Oakland City Council cuts mayor's proposed police budget by millions

The Oakland City Council has approved a two-year budget that provides around $18 million less for the police than the mayor had proposed, directing those funds elsewhere even as Oakland faces a rise in homicides.

"The budget passed today by the Oakland City Council makes bold investments to reimagine public safety through violence prevention and non-police strategies that I strongly support," Mayor Libby Schaff said in a statement. "Unfortunately, it also cuts 50 police officers who respond to Oaklanders’ 911 calls and enforce traffic safety. It also cuts much-needed future academies, which will significantly reduce police staffing and delay response to Oaklanders in their time of crisis. It will force our officers to work even more overtime shifts, which are expensive and unsafe for officers and residents alike. I believe that until we have proven alternatives, we cannot destroy Oakland’s current public safety system at a time when we are losing so many to gun violence."

According to KPIX, Oakland Police Officers Association President Barry Donelan estimates that around 50 vacant posts will not be filled which will result in lengthier periods for 911 responses.

"The two no votes are from council members in districts that are most impacted by violent crime. The message they’re saying is 'we may support your programs but we do not want less public safety at a time of skyrocketing violent crime,'" Donelan said, according to the outlet.