Bay Area
Family of Late Police Captain Pushes for Prosecution of Ex-Fremont City Manager for Embezzlement, Fraud
A statement from Bobbitt’s family reads: “Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt was a man of high integrity. He often said that he was willing to risk retaliation for doing the right thing, including confronting government corruption at its highest levels. Captain Bobbitt believed that high-ranking public officials should be held to a higher standard due to the public trust of their positions.”
By Post Staff
The family of late Police Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt is pushing for prosecution of former Fremont City Manager Mark Danaj, who is facing charges of embezzlement and fraud.
Danaj was arraigned on March 9 and his next court date is April 6.
According to Captain Bobbitt’s family members, learning that Danaj was charged with criminal charges was a painful reminder of how Captain Bobbitt had endured retaliation at the hands of Danaj and other city officials. While in his position as Fremont City Manager, Danaj had unsuccessfully attempted to force Bobbitt out of the Fremont Police Department.
A statement from Bobbitt’s family said:
“Captain Fred “Freddie” Bobbitt was a man of high integrity. He often said that he was willing to risk retaliation for doing the right thing, including confronting government corruption at its highest levels. Captain Bobbitt believed that high-ranking public officials should be held to a higher standard due to the public trust of their positions.
“So, we will continue his fight by pushing for prosecution. We are also pursuing the opportunity to testify in front of government bodies regarding the need to fight government corruption in City municipalities, while also highlighting the impact it has on honest employees, and how it affects the community’s trust.”
Before Danaj’s upcoming court date, the District Attorney will face pressure from Bobbitt’s family to prosecute the former City Manager. Between September 2019 and September 2021, Bobbitt had urged the City of Fremont to investigate Danaj for corruption and misuse of his position.
Bobbitt passed away unexpectedly on Feb. 21, 2022, and was honored by the Fremont Police Department, elected officials, and the community during a 2,000-person Memorial Service, along with a 4-mile-long law enforcement funeral procession.
Bobbitt’s family members said that in September 2020, Danaj attempted to use his position to force Bobbitt out of the Fremont Police Department in retaliation for Bobbitt’s calls to investigate Danaj for corruption.
On April 26, 2021, at a Town Hall meeting held by Bobbitt’s supporters to prevent Bobbitt from being forced out, it was revealed that Danaj had been cited for a domestic incident earlier that month.
On Sept. 15, 2021, Danaj was arrested in San Francisco and cited again in a separate domestic violence incident. On Sept. 30, 2021, Danaj abruptly resigned as Fremont City Manager. Many believe that the Fremont City Council may have forced Danaj out after being informed of his numerous criminal incidents, as well as the mounting pressure from Bobbitt’s supporters to investigate Danaj for misusing his position.
In a new set of criminal charges, Danaj was arraigned on March 9, 2022, charged with Felony Embezzlement 504 PC, and Felony Misappropriation of Public Funds 424 PC.
During Danaj’s tenure in Fremont, Bobbitt had challenged Danaj on his mischaracterization of the Police Department and the police union, which some have alleged to have been among the issues that led to the two-year conflict between the two city officials.
In February 2022, the Fremont City Council received a briefing on a binding arbitration decision that ruled in Bobbitt’s favor, which clearly established that Danaj and others had retaliated against Bobbitt.
In September of 2020, Danaj had attempted to push Bobbitt to resign by offering him his full pension, plus a cash payout of approximately $99,900, which is slightly under the $100,000 limit that would have required the City Council’s approval.
After Bobbitt refused to resign, Danaj had Bobbitt removed as the Commander of Patrol, reassigned him to the Animal Shelter, and placed him on a Performance Improvement Plan. The binding arbitration ruling required the City to reinstate Bobbitt as Commander of Patrol and invalidate the Performance Improvement Plan.
Danaj is being represented by Danny O’Malley, brother of Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.
Activism
Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026
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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026
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Activism
Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs
Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.
By Carla Thomas
The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.
The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.
At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.
“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”
According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.
“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”
This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.
Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.
Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.
“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”
The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.
“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”
Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”
For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.
“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.
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