Dis Harvard President Claudine Gay Resigns Amidst Scandals and Plagiarism Allegations ... see page 2
Climate-Induced Displacement is a Global Phenomenon ... see page 2
Ladies in Red Go Purple... see page 4
Eddie R. Dillard, 76 ... see page 8
Oakland Post “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
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61st Year, No. 1
Weekly Edition. Edition. January 3 - 9, 2024
Alameda County D.A. Pamela Price Announces Charges Against Three Men Accused in Murder of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le
Oakland Police Officer Shot in Line of Duty, Mourned
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, right, speaks at a press conference as Oakland Police Dept. Interim Police Chief Darren Allison looks on. Courtesy photo. Special to The Post
glary in progress at a cannabis dispensary at Fifth and Embarcadero. Officers initially responded around 1 a.m. Friday to a report of a burglary at the dispensary but eventually left the scene, then returned at about 4:30 a.m. for a call of a second
Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price announced charges Wednesday against three burglary at the same location. Officers saw multiple people men accused of the Dec. 29, 2023, shooting death of Oakland Police leaving the scene and at least one Officer Tuan Le. person fired multiple times, strikThe prosecution charged ing Le, who was working as a plain- 27-year-old Mark Demetrious clothes officer and driving an un- Sanders with murder, including Continued on page 8 special circumstances allegations
ber note. Amidst ongoing fear and trauma due to violent crimes and property crimes in Oakland, we anxiously awaited developments in the case. It’s a relief to witness our local leaders collaborating to ensure that Officer Le’s family
finds justice and peace, with the suspects no longer posing a threat to society. Officer Tuan Le embodied the best of public service in Oakland. Being a native of Oakland, he had a unique ability to connect with residents as one of their own. He gladly shared his personal contact information with our business leaders and community members. His presence reassured the community, often hesitant to speak up, that their concerns were truly heard. In honoring Officer Le’s dedicated service, we must unite to prevent such tragedies from recurring. It is imperative to prioritize Continued on page 8
OPD Officer Tuan Le had served in the Oakland Police Department for four years. Courtesy photo. By Post Staff An outpouring of sorrow and regret followed the death of Oakland Police Department Officer Tuan Le who was shot in the early morning hours of Dec. 29, 2023, when police responded to the report of a bur-
that could result in a possible sentence of life without the possibility of parole if convicted of all charges and allegations. A second defendant, 28-yearold Allen Starr Brown was also charged with murder. The third defendant, 28-year-old Sebron Ray Russell was charged with burglary. All three defendants face multiple charges in addition to these serious
allegations. The DA’s office believes the evidence will show that Officer Tuan Le was shot to death while responding to a commercial burglary in the area of Embarcadero and Fifth Avenue in the early hours of Dec. 29, 2023. Price released the following statement: “ I spoke with the famContinued on page 8
Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce President Tran Calls for New Chief, More Officers for OPD
Dr. Jennifer Tran
By Dr. Jennifer Tran, Special to The Post The recent tragic killing of Oakland Police Officer Tuan Le on Dec. 30, 2023, has deeply affected our communities as we ushered in the new year on a som-
The Race and Identity Profiling Advisory Board Releases Statewide Police Stop Data
The California Race and Identity Profiling Advisory Board released a report on 2022 police stop data to observe the disparity of racial profiling amongst law enforcement. By Magaly Muñoz
The California Department of Justice’s Race and Identity Profiling Advisory (RIPA) Board published its seventh annual report this week. This report analyzes millions of vehicle and pedestrian stops conducted in 2022 by 560 law enforcement agencies in the state. Established in 2016 as a result of Assembly Bill (AB) 953 written by former Assemblymember Shir-
ley Weber (D-San Diego), RIPA aims to eliminate racial and identity profiling and foster diversity and racial and identity sensitivity within law enforcement. The 223-page report features the board’s view of pretextual stops where the stops result in resisting arrest charges, looks at the impact police unions have on law enforcement accountability and protocols for law enforcement training on racial and identity pro-
filing, and examines youth interactions with police both in and out of schools. According to the report, Black individuals were stopped by police 132% more frequently than expected, based on a comparison of stop data and residential population. Black individuals made up 12.5% of stopped people, with Hispanic/Latino making up about 43% and white making up 32.5% of people. The most frequently cited reasons for stops across all race and ethnic groups were traffic violations and reasonable suspicion that the person was engaged in criminal activity. Under the new law AB 2773, law enforcement officers are required to state the reason for a traffic stop or pedestrian interaction before asking any other questions. The only exception is when there’s an imminent threat to life or property. This change, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2024, aims to Continued on page 8
Rendering of Tidewater Development’s proposed 1431 Franklin Street residential tower. Rendering by LARGE Architecture.
City Council Scheduled for Discussion Impacting the Fate of Geoffrey’s Inner Circle
By Ken Epstein
On Jan. 16, the Oakland City Council is scheduled to decide whether to greenlight a new upmarket estate tower, despite overwhelming opposition in the Black community. If approved, it would threaten the future of Geoffrey’s
Inner Circle, a longtime entertainment venue and cultural institution at 410 14th St. owned by Geoffrey Pete, and the surrounding downtown area in the Black Arts Movement and Business District that the council created in 2016 as a way to protect and enhance the historic and
cultural legacy of the city’s African American community. San Francisco-based Tidewater Development corporation’s proposal, which already has the full backing of the city’s planning commission and planning department, Continued on page 8
Baseball “Clinic With The Pros” Provides Free Coaching, Holiday Gifts to Oakland Youth
By Carla Thomas
Clinic With The Pros (CWP) hosted a free Holiday Sports Clinic at 2945 Chapman Street in Oakland on Dec. 23. At the event, several Major League Baseball (MLB) athletes and other affiliated professionals shared their expertise and passion with the youth attending. “Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, this event was for everyone who wants to improve their skills and have fun,” said CWP organizer David Kyriacou. The free holiday clinic featured
Photo Courtesy Clinic With The Pros.
over a dozen MLB coaches. Attendees were asked to bring their gloves, bats and helmets. “For those without equipment, we provided gloves and bats on-
site and we held the clinic indoors so bad weather would not cause an event cancelation,” said Kyriakou.
On site, the professionals briefed Continued on page 8
Emeryville School District Boosts Black Students’ Test Scores, Bucking Post-Pandemic Trend
By Brandon Patterson
Emeryville’s school district is celebrating dramatic improvements in its Black students’ standardized test scores from 2022 to 2023, bucking statewide and even national trends where Black students’ scores remained largely stagnant or declined slightly year over year. In Emery Unified School District, where Black children are 45%
Emery Unified School District’s methods leading to improved scores for Black children are being studied by other educators. iStock photo by Sezer66.
of the student population, they made double-digit gains in their English and math scores. The percentage of Black students reading and writing at grade level increased from 24% to 37% and the math proficiency score increased from 9% to 15%. Overall, Black students’ test scores remain significantly below statewide averages – California stuContinued on page 8