Bay Area

Once Again, Community Demands Reinstatement of OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong

Armstrong says there’s a sense of fairness that should be considered due to his track record. “This is not a sport; this is a community in desperate need of public safety…This is a community that has been asking the police department to police the community differently, to build trust and that’s what I’ve been doing. So, any coach should see, based on my track record, I’ve done just that. This department is not the same department as it was 10-20 years ago, and it’s because of the recent leadership.”

Published

2 years ago

February 15, 2023

Oakland Post

At a press conference held in the Madeline Senegal Fellowship Meeting Room on Sunday at Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ in East Oakland, Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong with community and NAACP support address the media. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

After its Sunday service, Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ hosted a press conference by the Oakland NAACP in their continued support of reinstating Oakland’s Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong.

Armstrong was placed on administrative leave last month pending a report accusing him of not holding an Oakland officer accountable for misconduct. In the church’s Madeline Senegal fellowship meeting room, a dozen media outlets heard directly from Armstrong, the Oakland NAACP, and questions from community members.

Armstrong said that additional information from the federal monitor being reviewed by the mayor shows that the conclusions in the summary report leading to his suspension are inaccurate and lack evidentiary support.

“The situation defies common logic,” said Armstrong. “A policy that says the investigation should not be discussed with anyone in an investigation that determined the chief should have known by policy he had no right to know…There’s a reason why the Negotiated Settlement Agreement (NSA) has a clause that says that the IAD (Internal Affairs Division) cannot be located within the OPD. It is located in Frank Ogawa Plaza because an NSA mandates that there’s independence between the departments.”

Armstrong said, “I deserve to be in this position of chief of police, as someone born and raised in Oakland, raised in poverty. As someone who has struggled and come from poverty to make it to the chief of police…but to have someone tarnish my reputation, tarnish the beliefs of my family and friends in this community is unacceptable.”

Armstrong also expressed that he has brought OPD closer to the end of federal oversight than any other chief previously. The OPD has been under federal oversight for two decades since 2003, pending compliance with 52 reforms negotiated in a settlement agreement including racial profiling and reporting practices about the use of force.

The appointed federal monitor, Robert Warshaw, is paid $100,000 a month according to reports, which amounts to $1.2 million annually to oversee and ensure that the OPD remains compliant.

With just months away from the end of federal oversight, Armstrong’s supporters call into question placing Armstrong on leave and that the overall investigation may be a ploy to extend the oversight and allow Warshaw to remain on a lucrative payroll.

“I believe in holding officers accountable when the information is presented to me, but, in this case, that information was not brought to me, so I was not able to take the proper action. If I’d have had the information, I would have launched a full investigation,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong says he’s worked toward building a department that polices professionally and constitutionally.

“I have worked hard to change the way the community views the department because when I was growing up, we didn’t like it: We hated it, and we feared it.”

Armstrong has served the police department his entire adult life, promoting volunteering, giving back and treating people with dignity and respect. As chief, he encouraged this culture and is proudest of reducing stops of African Americans by 65%.

“This is a huge deal because less Black people being touched by law enforcement lowers the risk of the violence we’ve seen across the country. And so, when you can minimize the opportunities for the interaction of law enforcement and African American men in particular, you can reduce the number of violent incidents. I believe we can focus on crime, but not over-police certain communities,” he said.

A church member said, “We have had way too many chiefs in the last decade that have been relieved of their duties, yet we have the same monitor who appears to have made a small fortune.”

Former Chief Assistant District Attorney of Alameda County Terry Wiley supports the chief and said he has known Armstrong for 30 years and characterized him as a “tremendous leader.

“He is a man of integrity, with a highly decorated career as a police officer,” said Wiley. “It says a lot when the African American, Asian and Hispanic community join forces as a collective to say that we want the chief reinstated because he did not do anything wrong. We don’t want to see his career tarnished and he does not deserve the treatment he is receiving. We are here to ask the mayor to reconsider her actions and reinstate the chief.”

“On behalf of the community, the Oakland NAACP, we are asking the mayor, again, again, and again to reinstate the chief,” said Oakland NAACP President Cynthia Adams. “The voters are also asking you, mayor. Listen to the voters, listen to your community; they are asking you to reinstate the chief. Bring the chief back to his duties. Please bring him back to where he needs to be in Oakland.”

A response from Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has yet to be received.

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Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of December 18 – 24, 2024

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Oakland Post

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City of Oakland Celebrates Reopening of Main Library

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

Left to Right- Jamie Turbak, Director of Library Services, LaTonda Simmons, Assistant City Administrator, Nikki Bas, President Oakland City Council, Shen Thao, Mayor of Oakland, Carroll Fife, Oakland City Councilmember District 3, Harold Duffey, Assistant City Administrator, Sean Maher, Projects Coordinator. Photo by Kevin Hicks.

The branch had been closed since May for critical infrastructure upgrades

Special to the Post

The City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library’s facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

“This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come, said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. “Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

“I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget,” said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. “The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library’s future.”

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The City Administrator Jestin Johnson also attended the press conference and signalled his support for the completion of the record-setting completion of the renovations. Gay Plair Cobb, a newly appointed Library Commissioner said the Library represents the soul and brains of our community.

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these crititcal repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library’s Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measures KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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A Student-Run Group Provides Critical Support Services to Underserved Residents

Those visiting The Suitcase Clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers. Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Oakland Post

UC Berkeley Law Students help a clinic visitor with legal advice at their Tuesday night services. The Clinic offers a variety of resources, including medical, to those in the community who have little access to these services. Photo by Magaly Muñoz

Part One

By Magaly Muñoz

Every Tuesday evening, the dining hall of First Presbyterian Church fills up with dozens of people eating, laughing and moving from table to table, receiving much-needed services from UC Berkeley students – just a few blocks away from the university’s campus.

Individuals seeking support services can be found in this multi-stationed room on the south end of the church talking to law students, student case managers, or receiving medical attention in a corner by healthcare professionals.

This weekly event is hosted by Cal students through a volunteer-run program called The Suitcase Clinic.

The clinic, founded in 1989, was intended to offer free resources to underserved communities in Berkeley and surrounding cities. The majority of the clinic’s clientele are unhoused or low-income people looking for extra support.

Those visiting the clinic can get legal advice, sign up for food assistance, receive housing resources, get medical help, or enjoy a hot, fresh meal. They can also get haircuts and foot washes from the student volunteers.

Nilo Golchini, executive director of the clinic, said one of the goals for most of the students working there is helping bridge the gap of trust that exists between many unhoused people and the healthcare and social welfare systems.

During their tenure in the program, many of the students say they become strong advocates for homelessness rights.

Visitors of the Suitcase Clinic can receive haircuts and foot washing by student volunteers every Tuesday evening. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re also standing in solidarity with them. So, it’s not saying, ‘I’m going to help you, but I’m also going to stand with you,’” Golchini said.

Student volunteers get extensive training prior to working directly with clients. Those interested have to take a semester-long class to become versed in areas such as outreach, intersectionality, how to interact with unhoused people, how to sign people up for social services. and more.

Volunteers then get to pick from three different clinics: General, Women’s, or Youth and LGBTQ+.

The General Clinic is the most popular among visiting residents, while Women’s and Youth/LQBTQ+ have more specialized services for attendees.

The Women’s Clinic has many of the similar services to General, but also includes nail painting, childcare, and massages.

The Youth and LGBTQ+ Clinic offers a safe space for young people navigating living on the streets, with services that include housing referrals, wellness and recreation classes and employment resources.

Golchini explained that it’s important for them to keep these clinics separate because the different demographics experience poverty and homelessness differently than those who visit the General Clinic.

Suitcase Clinic student workers posing for a photo with a frequent clinic attendee. The Clinic is open to Berkeley unhoused and low-income residents who need medical or legal service, or a hot meal. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

“We’re able to provide spaces where people can come in and feel safe and not feel like they’re constantly worried that something’s going to happen to them,” she said.

An outreach team also visits encampments every other Saturday in the Berkeley area to provide hygiene kits and encourage people to visit the in-person clinic, if possible.

However, Golchini said engagement has been low for some time now due to a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban and cite people for sleeping on the streets.

She said a lot of their clientele got displaced to other cities over time, making it difficult to stay in contact with the services the Clinic was providing for them.

But that hasn’t slowed down the students at the Clinic, if anything, it has pushed them to do more for the community they serve.