Oakland Police Chief Threatens to Stop Responding to Burglaries and 40 Other Crimes

Thursday, July 15, 2010
Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts

Unhappy with the city council’s budget cuts, the policy chief of Oakland, California, has threatened to stop sending officers in response to certain crimes. With 80 police officers laid off after the city and the local union were unable to reach an agreement, council members decided to cut the police positions to help close a $32.5 million budget gap. Police Chief Anthony Batts responded by releasing a list of 44 crimes that his department would not respond to, including grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism. Victims of such crimes will be expected to file reports online.

-Noel Brinkerhoff
 
Suffer These Crimes in Oakland? Don't Call the Cops (by Lori Preuitt and Kris Sanchez, NBC Bay Area)
Oakland Talks Break Down; Layoffs for 80 Cops (by Matthai Kuruvila, San Francisco Chronicle)

Comments

Ex-Oakland Officer 13 years ago
What crimes will they be going after? Only the one's that bring in cash. The crimes with real victims don't produce fines. FOLLOW THE MONEY.
Stoney13 13 years ago
Vote yes on Prop 19! Then there will be less for the police to do, and more time for them to spend on actual crime where real people are victimized!
cjakson 13 years ago
W ho cares?
tony 13 years ago
that's an easy fix. just break into the police chief's house or car. duh

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