14th & Broadway
Oakland
CA
URGENT:
Our city is at a crossroads. We face a significant financial crisis, with projected annual budget deficits ranging from $115 million to nearly $130 million through fiscal year 2029-2030. A major contributor to this unsustainable financial model is the substantial cost of our current approach to public safety. Oakland Police Department (OPD) spending accounts for nearly 50% of the city’s general fund spending, with OPD’s overtime budget alone projected at $33.6 million for FY2025-26 and $38.2 million for FY2026-27. It’s clear we cannot afford to continue down this path.
We have a viable, proven alternative that needs our collective support: the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) program. MACRO is designed to provide a compassionate, care-first response to non-violent, non-emergency 911 calls, addressing issues like mental health crises, homelessness, and community disturbances without a police-first approach. This not only offers care as opposed to criminalizing but also has the potential to significantly reduce police spending by redirecting calls away from OPD.
However, MACRO has not been set up for success and is now on the brink of being cut entirely.
Lack of Call Diversion: Despite its purpose, calls are not being adequately routed from 911 or non-emergency dispatch to allow MACRO units to do their jobs effectively. Critics point out that on average, MACRO teams respond to only three or four 911 calls per day, a number considered far too low given the number of 911 calls eligible for a non-police response.
Funding Uncertainty: MACRO received a $10 million state grant in 2022, but this funding is set to run out at the end of 2026. The program needs approximately $4 million annually to continue operating.
This is where YOU come in.
This is a critical opportunity to demand that the City Council take concrete steps to properly fund, empower, and reform the MACRO program. An informational report on an OPD Staffing Study is also on the agenda, which could provide further data for reallocating resources.
Here’s how you can take action:
ATTEND THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING (In-Person or Virtually):
Date: Tuesday, June 3rd
Virtual Participation:
MAKE PUBLIC COMMENT:
Register to Speak: For virtual participation, you need to submit an electronic speaker card via the City’s Granicus system (https://oakland.granicusideas.com/meetings) at least 24 hours BEFORE the meeting. In-person speaker cards may also be available at City Hall before the meeting. Check the final agenda for specific instructions.
What to Say (Key Demands):
Commit to Sustainable MACRO Funding: Demand the City Council allocate a minimum of $4 million in dedicated, annual city funding for the MACRO program to ensure its stability and growth beyond its current grant.
Implement Critical MACRO Reforms:
Establish robust community oversight for MACRO, ensuring the program is accountable, transparent, and responsive to the needs and goals defined by the community it serves.
Direct city staff to develop and implement a concrete plan for significantly improving 911 and non-emergency call diversion to MACRO. This must include broadening call acceptance criteria, streamlining dispatch protocols, and ensuring comprehensive training for dispatchers.
Ensure MACRO leadership is empowered and held accountable for expanding the program’s reach and effectiveness, drawing lessons from successful models in other cities like Denver’s STAR program.
Reallocate Funds Based on Evidence: Urge the Council to use data from the calls for service report commissioned by the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP) and conducted by AH Datalytics. This analysis shows that only 4.2% of OPD calls are for violent crimes, while a significant portion, such as 10% for medical/mental health/welfare checks and 12.6% for traffic incidents, are suitable for alternative responders.
Implement the recommendations from the “Smarter Public Safety: A Roadmap for Oakland” report by IFPTE Local 21, SEIU Local 1021, and IBEW Local 1245. This report identifies that civilianizing at least 38 sworn officer positions currently performing administrative and other non-patrol duties could save the city approximately $13.2 million annually. These substantial savings should be reallocated to fully fund and expand MACRO and violence prevention services, creating a more effective and fiscally responsible public safety system.
EMAIL THE CITY COUNCIL (If you cannot attend):
Send emails to the entire City Council at council@oaklandca.gov and your specific Councilmember. Voice your support for the demands listed above.
Oakland has an opportunity to build a more effective, humane, and financially sustainable public safety system. MACRO is a key component of that vision, but it needs robust community advocacy to overcome its current challenges.
Let’s show up in force on June 3rd and demand the change our city desperately needs!
Anti Police-Terror Project is a Black-led, multi-racial, intergenerational coalition that seeks to build a replicable and sustainable model to eradicate police terror in communities of color. We support families surviving police terror in their fight for justice, documenting police abuses and connecting impacted families and community members with resources, legal referrals, and opportunities for healing.
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