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OP-ED: Supervisors Must Implement Civilian Oversight of Sheriff’s Dept. Over Santa Rita Jail Death

Norma Nelson, a lifetime Black Women Organized for Political Action member (Sacramento Chapter) and founding member of the California League of Women Voters Criminal Justice Committee Interest Group, joined the circle of families whose tragic experiences highlight the need for transparency and accountability in Alameda County law enforcement.

Published

3 years ago

June 22, 2023

Oakland Post

At the Alameda County Board of Supervisors’ Public Protection Committee meeting last month, Norma Nelson joined Angelina Reyes, president of the Alameda County Council of League of Women Voters, in urging “implementation of a strong, independent civilian oversight of the Sheriff with subpoena power so that violence in the jail and deaths like my brother’s can be fully investigated.”

By Katie Dixon

Moina Shaiq

Rev. Derron Jenkins

On May 2, 2020, her brother, Donald Nelson, a Black man, had his medical request and needs ignored by staff at Santa Rita jail, the family asserts.

Instead, according to the family, Donald Nelson was placed in a holding cell with an alleged white supremacist (based upon social media posts) only to be fatally assaulted within two hours of being in custody.

Though they reached out to jail staff, the family was not notified for nearly a week as he lay dying alone in a hospital bed.

Alameda County voters want oversight of law enforcement. They voted twice by over 80% for police oversight in Oakland and elected a new reform-minded sheriff who campaigned supporting oversight of her own office. Community engagement by the sheriff’s office itself has shown the highest priority – 80% – is for oversight and transparency.

The Board of Supervisors organized a year-long process and heard the same message overwhelmingly from their constituents. Yet now Supervisors say they are unclear if voters want effective oversight of law enforcement. Meaningful, effective, independent oversight of the Sheriff’s Department must include:

Independent legal counsel for the Oversight Board separate from County Counsel which represents the interests of the county in lawsuits that may be at odds with oversight.
An Oversight Board of diverse backgrounds and knowledge, not representing law enforcement or county officials. Candidates for the Oversight Board should be recruited by a selected panel of county residents for appointment by the Board of Supervisors
An Inspector General with subpoena power with authority to provide professional, full-time assistance
Adequate resources, including investigators and policy analysts

Before voting on oversight, we call on each Supervisor to commit to refusing campaign contributions from law enforcement unions so the public can trust their decisions are not influenced by the police unions’ deep pockets.

If Supervisors don’t trust what they learned from their own constituent outreach, they should place an initiative for strong, independent sheriff oversight on the 2024 ballot.

Current county oversight proposals are less effective and will perpetuate a culture that drastically needs to change. It is critical that the Supervisors create oversight that includes the demonstrated desire of county residents for real accountability and reform, not window dressing.

We join county residents who are hopeful about newly elected Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez. But oversight isn’t about who is sheriff – it’s good government that can build trust with the community and save taxpayer money by strengthening effective law enforcement and addressing the issues that have led to numerous expensive lawsuits against the county.

Effective civilian oversight will assist the Board and sheriff in determining and making the reforms that the Alameda County’s Sheriff’s Department and jail need.

Oversight gives residents a voice to raise issues of concern and ensure a dedicated staff and Board to research and investigate policies and situations to bring recommendations to the Supervisors.

The Board of Supervisors discusses Sheriff Oversight at the Public Protection meeting on Thursday, June 22 at 10 a.m. The public can participate at 1221 Oak St, Oakland or on zoom (email sheriffoversight@gmail.com for link).

Katie Dixon, of All of Us or None; Moina Shaiq, of Interfaith Coalition for Justice in Our Jails and Rev. Derron Jenkins, Coalition for Police Accountability are the authors of this Op-Ed.

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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

Published

5 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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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.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

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.

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.