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Record of Proceedings

Oakland Public Safety Committee Meeting on Human Trafficking and Grant Funding - September 22, 2026

City Council — Tuesday, September 22, 2026
BodyOakland, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, September 22, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:38:01

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
2:38

If we can have the council members um to their seats, we'll be starting public safety shortly.

4:31

The time is now 656 p.m.

4:33

and this meeting may come to order.

4:35

Before taking role, I will provide instructions on how to submit speaker cards for items on this agenda.

4:40

If you're here with us in chamber and would like to submit a speaker card, please fill one out and turn one into myself or clerk representative no later than ten minutes after the start of this meeting or before the item is read into record.

4:50

If you were trying to register to speak uh via zoom, that is now due 24 hours prior to the start of this meeting time.

4:56

This meeting time this meeting came to order at 6 56 p.m.

5:00

and speaker cards will no longer be accepted.

5:02

10 minutes after, making that time 7.06 p.m.

5:05

We'll now proceed with taking roll.

5:08

Council members Brown.

5:11

Present.

5:13

Five.

5:15

Hi.

5:16

Present.

5:17

Houston.

5:18

Here.

5:18

And Chair Wong.

5:19

Present.

5:20

Thank you.

5:20

We have four members present.

5:21

Chair, do you have any announcements at this time?

5:24

Uh no, just uh welcome back.

5:27

And uh let's get to it.

5:32

Thank you.

5:33

Starting off with item one approval of the draft minutes from the committee meeting of July 14, 2026.

5:38

We have no speakers on this item, just need a motion.

5:43

Councilmember Fife.

5:44

Move approval.

5:47

I'll second that.

5:49

Thank you.

5:50

That's a motion made by Councilmember Fife, seconded by Chair Wong to ex to approve the draft minutes from the committee meeting of July 14, 2026.

5:58

Honoral council members Brown.

6:00

Aye.

6:00

Five.

6:01

Aye.

6:02

Houston.

6:03

Aye.

6:03

And Chair Wong.

6:04

Aye.

6:05

Thank you.

6:05

Item number one passes with four eyes to accept the draft minutes from the July 14th committee meeting.

6:14

Item two, determination of schedule of outstanding committee items, and we have two speakers on this item.

6:19

Okay, let's go to public comment.

6:22

Calling in the names that signed up to speak on item two, Jesse Rosemore and Asada Olabala.

6:31

Hi, how are you?

6:32

Jesse Rosemore.

6:33

Um, I think I spoke already to the uh the item on the no date specific list.

6:39

Uh the the great legislation by Carol Fife that I I cannot wait for this council to actually take up.

6:45

It's been over a year, so it's boggling to me why this the city council won't take that up.

6:51

Another thing that I didn't see on that list is the OPOA contract, and I would really like to know how in the world that skipped this committee, something so impactful, something that sells out our city over the next five years to the tune of 72 million dollars, while our our city employees here at the city of Oakland are waiting for a fair contract.

7:11

The me too clause is absolutely insulting.

7:14

The other thing that I didn't see on that uh on that on that agenda is or the the penning the penning list is anything on Flock.

7:22

Uh we know we had uh this this item that was sort of snuck through the surveillance policy uh at the last public safety committee meeting back in July, where uh you know you wanted to match OPD's use of Flock to the policy rather than the other way around, like you actually should be doing.

7:41

Um I didn't see that on here.

7:42

I heard a I heard a promise that I would come back.

7:45

Um I kind of have a guess as to when we're gonna see that, and it's gonna be in uh November.

7:50

Is that right?

7:51

Yeah, okay.

7:52

So that's uh that's that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Safety██████████████████████████████████████38%
Human Trafficking███████████████████████████27%
Public Comment████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Procedural█████5%
Budget and Finance█████5%
Cannabis Regulation█████5%
Transportation Safety███3%
Police██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Oakland Public Safety Committee Meeting on Human Trafficking and Grant Funding - September 22, 2026

The Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee convened on September 22, 2026, at 6:56 PM and adjourned at 8:30 PM. The meeting included an informational report on human trafficking, a grant for the crime laboratory, and public comments on various public safety issues. All four committee members (Brown, Fife, Houston, Wang) were present.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 1: Approved the draft minutes from the committee meeting of July 14, 2026 (unanimous 4-0).
  • Item 2: Accepted the determination of schedule of outstanding committee items (unanimous 4-0) after two public speakers.
  • Items 3 and 4 (Ceasefire reports) were withdrawn from the agenda per Rule 28 and placed on the pending list.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • On Item 2: Jesse Rosemore and Asada Olabala spoke about the OPOA contract, Flock surveillance, and the need for accountability.
  • On Item 5 (Human Trafficking): Nine speakers, including survivors and advocates, expressed frustration that no fines have been collected under Ordinance 13873. Speakers included Nefea Hasan (Dream Youth Clinic), Janice Jacobs, Natisha Leon (survivor), Gabrielle Weil (Covenant House), Heidi Gherkin, Sean Sullivan, Vanessa Johnson (Love Never Fails), Annabelle (J Bell), and others. They urged the city to implement fines and direct revenue to survivor services.
  • On Item 6 (CHP Grant): Two speakers, Jesse Rosemore and Asada Olabala, questioned the timing of the grant and broader accountability issues.
  • Open Forum: Eight speakers addressed the OPOA contract, Flock surveillance, civilianization, police overtime, and the need for fair contracts for civilian city workers.

Discussion Items

  • Human Trafficking Informational Report (Item 5): Acting Lieutenant Deshaun Spencer presented data: 27 proactive operations in 2026, resulting in 4 traffickers arrested, 103 Johns arrested, and an average of 30 juveniles rescued per year. The report was required by Ordinance 13873. Councilmember Wang noted the report did not meet statutory requirements regarding fine collection. A bureaucratic impasse between OPD, Finance, and the City Attorney's office has prevented any fines from being collected. City Attorney Ryan Richardson explained that a paralegal is being hired but payment processing infrastructure is not yet in place. Councilmembers expressed frustration but ultimately forwarded the report to the October 6 City Council meeting on consent.
  • CHP Toxicology Grant (Item 6): Esmeraldo Garecho presented the $270,942 grant for DUID testing, equipment, and overtime. Councilmember Brown requested future impact data, and Councilmember Fife confirmed lab staff are non-sworn. The grant was approved on consent.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 5: Received and forwarded to the October 6, 2026 City Council meeting on consent (unanimous 4-0).
  • Item 6: Approved and forwarded to the October 6, 2026 City Council meeting on consent (unanimous 4-0).
  • Items 3 and 4 withdrawn from the agenda and placed on the Public Safety Committee pending list.
  • No further action was taken on other matters discussed in public comments.

Meeting Transcript

If we can have the council members um to their seats, we'll be starting public safety shortly. The time is now 656 p.m. and this meeting may come to order. Before taking role, I will provide instructions on how to submit speaker cards for items on this agenda. If you're here with us in chamber and would like to submit a speaker card, please fill one out and turn one into myself or clerk representative no later than ten minutes after the start of this meeting or before the item is read into record. If you were trying to register to speak uh via zoom, that is now due 24 hours prior to the start of this meeting time. This meeting time this meeting came to order at 6 56 p.m. and speaker cards will no longer be accepted. 10 minutes after, making that time 7.06 p.m. We'll now proceed with taking roll. Council members Brown. Present. Five. Hi. Present. Houston. Here. And Chair Wong. Present. Thank you. We have four members present. Chair, do you have any announcements at this time? Uh no, just uh welcome back. And uh let's get to it. Thank you. Starting off with item one approval of the draft minutes from the committee meeting of July 14, 2026. We have no speakers on this item, just need a motion. Councilmember Fife. Move approval. I'll second that. Thank you. That's a motion made by Councilmember Fife, seconded by Chair Wong to ex to approve the draft minutes from the committee meeting of July 14, 2026. Honoral council members Brown. Aye. Five. Aye. Houston. Aye. And Chair Wong. Aye. Thank you. Item number one passes with four eyes to accept the draft minutes from the July 14th committee meeting. Item two, determination of schedule of outstanding committee items, and we have two speakers on this item. Okay, let's go to public comment. Calling in the names that signed up to speak on item two, Jesse Rosemore and Asada Olabala. Hi, how are you? Jesse Rosemore. Um, I think I spoke already to the uh the item on the no date specific list. Uh the the great legislation by Carol Fife that I I cannot wait for this council to actually take up. It's been over a year, so it's boggling to me why this the city council won't take that up.

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