CITY OF OAKLAND 1 FRANK H. OGAWA PLAZA ۰ 3RD FLOOR ۰ OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA 94612 Office of the Mayor Jean Quan Mayor
(510) 238-3141 FAX: (510) 238-4731 TDD: (510) 238-3254
November 18, 2014
Dear Oakland Community, The recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, have touched us all. We anticipate that regardless of the verdict reached by the Missouri grand jury in the coming days or weeks, demonstrations could occur in Oakland. The City of Oakland is committed to facilitating peaceful expressions and demonstrations. Although we don’t anticipate problems to occur, keeping peace on our streets and protecting the safety of Oakland residents and businesses is our top priority and we will be prepared. Currently, we are aware that on the day that the verdict is announced, several groups have called to gather downtown at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza beginning at 5:00 p.m. We are providing this information to raise awareness about these events, not to alarm, and so that you may plan ahead. Note that traffic in downtown could be intermittently displaced as demonstrations occur. OPD will facilitate traffic to ensure pedestrian and vehicular safety. If traffic and/or transit impacts occur, employers, employees, and residents are advised to visit www.511.org or call 511 for up-to-date transition information. The attached flyer provides tips on how to prepare your business and stay informed. Feel free to share this information with your employees, neighbors and tenants. Additionally, Healing Centers are being offered as safe alternative venues to engage in productive dialogue and healing around any emotions brought out by the Ferguson verdict. The Healing Centers will be located in West, Central and East Oakland. They will be open on the two weekdays immediately following the Ferguson verdict. Light refreshments will be provided. The Healing Centers are supported by the Department of Human Services’ Oakland Unite program, in partnership with community-based organizations throughout Oakland. Their locations will be: •
East Oakland: Youth UpRising, 8711 MacArthur Boulevard, (510) 777-1163
• •
Central Oakland: Youth Employment Partnership, 2300 International Blvd, (510) 533-3447 West Oakland: Healthy Communities/Healthy Oakland: 2 sites o 2580 San Pablo Ave o Liberty Hall, 1485 8th Street
The Oakland Police Department has significantly improved the ways it handles demonstrations in our city. In 2011 I asked for an outside evaluation of the department’s crowd management policies that resulted in a top-to-bottom retraining of the police force and improved OPD practices to keep our residents, our businesses and our officers safe while facilitating free expression. At the same time the department has neared full compliance with our court-ordered reforms, dramatically reduced use-of-force incidents and required officers to wear chest-mounted body cameras on their uniforms. We have successfully facilitated more than 70 demonstrations this year throughout Oakland, and we know that with continued cooperation from our community and the high level of professionalism of our officers, we will continue doing so. Our hearts are with Mike Brown’s family and with every Oakland family touched by violence. I am grateful for the work we have done together to make Oakland a safer place and to heal our collective wounds. We still have much to do, but I am confident that we will continue making this important progress with compassion and peaceful determination. Sincerely,
Mayor Jean Quan
We anticipate that regardless of the verdict reached by the Missouri grand jury regarding the Ferguson shooting, demonstrations could occur in Oakland. The City of Oakland is committed to facilitating peaceful expressions and demonstrations. Although we don’t anticipate problems to occur, keeping peace on our streets and protecting the safety of Oakland residents, businesses, visitors and employees is our top priority and we will be prepared.
Simple Business Tips for Everyday Safety •
Stay tuned to local TV and radio stations for information.
•
If possible, park your car in a secure, off-street location.
•
Remove or secure trash receptacles.
•
Be sure your business is well lit. Good lighting increases visibility—and also increases the effectiveness of any closed circuit TV system.
•
If you have a closed circuit TV system, be sure it is in good working order and is turned on. Save recordings of documented criminal activity.
•
Make sure your building has good quality locks on the doors and windows. Deadbolt locks are a must for exterior doors.
•
All exterior doors with a gap should be covered with a steel plate to prevent the door from being pried open.
•
Leave the cash drawer empty and open after business hours.
How to Stay Informed The City will use a variety of communication channels to keep the community informed: •
Website: www.oaklandnet.com|
•
Subscribe to Email or Text Alerts Enter your email address in the “Email Updates” section on the City’s home page, www.oaklandnet.com. To receive wireless alerts via mobile phone, check the “Send Wireless Alerts to this address” box. (more)
•
Public Safety Notifications Receive notifications from OPD through text/SMS, mobile applications, email and Internet posts. Sign up at www.nixle.com.
•
Twitter For general City of Oakland news, follow @Oakland. For public safety news, follow OPD @oaklandpoliceca.
•
Business Support Contact the City of Oakland’s Business Assistance Center at (510) 238-7952 or visit www.OaklandBAC.com.
•
Telephone: call (510) 444-CITY.
•
Transit Updates Visit www.511.org or call 511 for up-to-date traffic and transit information. For BART information, call (510) 465-2278 or visit www.bart.gov. Sign up for mobile service alerts at www.bart.gov/news/alerts.
Emergency Assistance •
From a landline: call 911
•
From a cell phone: call (510) 777-3211 (pre-program this number now so it is handy in an emergency)
Anonymously Report Illegal Activity •
Call OPD’s anonymous toll-free tip hotline: (855) TIPS-247 (855-847-7247)
•
Text TIP OAKLANDPD to 888777 from your text-enabled cell phone
•
Go to http://nixle.us/tip/oakland-police-department-ca/ to anonymously submit photos of illegal activity using the online submission form