Former Oakland Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick reacts to latest department developments

OAKLAND, Calif. - Former Oakland police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick is reacting to the latest developments within the department involving Chief LeRonne Armstrong being placed on paid administrative leave. 

Kirkpatrick was the chief prior to Armstrong's tenure, she had promoted him to deputy chief and said she was surprised that he was placed on leave. 

The former chief spoke with KTVU over Zoom late Friday evening. "That's a significant issue. I don't think any chief in the history of Oakland that I'm aware of was placed on administrative leave. I was not placed on administrative leave," Kirkpatrick said. 

However, she was fired without cause in 2020 by an independent commission. Kirkpatrick had previously claimed her ouster was retaliatory and that it was for reporting corruption within that commission. Last year, the city of Oakland agreed to pay Kirkpatrick $1.5 million after a federal jury ruled in her favor that she was wrongfully terminated. 

Kirkpatrick said she understood why Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao came to her decision, given the "underlying issues associated with Chief Armstrong." 

Kirkpatrick went on to say she is in favor of oversight, but believes Oakland police's 20-year stretch of being under federal oversight should be looked into with multiple police chiefs through the years. 

Mayor Thao plans to speak publicly for the first time since the chief was placed on leave Saturday morning. 

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