OAKLAND, CA - The police chief of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) has submitted to the police commission an amended request for his department's pursuit policy.
Earlier this year, the board declined to change OPD's pursuit policy. Now, however, the chief wants his officers to be allowed to initiate a pursuit on their own, then immediately get supervisor approval to continue, NBC Bay Area reported. Safety advocates are happy about the potential changes.
"We need support for this policy, making sure the police can do their work," said Carl Chan, Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation president. "Let's not put handcuffs on our officers. Let's help them to help us and to stop all these criminals coming to our city."
The latest proposal differs from the chief's original request, which would have given police more time to notify a supervisor of a pursuit. Both proposals remove the current required permission officers must receive before engaging in pursuits over 50 mph.
"Once an officer initiates a pursuit," the proposed language states, "the primary unit shall notify the supervisor and obtain approval to continue the pursuit. If immediate verbal approval is not given, the primary unit shall terminate the pursuit," according to Officer.com. The language does not specify a window of time in which officers would need to ask for approval, leaving unclear how long officers would have to seek approval.
Police pursuits have been under scrutiny since Marvin Boomer, a Castlemont High School teacher, was killed by a driver running from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in May. CHP stated that they ended the pursuit before Boomer was hit. In 2022, Lolomanaia "Lolo" Soakai was killed after a driver fleeing Oakland police crashed into him.
Soakai's family attorney, Adante Pointer, is trying to hold the city responsible for his death. "They had a family member taken and torn from them," Pointer said. "A mother was forced to watch her son die at her feet without any medical assistance because of a police chase."
Governor Gavin Newsom pressed Oakland last December to loosen its policy and threatened to pull an influx of CHP resources off the streets of Oakland. "We need to see that policy change," Newsom said. "This commitment from the state can't continue unless we see commensurate changes."
The Anti Police-Terror Project, or APTP, wants the policy to remain as is, arguing pursuits do not solve crime. "I still have questions about what then the supervisor decides is worth risking someone's life," APTP co-founder Cat Brooks said. "Because every time they engage in one of these pursuits, you are risking someone's life."
As the proposal from Chief Floyd Mitchell goes for a vote, Mayor Barbara Lee provided a statement. "Our priorities are maintaining safeguards that protect innocent lives and giving our police the tools they need to keep Oakland safe."
Earlier this year, the board declined to change OPD's pursuit policy. Now, however, the chief wants his officers to be allowed to initiate a pursuit on their own, then immediately get supervisor approval to continue, NBC Bay Area reported. Safety advocates are happy about the potential changes.
"We need support for this policy, making sure the police can do their work," said Carl Chan, Oakland Chinatown Chamber Foundation president. "Let's not put handcuffs on our officers. Let's help them to help us and to stop all these criminals coming to our city."
The latest proposal differs from the chief's original request, which would have given police more time to notify a supervisor of a pursuit. Both proposals remove the current required permission officers must receive before engaging in pursuits over 50 mph.
"Once an officer initiates a pursuit," the proposed language states, "the primary unit shall notify the supervisor and obtain approval to continue the pursuit. If immediate verbal approval is not given, the primary unit shall terminate the pursuit," according to Officer.com. The language does not specify a window of time in which officers would need to ask for approval, leaving unclear how long officers would have to seek approval.
Police pursuits have been under scrutiny since Marvin Boomer, a Castlemont High School teacher, was killed by a driver running from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in May. CHP stated that they ended the pursuit before Boomer was hit. In 2022, Lolomanaia "Lolo" Soakai was killed after a driver fleeing Oakland police crashed into him.
Soakai's family attorney, Adante Pointer, is trying to hold the city responsible for his death. "They had a family member taken and torn from them," Pointer said. "A mother was forced to watch her son die at her feet without any medical assistance because of a police chase."
Governor Gavin Newsom pressed Oakland last December to loosen its policy and threatened to pull an influx of CHP resources off the streets of Oakland. "We need to see that policy change," Newsom said. "This commitment from the state can't continue unless we see commensurate changes."
The Anti Police-Terror Project, or APTP, wants the policy to remain as is, arguing pursuits do not solve crime. "I still have questions about what then the supervisor decides is worth risking someone's life," APTP co-founder Cat Brooks said. "Because every time they engage in one of these pursuits, you are risking someone's life."
As the proposal from Chief Floyd Mitchell goes for a vote, Mayor Barbara Lee provided a statement. "Our priorities are maintaining safeguards that protect innocent lives and giving our police the tools they need to keep Oakland safe."
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