Oakland officials drop ball on crime (or 'How ranked choice voting can get you killed.')

SFGate.com ^ | 12/4/12 | Chip Johnson

[NormsRevenge]

On more than one occasion I've heard politicians dredge up the old adage "You cannot arrest your way out" of a crime problem.

In Oakland, it's apparently become city policy.

There's been a precipitous decline in arrests in Oakland - a 44 percent drop from 2008 to 2011, according to a Chronicle investigation. And even as arrests have bottomed out, the city's crime rate has climbed in each of the past two years, including an overall 23 percent increase this year.

One of the most startling statistics, the Police Department's homicide clearance rate, is particularly troubling.

Through October, the department posted a 27 percent homicide clearance rate, a measure of cases that have been solved. By comparison the department's homicide clearance rate was 54 percent in 2007.

Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan questioned the accuracy of the homicide clearance rate provided by his own department but not the otherwise less-than-inspiring results on arrest rates.

"It's not good. The numbers speak for themselves," Jordan said. "Obviously, I'm not happy, but this is the result of a combination of lots of things, including staff shortages and calls for service.

"If you look at the big picture of this city, there are a lot of things going on and not enough people to handle it. I'm not satisfied with our productivity, but I know that demands for service have exceeded our ability to match it."

And if you look at the bigger picture, Oakland city officials have no one to blame but themselves. Their lack of conviction and determination and their inability to act in a timely manner have opened the floodgates to crime in Oakland.

[NormsRevenge]

What a 'QUAN'dary, huh?

[Dr. Sivana]

"You cannot arrest your way out" of a crime problem.

Of course, you can coddle your way into one.

[GeronL]

wow

[The Working Man]

Their lack of conviction and determination and their inability to act in a timely manner have opened the floodgates to crime in Oakland.

---

Let alone their antipathy towards their “citizens and taxpayers”. Sometimes you really have to wonder if these liberals in office know who their constituents really are? Then again maybe they do and it isn’t the ones being made to pay the bills.

[Polynikes]

Anybody wanting a real time example listen to OPD for about a week. Its usually non-stop for the PD.

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?feedId=10182

[blam]

This is where they wanted to teach EBONICS in the public schools, eh?

[blam]

This is where they wanted to teach EBONICS in the public schools, eh?

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks for the link!

I need to check for a local East San Jose one.. gangs are getting busy as the holiday approaches.

[Michael.SF.]

Some long time friends of ours, lifelong Democrats, moved from our sleepy village into the hillside areas of big bad Oakland.

Their house has now been broken into three times.

He now owns two guns, one of which is a Harry Callahan style Magnum.

They both voted for Romney.

[ssaftler]

This is where they wanted to teach EBONICS in the public schools, eh?

As opposed to now, where they teach nothing at all?

[US_MilitaryRules]

LOL But you can get revenue from your citizens at an alarming rate! Tickets, fines, regulations, etc... Arresting criminals doesn’t bring home the bacon. They don’t have any money!

[Dr. Sivana]

LOL But you can get revenue from your citizens at an alarming rate! Tickets, fines, regulations, etc... Arresting criminals doesn’t bring home the bacon. They don’t have any money!

Joseph Sobran used to like to use Samuel Francis' term, Anarcho-Tyranny. That is when the government is organized to control the law abiding through such regulation and fine collection, while pretty much leaving the criminal element alone, providing the nation with the worst aspects of both anarchy and tyranny.