Oakland mayor announces $2M fed grant for gun-violence prevention
OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland has been awarded a $2 million federal grant to help prevent gun violence, Mayor Sheng Thao announced on Monday.
"We are seeing a 33% reduction in homicides year to date. So far this year, 34 less people have been killed," Thao said at a news conference at City Hall.
She said the statistics are a "sign here in Oakland that we are on the right track and that the Biden-Harris administration acknowledges that."
The funds from the White House's Office of Gun Violence Prevention will help hire three new life coaches over the next three years for a total of 13. The new coaches within the city's Department of Violence Prevention will target 75 people considered at risk of committing or falling victim to gun violence.
Holly Joshi, a former Oakland police sergeant who heads the Department of Violence Prevention, said life coaches check in daily with those considered vulnerable.
"They build relationships, and they allow people to access the resources that they deserve to get off cycles of violence and to keep themselves healthy, safe, and thriving," Joshi said.
Joseph Truehill, a life coach, told KTVU, "With the funds, it will lessen the burden for us, but allow us to be more present and do more and actually spread our wings around people."
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Barbara Lafitte-Oluwole of Faith in Action East Bay said, "Without resources like this grant, we would not be standing here with a 33% reduction in homicides and shootings in Oakland, but we are."
The mayor, who's facing a recall vote next week, was criticized for losing out on millions by missing a deadline to apply for an organized retail theft grant.
Critics have also pointed to a recent Oakland Chamber of Commerce poll that said three in five support her recall because she's doing a poor job.
When asked for a response, Thao said, "Today we are talking about saving lives - saving lives. We are on track to hit less than 100 homicides here in the city of Oakland since 2019."
The mayor was also accused Monday of using the logo of the Nor Cal Carpenters Union on her anti-recall campaign literature and website without permission. The logo has since been taken down online, but the union is asking for a cease-and-desist order and demanding investigations by city and state officials.
The mayor's campaign says the recall effort against her is focused on "division, distraction and distortion" and said the Chamber of Commerce poll asked "leading questions." The campaign also noted that the mayor has secured $160 million for Oakland in the form of more than 15 grants.
Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan