Oakland residents call for change to police pursuit policy

Frustrated residents urge Oakland Police Commission to loosen pursuit policy

The Oakland Police Department's pursuit policy was the focus of a heated community discussion Wednesday evening. The Police Commission held a town hall to give the public a chance to voice their opinions as it considers potential changes to the policy.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Police Department’s pursuit policy was the focus of a heated community discussion Wednesday night as the citizen-led Police Commission held a town hall to give the public a chance to voice their opinions as it considers potential changes to the rules around chasing suspects in patrol cars.

What they're saying:

This was the first opportunity for many Oakland residents and business owners to express their frustrations with the current policy, which many said is too restrictive and contributes to a rise in crime. The discussion follows recent criticism by Gov. Gavin Newsom, who urged the city to loosen its restrictions on police chases.

Ali Albasiery, a local business owner, said many people in Oakland are directly impacted by the policy.

"Everybody is being affected by this. Every single Oakland citizen is being impacted by the no-chase policy. Because of this, businesses are closing down, and criminals are getting away," Albasiery said.

Residents at the town hall argued that the current policy is creating a sense of lawlessness, with criminals often escaping without consequences.

"Where is public safety in this discussion?" asked Tuan Ngo at the rally outside the town hall.

The backstory:

The Oakland Police Department’s pursuit policy, which was implemented about 10 years ago, restricts officers from pursuing suspects unless they are involved in certain violent crimes, such as murder, carjacking, or other forcible offenses. The policy was created after an audit found that police chases often resulted in crashes and injuries to officers, bystanders, and suspects.

In October, the Police Commission considered making changes to the policy but ultimately decided against any revisions.

Ricardo Garcia-Acosta, chair of the Oakland Police Commission, acknowledged the passion on both sides of the issue.

"We all want one thing, and that's to have businesses be able to flourish, to have residents be able to enjoy our parks and our streets," Garcia-Acosta said.

Why you should care:

The city is now revisiting its pursuit policy after Governor Newsom urged changes to the current guidelines. In December, Newsom said the restrictions are too limiting and called for policy changes that would allow the California Highway Patrol to pursue suspects involved in retail theft cases.

"You could be drunk, you could run a red light, come close to side-swiping a school bus in the morning, right in front of a police officer... and Oakland’s pursuit policy says we cannot chase that suspect," Newsom said at a press conference.

At the town hall, several residents spoke in favor of relaxing the city's pursuit policy.

"Our chase policy is extremely restrictive compared to other cities," Ngo said. "Criminals know they can come to Oakland to commit crimes because there’s very little consequence."

Edward Escobar, founder of the Coalition for Community Engagement, echoed those concerns.

"It’s a mandate from the public that we deserve better, that we need better. What we’re seeing right now is just not enough to resolve the challenges we’re facing," Escobar said.

Kanitha Matoury, a longtime Oakland resident and business owner of Howden Market, also expressed frustration over the rise in crime.

"The crime has spiked so much in Oakland, and we simply can’t have a city where safety isn’t under control. The perception that people can just come here and commit crimes without consequences needs to end. We need to revise this chase policy - badly," Matoury said.

What's next:

The pursuit policy is currently written by the Oakland Police Department, but the Police Commission has the ability to provide guidance and feedback. The Police Department is in the process of drafting a new pursuit policy, which is expected to be presented to the commission at its regular meeting on Jan. 23.

The Oakland Police Commission said the city’s pursuit policy is modeled after the San Jose Police Department’s approach. Nationwide, cities like Chicago, Atlanta, and New Orleans have similar vehicle pursuit policies.