Oakland Public Safety Committee Special Meeting - July 22, 2025

The Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee convened at 11:02 AM and adjourned at 1:24 PM on July 22, 2025, at Oakland City Hall. All four members present (Councilmembers Brown, Fife, Houston, and Wang) voted unanimously on all items. The meeting addressed a no-cost youth violence prevention partnership, surveillance technology policy, police staffing, automated license plate reader data sharing, and sideshow abatement planning.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Item 2 (Schedule): A speaker criticized the city's ceasefire program, demanding quantitative data on participants, services, and outcomes, stating there is "no evidence of ceasefire working."
• Item 3 (High-Risk Youth Team): A speaker questioned the root causes of youth violence (mental health, substance use, academic struggles) and asked how the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) is addressing prevention rather than reaction, noting limited visibility of DVP case managers at local schools.
• Item 4 (Apricot 360): Two speakers addressed the system. One argued that Apricot 360 should track systemic harm (e.g., targeting of victims, LGBTQ+ underreporting) and questioned why the Privacy Advisory Commission was involved. Another speaker challenged the necessity of the privacy review and asked why the city cannot use a single evaluation system across departments.
• Item 5 (OPD Staffing): Two speakers spoke. One (Tania Scott Smith) called for rejecting "the Willie Lynch blueprint" in policing, demanding better recruitment of mentally stable, community-oriented officers. Another speaker requested detailed breakdowns of officers on duty vs. leave, and questioned the effectiveness of 911 response given low staffing.
• Item S6 (ALPR Data Sharing): One speaker (Ms. Asado Olabata) criticized the city's sanctuary policy as incomplete, noting expired U-visas and the California Trust Act's limitations, and accused the city of performative actions rather than protecting all immigrants.
• Item S7 (Sideshow Abatement): Two speakers. One played an audio clip of a 5:30 AM sideshow and read a neighbor's account of disruption, urging non-criminalizing traffic calming. Another (Reverend Scott Smith) provided historical context, noting that current events are "vandalism," not the original sideshows, and stressed the need for parental accountability.
• Open Forum: Two speakers: one raised concerns about unvetted OPD units (Youth and School Services, Felony Assault, Training, SWAT) and the need for culture change; another called for annual performance reviews of all grant-funded programs.

Discussion Items

• Item 2: Schedule of Outstanding Committee Items – The committee unanimously accepted the schedule as presented.
• Item 3: Contract for Public-System High-Risk Youth Team – DVP presented a no-cost, five-year agreement with Alameda County, Oakland Unified School District, and the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) to create a weekly coordination team for youth at high risk of group violence, intimate partner violence, or commercial sexual exploitation. The team would make coordinated service referrals; DVP would receive referrals only. A similar model in San Francisco served over 40 youth. Councilmembers asked about funding (no cost), cultural competency, and overlap with the ceasefire program. The committee voted 4-0 to forward to the September 16, 2025 City Council consent calendar.
• Item 4: Apricot 360 Use Policy and Annual Report – DVP reported that the cloud-based system is used by 200 staff (20 DVP, 180 grantee staff) to track service delivery and grant management. Annual cost is $125,000. Proposed amendments: update language to allow DVP grant monitors to access data, and replace data privacy training with a more concise version. The City Attorney recommended adding a further resolved clause making a cost-benefit determination and affirming civil liberties safeguards. The committee voted 4-0 to approve as amended and forward to the September 16, 2025 City Council consent calendar.
• Item 5: OPD Biannual Staffing Report – As of July 22, 2025, OPD had 653 sworn officers (down from 678 authorized), with 105 totally off work (63 medical, 37 administrative, 3 military). The 195th academy started July 21 with 26 trainees. Recruitment is hindered by limited staff (1 sergeant, 2 officers, 2 professional staff). Councilmembers requested future reports include officer assignment granularity and length of leave. The committee voted 4-0 to receive and file.
• Item S6: OPD Data Sharing Policy for ALPR – OPD reported that since July 2024, Flock ALPR cameras have assisted in 182 arrests, 55 firearm recoveries, and 53 stolen/carjacked vehicle recoveries. Overall violent crime is down 30% year-to-date. OPD requires all partner agencies to agree not to use data for immigration enforcement, and random audits found no improper OPD use. A recent news article alleging data sharing with ICE was addressed: an outside agency conducted a statewide search using a term related to immigration enforcement, but OPD's policy prohibits such sharing. The committee voted 4-0 to receive and file.
• Item S7: DOT Sideshow Abatement Planning – DOT Director Josh Rowan presented a plan to use the $1.4 million allocated in the June 2025 budget for traffic calming interventions at about 14 intersections (estimated $50,000–$100,000 each). He emphasized that wide, fast streets enable sideshows, and advocated for long-term solutions like speed governors, road diets, and roundabouts. The department is developing a prioritized list based on risk, equity, and data from OPD and 311. Councilmembers discussed the need for quick, cost-effective treatments (e.g., plastic bollards at $25,000) and community-led traffic calming programs. The committee voted 4-0 to receive and file.

Key Outcomes

• Item 2: Accepted schedule of outstanding committee items (4-0).
• Item 3: Approved staff recommendation to forward the high-risk youth team agreement to the September 16, 2025 City Council consent calendar (4-0).
• Item 4: Approved as amended (with added further resolved clause) the Apricot 360 annual report and use policy, forwarded to September 16, 2025 City Council consent calendar (4-0).
• Item 5: Received and filed the OPD biannual staffing report (4-0).
• Item S6: Received and filed the OPD ALPR data sharing policy report (4-0).
• Item S7: Received and filed the oral report on DOT sideshow abatement planning (4-0).
• Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned in memory of Joshua Byrd, a probation officer murdered on July 17, 2025.