Now that Labor Day is over, here's the latest with the political happenings in Oakland.

First, after several months, the Planning Commission is back to full strength with the appointment of Vince Gibbs and Vien Truong.

Mr. Gibbs is a community developer residing in West Oakland. Ms. Truong is a new public interest attorney. They join the current Planning Commissioners: Michael Colbruno, vice president of Clear Channel; Blake Huntsman, director, SEIU Local 1021; Sandra Galvez, attorney Doug Boxer, and Madeline Zayas-Mart, an architect.

Even with the economic and building slowdown, there are many issues facing the Planning Commission. They will look into updating the General Plan and re-zoning Downtown, Lake Merritt, Chinatown, and the Broadway corridor. Good luck in their quest to plot smart sustainable growth for Oakland that produces quality neighbors, and economic activity and jobs. 

As usual, there is more disturbing news regarding the Oakland Police Department. The Chauncey Bailey Project, a group of journalists committed to investigating the murder of Oakland Post editor Chauncey Bailey, has unearthed new details regarding the relationship between the Oakland Police detective and the suspects.

As you might recall, Sgt. Longmeyer is under suspension and facing termination because of his failure to disclose his extensive and numerous contacts with Your Black Muslim Bakery and murder suspect Yusef Bey, IV. The project has now uncovered even more contacts than previously disclosed and detailed a more extensive relationship.

The question has to be asked: Why did it take the Oakland Police management so long to deal with this obvious conflict of interest? Why was an investigator allowed repeatedly to gloss over and not document numerous contacts with a murder suspect? Where are the internal controls that prevent this type of confidence shattering misbehavior?

It took the district attorney and state attorney general investigations to press the indictments of all the people responsible for Chauncey Bailey’s death and questionable police tactics. It is scary that this obvious conflict of interest was allowed to fester for so long. Once again, Oakland citizens are dependent on outside oversight to ensure that we are properly served. Where is the political leadership?

Another sharp light shining on the Oakland Police Department is the case of Hasanni Campbell, the five-year-old Fremont child who allegedly disappeared along College Avenue about a month ago. 

The Oakland Police investigation concluded that his foster parents are responsible and arrested them for murder. The district attorney declined to press charges and the couple was released.. Our police chief held a press conference in which he stated that he “knows for a fact” that Hasanni was never in Oakland on the day of his alleged disappearance. 

Yet, he has produced no evidence whatsoever to support this conclusive knowledge. This is another example of the poor legal counseling the chief is receiving. Is there no interaction between the city attorneys and the police management? After all, that is what attorneys are supposed to do - counsel their clients. 

What is going on in the police management that persons are arrested without enough evidence, DAs refuse to charge based on information available, the chief makes inappropriate legal statements, and our department do not have the resources to investigate a missing child? Where is the political leadership and oversight?

The next albatross hanging over Oakland’s police department is the  federal court review and oversight of the police department. As part of the Riders case, the City agreed to federal oversight of the police department. The oversight monitor has been in place since 2003, costing millions with no real end in sight. It  is scheduled for a status report the end of September. The plaintiff’s attorney, John Burris, is currently negotiating with the City’s attorneys to extend the oversight and reform measures for at least another two years. There apparently is no progress on police internal investigation and discipline. 

The City has paid for six years of monitors and oversight, costing millions of dollars, and yet, the police department still has not achieved the reforms necessary to be released from the federal oversight.

The Riders case just keeps on giving to Oakland. Million paid to settle 40+ plaintiffs’ lawsuits, millions in wrongful termination and defense costs, millions in federal oversight that we pay for - I wonder how many police officers and City services this Riders gift alone has cost  Oakland. At the last City Council budget hearings, the City had millions in deficits, it laid off hundreds of workers, cut services - yet paid for federal oversight.

It has to be frightening that a plaintiff’s attorney has more involvement in the management of the a police department than our elected officials. It has to be disgusting to the rank and file officers who put their lives on the line everyday to work in a poorly managed department. It has to be time for a better run police department.
 
The clock simply keeps ticking and the money keeps getting drained out, and yet, the City does not receive better police service, better police management,  or any types of reforms that make a better solution. The plaintiff attorneys and a federal judge manage the department because the city cannot. 

We have had a succession of incompetent, go along, get along chiefs that have only made things worse. Welcome, Chief Batts. You have your work cut out for you. There are ample reforms that need to be implemented. The Oakland Police Department is in dire need for strong, focused leadership and management. Let’s hope you can provide it. 

Oakland has a unique opportunity to chart responsible, smart, productive, viable growth in our city. We can begin to focus on the type of housing, retail and commercial development that will greatly benefit our city. It is clearly time for the Mayor and City Council to focus on a better managed, more productive police department and remove it from the federal oversight that is draining resources and millions of dollars from the city.  There is an opportunity to create accountability in the city and make it a better place to live. To do so will require better political leadership and courage to tackle the hard problems facing Oakland. Let’s see if the leaders are up to it.

 It is time for the Mayor and City Council to step up and ensure that we have a highly efficient police department. The Oakland citizens deserve nothing less. Let’s see if we get it. 

    Clinton Killian is an attorney in downtown Oakland, an Oakland resident, a former Oakland Planning Commissioner. He can be reached at: (510) 625-8823 or email: clintonkillian@yahoo.com.