanish so that Oakland workers are aware of their rights!
City of Oakland; District 2 News and Resources
County Reopening Updates, Small Biz Legal Support, Grants for Home-Based Business
New County Health Orders Allow Additional Business Operations: Effective October 9, Alameda County now allows: hotels & lodging for tourism with their fitness centers and indoor pools restricted; museums, zoos & aquariums indoors at < 25% capacity; personal care services indoors with modification (services requiring removal of face covering still prohibited); gyms and fitness centers indoors at < 10% capacity with restrictions on aerobic exercise and classes. While the update allows partial reopening of libraries, Oakland Public LIbrary will remain closed for indoor services until plans are in place for safely reopening the buildings.
Beginning Friday, October 16, Alameda County will permit additional outdoor activities, including playgrounds, that follow the State’s guidance. Additionally, Alameda County is preparing to update the local Health Officer Orders to permit additional activities during the week of October 26. These activities will include: indoor dining up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; indoor worship services up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; indoor theaters up to 25% capacity or less than 100 people, whichever is less; expansion of indoor retail and malls at up to 50% of capacity and permitting limited food courts.
County Guidance on Safe Halloween Practices: Bay Area health officials recently released guidance on how to celebrate Halloween and Dia de los Muertos safely. Gatherings, celebrations, events or parties with non-household members are not permitted unless conducted in compliance with local and state health orders. Please avoid participating in traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door and do not have trunk-or-treat where treats are handed from car trunks lined up in large parking lots.
Many traditional Halloween celebrations, such as parties and door-to-door trick-or-treating, pose a high risk of spreading COVID-19 and are strongly discouraged by CDPH
Not only do traditional celebrations pose a spread risk, they would also result in great difficulty in conducting appropriate contact tracing
Local Health Departments may have additional, more stringent restrictions
CDPH recommends that families begin planning for safer alternatives.
Legal Help for Oakland Small Businesses with Lease Negotiations: Oakland has allocated $150,000 of California CARES funding to the nonprofit Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the SF Bay Area to provide legal advice and assistance on lease negotiations to small businesses that have suffered revenue losses due to COVID-19. Business owners can access these free, multilingual legal services here, such as commercial leasing webinars through mid-December, 1:1 one-hour consultations and longer-term assistance which may include lease negotiation, pre-litigation and settlement negotiations or representation in a court proceeding.
$2-4K Grants for Home-Based Businesses: Income from a home-based business is often a big source of household income for our city’s entrepreneurs. The Oakland CARES Act Home-Based Business Grant program will distribute $500,000 to home-based, for-profit businesses. Apply here by 11:59pm on Monday, November 2 in 4 languages. Priority will be given to businesses representing a broad geographic diversity in Oakland, especially those located in low-income areas or otherwise historically vulnerable communities; those who have received $4,000 or less in funding from the Paycheck Protection Program; and those with annual gross business revenue under $150,000.
Several Grants Extended:
The Oakland CARES Act Small Business Grant Program will accept applications until 5 p.m. on Friday, October 23. This program will provide $10,000 grants to qualifying Oakland small businesses that have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and have gross revenues under $2 million. Online applications and eligibility requirements in four languages are available at: mainstreetlaunch.org/oakland-cares-act-grant/
The application deadline for the Oakland CARES Nonprofit Grant Fund has been extended to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. This program will award grants of up to $25,000 to qualifying community-serving nonprofits with annual budgets of less than $1 million that address the impact of COVID-19 and the needs of low-income residents and businesses in the following areas: Health & Human Services; Economic & Workforce Development; Legal Support; Food Security; Homeless and Renter Support Services; and Education. Online applications and eligibility requirements are available at: communityvisionca.org/oaklandcares/
The application deadline for the Oakland CARES Fund for Artists and Arts Nonprofits impacted by COVID-19 has been extended to 1pm Friday, October 23. The program will distribute awards of up to $20,000 to arts nonprofits with annual budgets of less than $2.5M, while supporting individual artists with grants of up to $3,000 each. Learn more here.
Oakland Parks & Recreation Foundation’s 1st Citywide Parks Workshop: Whether you’re an experienced community leader or a new volunteer, join this free workshop taking place on Saturday, November 14, from 9:00am to 1:00pm to collaborate and learn about strategies and tools to improve Oakland parks. Learn more and register here.
East Bay Community Energy’s Resilient Home Program: Oakland has partnered with nonprofit public electricity provider East Bay Community Energy to launch a solar + battery backup program for homeowners. EBCE has partnered with Sunrun to provide no-cost / obligation-free consultations and will provide a proposal for your consideration. If you decide to move forward, there is a $1,250 incentive to homeowners that enroll their battery in the program and share power with EBCE during peak times when there isn’t a power outage. Since launch in August, nearly 700 homeowners countywide have registered for consultations. Sign up for your consultation and learn more at upcoming webinars.
Voting Reminders
Vote Early!
Given the pandemic and the threats to our democracy, please vote early. All registered voters will be sent an absentee ballot automatically to limit COVID exposure. You must register to vote to receive an absentee ballot!
You can vote in person or drop off your ballot at the Alameda County Registrar of Voters: 1225 Fallon Street, Room G1, Oakland, or put it into one of the official, free 24-hour drop boxes anytime by November 3rd 8pm. If you use a USPS mailbox, postage is free, and it’s critical to vote early!
You can also sign up to track your ballot.
October 19th is the last day for regular online voter registration.
October 20th – November 3rd, you can do same day voter registration.
On November 3rd, you can vote in person or drop your ballot off at your polling place by 8pm.
With many measures on the ballot, my go-to guides are Oakland Rising’s Voter Guide and the CA AAPI Voting Guide in seven AAPI languages.
With Oakland Love,
Nikki Fortunato Bas
Councilmember, City of Oakland, District 2
What’s going on with the Oakland Police Department and Oakland Police Interim Chief Susan Manheimer, that an officer would be allowed to wear, on duty, a shirt that many point to as in the style of the kind of Hawaiian Shirts worn by the racist violent Boogaloo Boys group? Moreover, does Susan Manheimer know that shirt she initially dismissed as a non-story because it was the kind of Hawaiian shirt one could by at Macy’s? (It wasn’t, and even though she took a photo to show the Tommy Bahama section at Macy, those pictures demonstrated that that style of shirt wasn’t there!)
Interim Chief Susan Manheimer
And does Oakland Police Interim Chief Susan Manheimer know (and did anyone at OPD tell her) that the Boogaloo Boys-style Hawaiian shirts, not to mention Hawaiian shirts, are disallowed by the Oakland Police Department’s own code, which even specifically prohibits beach wear!? Consider that, in her email to an Oaklander, Manheimer herself never even raised that issue, yet more evidence to back the assertion of many, including this blogger, that she was simply covering for the Boogaloo Boys Hawaiian Shirt-wearing officer. Well, check this out, and thanks to an Oaklander on Facebook, who tipped me off to this information.
Here is the section of Oakland Police Department regulations that covers “civilian clothing worn by members while on-duty”, and is here below, here by link, with the full text section posted below:
B. On-Duty Civilian Clothing for Members
Civilian clothing worn by members while on-duty shall reflect professional
appearance, and shall be suitable for the safe and inconspicuous
performance of basic police tasks.
Civilian clothing shall be clean and in good repair. Members shall be guided
by the following minimum standards:
1. Male members shall wear a dress shirt and tie with a business suit or
a conservatively tailored sports coat and slacks. Shoes shall be of a
conservative style and color. Leather jackets or “cowboy” boots of
any style shall not be worn. For the purpose of this order, cowboy
boots are defined as any boots that have a high arch, a high heel,
unusually fancy stitching, or a pointed toe.
a. Male members shall not wear any insignia, emblem,
decoration, badge, pin, nose rings, and any other jewelry or
ornament except for conservative rings, tie bars, tie tacks, or
lapel pins.
b. Shoes shall have soles and heels of conservative height.
c. Commanders and supervisors may permit members to
remove their ties when assigned to duties which do not
involve public contact or where the tie would pose a safety
hazard.
2. Female members shall wear suits, dresses, skirts, or pants in designs
and colors suitable for business wear and of prevailing style, fit, and
length. All accessories (e.g. gloves, purse, shoes, hosiery, etc.) shall
be of conservative style and color.
a. Female members shall not wear any insignia, decoration,
emblem, badge, nose rings, jewelry or ornament except for
conservative rings, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pins, or
hair clasps.
b. Hair shall be simply and neatly groomed in a daytime style.
c. Proper foundation garments shall be worn at all times.
d. Use of cosmetics shall be minimal.
e. Shoes shall have a maximum heel height of 3″, and shall
have a back strap or full back. Spike heels and sport shoes
are not permitted.
3. Captains or higher rank may authorize or require any type of
clothing for an assignment in which approved civilian apparel would
be unsuitable for police purposes.
A Personal Appearance Waiver Form (TF-3382) shall be completed
and forwarded as specified in Part II, A, 4.
C. Casual Friday
Office personnel who are not required to wear uniforms shall have the
option of wearing business appropriate casual attire on Fridays. Casual
Friday attire shall only be acceptable on Fridays.
1. The following items shall be considered business appropriate casual
attire:
a. Sweaters
b. Button down shirts
c. Polo shirts
d. Cardigans
e. Slacks
f. Dockers
g. Skirts/dresses
2. The following items shall not be considered business appropriate
casual attire:
a. Shorts
b. Capri pants
c. T-shirts
d. Tight fitting spandex/lycra
e. Off the shoulder tops
f. Spaghetti or tank straps
g. Torn, frayed or cut clothing
h. Flip-flops or thongs
i. Athletic wear
j. Beach wear
k. Revealing or sheer clothing that exposes the bosom, back or
midriff
l. Clothing that bears sexually suggestive or profane symbol
m. Jeans or denim skirts
Pants shall be worn at ankle length and skirts/dresses at knee length
or longer.
3. The star, identification card, fully-loaded semi-automatic pistol and
one additional fully-loaded magazine, handcuffs and key, call box
key, and, as necessary, the protective vest, shall be carried or worn
by plainclothes members.
I also included this section on “member uniforms” to show that the officer was even out-of-compliance with this section!
III. MEMBER UNIFORMS
When designated as the uniform of the day, all members assigned to field duties
shall wear the same uniform. The uniform of the day shall be designated by the
Bureau of Field Operations Deputy Chief or designee. Refer to Part VI for
authorized uniform and equipment description and specifications.
A. The Dress Uniform (Class A)
1. Hat with shield, uniform jacket, trousers, belt, long sleeve shirt,
undershirt, insignia, tie, star, nameplate, white gloves, shoes, socks.
a. Motorcycle officers shall make the appropriate substitutions
of helmet, breeches, bow tie and boots.
b. The uniform jacket may not be worn without a tie. Pencils
and other objects shall not be placed in the outside pockets of
the uniform jacket.
c. Wearing of the uniform jacket with the short sleeve uniform
is prohibited.
2. Class A gun belt: Key ring with whistle, callbox key and handcuff
key, firearm, handcuffs and case, baton ring and short baton.
B. Long or Short Sleeve Uniform (Class B)
1. Hat with shield, trousers, belt, short sleeve shirt, black
undershirt,
insignia, star, nameplate, socks and boots.
2. Class B gun belt: Handcuff key, OC, Firearm, handcuffs and case,
radio holder, flashlight holder, baton ring, Asp (optional), magazine
pouch, Taser (shall be worn opposite of the firearm in either an
authorized belt or leg holster) and dump pouch (optional).
3. Motorcycle officers shall make the appropriate substitutions for
their
uniform.
4. All members shall have the option of wearing a dickey, turtleneck
sweater or mock turtleneck under the short sleeve shirt. If the
turtleneck is worn without a jacket, the sweater sleeves shall not
extend below the shirt sleeves.
5. Optional outerwear.
6. Motorcycle officers shall also have the option of wearing the leather
jacket.
7. The uniform hat may be worn at the discretion of the individual
officer having consideration for officer safety and the requirement
for identification, or at the direction of a supervisor or command
officer.
8. Watch Cap (optional)
Night shift personnel are authorized to wear the watch cap. Day
shift and swing shift personnel shall only wear the watch cap upon
approval by the Bureau of Field Operations (BFO) Deputy Chief or
designee.
When wearing the watch cap, the insignia shall be visible and worn
centered on the forehead above the nose.
C. Field Utility Uniform (Class C)
Long sleeve or short sleeve utility shirt with name lettering, black
undershirt, trousers, belt, insignia, star, shoes, socks, and Class B gun belt.
1. Members assigned to routine field duties shall wear the utility
uniform only when designated as the uniform of the day by the
Bureau of Field Operations (BFO) Deputy Chief or designee.
2. Members assigned to units outside of the BFO shall not wear utility
uniforms without the prior authorization from the appropriate
Bureau Deputy Chief or designee.
3. Bureau Deputy Chiefs or designee may authorize utility uniforms as
the uniform of the day, to include, but not limited to, the following
circumstances:
a. During inclement weather (to include hot or humid
conditions);
b. Special field projects;
c. Mobile field force mobilizations; or
d. Major Response Operations.
4. Members assigned to the following field units shall only wear the
utility uniform during their regular tour of duty, unless otherwise
directed by a higher ranking member:
a. Crime Reduction Team;
b. Canine Handlers*;
c. Police Evidence Technicians;
d. Patrol Rifle Officers;
e. Commercial Enforcement Unit;
f. Taxi Detail;
g. Abandon Auto;
h. Vehicle Abatement;
i. Dual-purpose motorcycles officers, when riding;
j. Marine Unit;
k. Alcohol Beverage Action Team;
l. Scofflaw; and
m. Helicopter Unit when not in their flight suit.
* Canine Handlers, when working with their police canine, are
authorized to wear the previous 5.11 utility uniform.
5. Optional outerwear.
6. Utility cap.
7. Watch Cap (optional)
Night shift personnel are authorized to wear the watch cap. Day
shift and swing shift personnel shall only wear the watch cap upon
approval by the Bureau of Field Operations (BFO) Deputy Chief or
designee.
When wearing the watch cap, the insignia shall be visible and worn
centered on the forehead above the nose.
D. Specialty Uniforms
1. Undercover, Plain Clothes or Task Force Uniform
a. The Tactical Assault Carrier (TAC) Vest shall only be worn
by members:
1) Working in an active undercover operation or related
task; or
2) Assigned to a plain clothes assignment where the
need to wear the vest is essential to complete a police
mission in a more timely manner.
Except for Tactical Team members, prior to wearing the TAC Vest,
all members shall attend a TAC Vest training class. All members
shall ensure their approved protective vest, as specified in DGO C-
04, SAFETY EQUIPMENT, is contained within the TAC Vest
before taking this equipment into the field.
b. The Undercover Plain Clothes or Task Force Uniform shall
consist of the:
1) TAC Vest and jeans or utility uniform pants; and
2) Class B gun belt.
2. Tactical Team Uniform
a. The Tactical Team uniform shall only be worn during
tactical team operations, training or other event as specified
by the Tactical Team Leader.
b. Mandatory safety equipment and other equipment approved
by the Tactical Team Leader.
c. TAC Vest (optional)
3. Helicopter Uniform
a. Helmet, as specified in DGO C-04, SAFETY EQUIPMENT
b. Flight suit.
c. Flight jacket and utility cap are optional.
d. Class B gun belt unless otherwise specified by Helicopter
Unit supervisor.
4. Bicycle Uniform
a. Helmet, as specified in DGO C-04.
b. Shirt, Pants, Shoes as specified in Part VI, D, 5.
c. Class B gun belt.
I am sending this to the Oakland Police Media and the Oakland City Council and the Oakland Police Commission for their information and response. Here’s the full text version:
Susan Manheimer Interim Chief Covers For Oakland Police Officer Wearing Boogaloo Boys Hawaiian Shirt
Two days ago, I wrote the following account:
Do Oakland Police Have Racist Boogaloo Boys As Cops? Some Think So After This Officer Photo
The Boogaloo Boys are a group described as in Refinery 29 as “mostly white, heavily armed men who claim they have a “libertarian” bent, and have shown up to protests against police violence in recent weeks armed to the teeth and looking to start a race war.” One man, Air Force Sgt. Steven Carrillo, was charged in the shooting of Dave Patrick Underwood, a federal officer in Oakland during a George Floyd protest.
They are also known for wearing Hawaiian shirts.
This vlog is based on a Facebook post made 9 hours ago. It reads (by one resident) “If you are not familiar with the Boogaloo Bois, you should be. They are one of the scarier far right militia/racist types. Wearing Hawaiian type shirts is their thing. Here, we see one of them in the Oakland police department.”
The person who took and posted the video wrote “I’m watching a team of at least 15 OPD serve a warrant on a black family with small child in West Oakland right now, with assault rifles out.
One of the cops is wearing a Hawaiian shirt under his plate carrier. I called out “hey Boogaloo boy! Since when does OPD dress like Nazis?” They know what it is. (It’s all over now, cops have left)”
I am in the process of reaching out to the Oakland Police, and to Oakland elected officials, for answers to this.
Stay tuned.
After posting the content, I sent it to the Mayor of Oakland, the Oakland Police Media, and several Oakland City Councilmembers. The Oakland Police Public Information Officer said she would follow-up with me on the matter. I am still waiting.
On Facebook, an Oaklander posted an email from Susan Manheimer, the Oakland Interim Police Chief. It’s words, as you can see, were shocking. Rather than say she was investigating the matter, and leaving it at that, Manheimer bypassed OPD Media, and wrote that there was no connection between Hawaiian shirts and any extremist group. That, even though she admitted reading my blog post.
Why the Interim Police Chief would risk being seen as defending an officer who might be a member of the racist Boogaloo Boys is alarming, and could lead to her fast ouster. I think it should, personally.
There is only one answer here, and it’s not a good one. The Oakland Police Commission and Mayor of Oakland must step in. And we know where that can lead.
This is the email Manheimer wrote:
Thank you for your email inquiry questioning whether an officer wearing a Hawaiian shirt is an extremist who should be investigated.
While Hawaiian shirts or palm trees may be worn by members of different groups they’re also worn and sold universally – in fact there was a big sale today at Macy’s as I was shopping and saw many diverse individuals purchasing and wearing the Hawaiian
attire made famous by Tommy Bahama – including my dress today that I just noticed had a Hawaiian palm tree pattern – although it could be a Floridian shirt as I purchased it in Key West on a recent trip.
I can assure you that Hawaiian attire or the palm tree insignia is no more significant of alignment of a certain extremist group than it is of appreciating colorful attire, having a license plate from certain states, or even visiting Hawaii where you will
find thousands of vacationers sporting them.
Here is the picture I took of the sale at Macy’s today after seeing that blog post suggesting that somehow wearing Hawaiian shirts are now an extremist indicator.
Oakland Police Chief’s Photo
I should have photographed the cashier line in which I saw many racially diverse individuals waiting to purchase these shirts. I just thought it would be intrusive.
I will copy this email myself to our Police Commission so that they can be aware of this issue and that there is universal appeal of Hawaiian attire and it has not been colored by one specifically
Oakland – This week, Robert Warshaw, The Federal Monitor over the Oakland Police Department released a new report, detailing deception and cover-up at the top of OPD. As many in Oakland’s communities work against police misconduct, we face the institutional leaders that cover-up those actions.
“OPD’s initial press releases and our early conversations with Chief Kirkpatrick and others raised serious concerns that the Department had concluded that the shooting was justified even before its investigations were complete.”
Mr. Warshaw’s report shines a light on OPD, former Chief of Police Anne Kirkpatrick, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf for failing to properly investigate the shooting. According to the report, former Chief Kirkpatrick displayed bias from the start of the investigation, rather than the appropriate objectivity required of her, stating the night that Mr. Pawlik was killed, the shooting “looked good.” In OPD’s investigation, they failed to look at the video evidence and relied heavily on the officers’ account of the events. The Oakland Police Commission was the only aspect of the investigation process that functioned as designed, bringing objectivity and professionalism into the proceedings.
Oakland has had a long history of police misconduct and failure to properly investigate. This has caused the Oakland community to demand that there be greater police accountability. The Compliance Monitor’s report on the Pawlik killing and OPD’s unprofessional investigation that followed such a significant use of force highlights the need for the Oakland Police Commission to be independent and effective, as a civilian oversight body, that is separate from the police chain of command. Oakland voters will have the opportunity to support this independence with the Police Commission ballot measure on the November ballot.
Several months ago, former OPD Chief Kirkpatrick denounced the independent Police Commission, which had disagreed with her handling of the Pawlik investigation. This Federal Monitor report shows that Kirkpatrick’s statements were incorrect, and the Police Commission’s efforts to seek a full and fair investigation are vindicated.
Link to Shooting of Joshua Pawlik by Oakland Police Officers: A Report of the Monitor/Compliance Director:
Press Release: “Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick was Fired in Retaliation for Exposing Oakland Police Commission Corruption, Abuse of Power, According to Whistleblower Lawsuit Filed Today. Kirkpatrick Seeks Damages from City for Retaliatory Firing.”
San Francisco — Attorneys for former Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick filed a whistleblower lawsuit today alleging that she was fired in retaliation for challenging corruption and abuse of power by members of the Oakland Police Commission.
“Rather than address the serious issues Chief Kirkpatrick raised, the City of Oakland, through Mayor Libby Schaaf and the members of Police Commission, fired the most progressive police chief in the city’s history for blowing the whistle on the Commission’s misconduct,” said attorney R. James Slaughter of the law firm of Keker Van Nest & Peters, which filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (see attachment of filed lawsuit).
The suit alleges that Oakland Police Commissioners routinely abused their power, corruptly looked for special treatment from the Police Department, frequently abused and harassed OPD staff, interfered in day-to-day police operations, and sought unlawful access to confidential documents. Chief Kirkpatrick was wrongfully terminated for standing up to the Commission’s misconduct and reporting its unlawful actions.
Chief Kirkpatrick’s suit seeks monetary damages that includes lost pay, benefits, and damages for loss of future earnings through injury to her professional reputation due to her wrongful termination.
The lawsuit alleges that Kirkpatrick served with success and distinction as chief of police. During Chief Kirkpatrick’s three-year tenure, the Oakland’s homicide rate decreased to its lowest level in 20 years and the City was on pace for a 64-year low homicide rate at the time of her termination. Her reform efforts included OPD’s implementation of new policies, strategy, and training around police-citizen encounters.
“But a series of incidents involving individual Police Commissioners ultimately drove the Chief to submit multiple reports of inappropriate and unlawful conduct to the Oakland City Attorney’s Office, the City Administrator, and the Mayor of Oakland—the officials she understood had the capacity to take action to stop the Commissioners’ unlawful conduct and prevent future recurrences,” according to the lawsuit.
But City leaders all ignored Chief Kirkpatrick’s repeated reports of Commission misconduct. “Instead, the Police Commission and Mayor orchestrated Chief Kirkpatrick’s termination in retaliation for the Chief’s repeated whistleblowing,” the lawsuit states.
Among the illegal actions that the lawsuit details are how Commissioners Ginale Harris and Jose Dorado made illegal demands of the police department for personal gain; that Commissioner Harris sought to have a towing ticket fixed and publically made derogatory remarks toward a Black public defender; and that the commission itself was inappropriately directing Oakland Police Department staff.
By late fall of 2019 the Commission was publicly bullying and berating Chief Kirkpatrick’s staff at Commission hearings. Chief Kirkpatrick wrote a formal complaint that highlighted “her belief that the commissioners’ behavior could be retaliation for the Chief’s report of Harris’s challenge to her tow ticket,” according the lawsuit. The City and Commission’s behaviors and attitudes were an impediment to the cultural transformation of OPD that the Chief was working so hard on within the department. The city and commission were not only acting illegally, but eroding Chief Kirkpatrick’s reform efforts.
“The facts will show that Chief Kirkpatrick repeatedly blew the whistle on corrupt actions by the Police Commission, shining a light on their illegal actions, inappropriate influence, abuse of powers, and harassment of city staff,” Slaughter added. “In retaliation, Mayor Libby Schaaf and the Police Commission unlawfully fired her for blowing the whistle on these illegal actions by Police Commissioners.”
This post based on press release from Singer Associates to Zennie62Media, Inc.
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