The police union representing Oakland, California, police officers is calling on Mayor Shen Tao to “immediately” resign, citing a lack of resources for the police department to respond to reports of criminal activity.
Oakland Police Officers Association President Huy Nguyen said at a press conference on Tuesday that the union is calling for Mayor Thao to resign immediately, citing “the city’s many failings, including crime, a fiscal crisis and the turmoil caused by the FBI investigation, which are preventing it from functioning as a city.” According to KTVU.
“Our citizens are experiencing this tragedy every day; they can’t leave their homes, they can’t walk into downtown Oakland, they can’t call 911 and get the services they need,” Nguyen continued.
Nguyen said the police department is understaffed, meaning officers cannot respond to all emergency calls, slowing response times.
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Oakland Mayor Shen Tao speaks to reporters at Oakland City Hall following the FBI search of his home, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Oakland, California. (Getty Images)
“We don’t have the resources,” he said.
Thao issued a video statement late Tuesday in response to Nguyen’s remarks, saying crime in Oakland is decreasing.
“It’s unfortunate that the POA is clearly playing politics,” Thao said. “Right now, in this very delicate time, we need to come together. We think what we’re doing in terms of a comprehensive approach to public safety is working.”
Mayor Thao stressed that the budget prioritized public safety, funded a new police academy and retained the jobs of 80 officers, but the police union argued that wasn’t enough.
“Now is the time to invest more in our city, hire more police officers, retain more police officers and solve our crime problems, and going forward, that’s what we’re going to expect from the next mayor,” said Tim Dolan, vice chairman of the Oakland City Council.
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Oakland Mayor Shen Tao reacts while delivering his first State of the City address at City Hall, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 in Oakland, California. (Getty Images)
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A recall effort is underway to remove Thao from his position, but the police union argues he should resign to save the time and resources needed for a recall.
“If she resigns by this week, we’ll have an election in November, instead of waiting for a recall,” Nguyen said. “That would drag out the process when we’d have an election in April and have to immediately get to work on a new budget.”
This comes after several shootings in recent days, including one Sunday at a freak show near Fruitvale and MacArthur streets that left five people injured.
A separate shooting in West Oakland on Monday sent two teenagers and one adult to the hospital.
