Not More Cops and Surveillance!

Members of our city council are pretending to do something about crime by proposing more of the same destructive policing approach that has never kept us safe instead of investing in our communities.

There’s always more money for cops. Only for cops, not for schools or jobs or healthcare or parks or libraries — not for any of the things that actually make healthy and safe communities.

Conservatives and moderate democrats are mobilizing to give public comment at tomorrow’s Oakland City Council meeting, on Tuesday, September 19, and your voice is needed!

WHAT: Give Public Comment at Oakland City Council Meeting
WHEN: Tuesday, September 19 at 2pm
WHERE: Online or in person at Oakland City Hall

• In person — Oakland City Council Chamber, 3rd Floor, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Oakland, CA 94612 — Note: We recommend wearing a high quality mask if you attend in person. Make sure to show up on time and fill out a speaker card to make public comment.
• Online — You can also join by video conference (Zoom), or by dialing (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 846 7751 1593 (if asked for a participant ID or code, press #). To make public comment via Zoom, you must email cityclerk@oaklandca.gov before the meeting — let them know you wish to speak on Agenda Items 6.35, 9 & 10, and your name on Zoom.

First — to approve two resolutions restoring funds to the Department of Violence Prevention to ensure that the community based organizations interrupting violence across Oakland have the resources they need to do their work. After cuts were made in this June’s budget, the council has seen that disinvestment in violence prevention has negatively impacted our ability to stop the violence in our streets.

Let’s make sure they do the right thing and restore funds to the Department of Violence Prevention immediately!

Second — we need to demand that our city council takes a rational look at public safety. Proposals by Dan Kalb and Kevin Jenkins take a one-sided look, falsely assuming that lateral academies, foot patrols, automated license plate readers (ALPRs), high-speed chases, and increased investment in the failing Ceasefire program are what is needed to keep us safe.

We need to demand that they stop with the empty rhetoric and instead support data-driven approaches to public safety!

With so much at stake, your voice is needed! Please join us to demand that community ambassadors, increased investment in MACRO, and restoring much needed funds to our violence prevention efforts are truly what is needed.