Oakland’s police chief is making some dire claims about what his force will and will not respond to if layoffs go as planned.

Chief Anthony Batts listed exactly 44 situations that his officers will no longer respond to and they include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism. He says if you live and Oakland and one of the above happens to you, you need to let police know on-line. Some 80 officers were to be let go at midnight last night if a last-minute deal was not reached. That’s about ten percent of the work force.

“I came here to build an organization, not downsize one,” said Batts, who was given the top job in October. Here’s a partial list:

* burglary
* theft
* embezzlement
* grand theft
* grand theft:dog
* identity theft
* false information to peace officer
* required to register as sex or arson offender
* dump waste or offensive matter
* discard appliance with lock
* loud music
* possess forged notes
* pass fictitious check
* obtain money by false voucher
* fraudulent use of access cards
* stolen license plate
* embezzlement by an employee (over $ 400)
* extortion
* attempted extortion
* false personification of other
* injure telephone/ power line
* interfere with power line
* unauthorized cable tv connection
* vandalism
* administer/expose poison to another’s

I feel safer already, I mean, this is Oakland after all.




  1. A380 says:

    This is nothing more than the police trying to scare people into not getting laid off. Plain and simple.

    Typical cop tactics: Scare people into giving us more money.

  2. tcc3 says:

    I cant help but notice all the revenue generators like speeding and property seizure didn’t make the list. Hmmm.

  3. SparkyOne says:

    Jobs, jobs, jobs…I found work, tax free!

  4. ECA says:

    I find it entertaining to find that OUR PROPERTY TAX MONEY, is going WHERE??

    this has to be the FAULT of NEW math, taught in the 70′s and 80′s..
    Police.
    Personnel x wages + 10% kickback..
    Fire..
    Personnel x wages +10% kickback..
    Roads..
    Cost of materials+workers+paperwork+10% kickback.

    NOW lets cut costs..
    fire 1, MORE PROFIT
    FIRE 2, MORE profit..
    FIRE 80, WE MAKE BUCKS..

    but where is the money going??

  5. Lou says:

    I would have let Batts go. He has a lame attitude. Just more BS from the PD.

  6. LDA says:

    “… if you live and Oakland and…”? [sic.]!

  7. The0ne says:

    I seriously don’t get it. If they need money that bad why don’t they issue tickets out to drivers. LA made millions and millions of money doing this. It’s a win-win for everyone, granted you are ticking people who broke the law.

    So when I see something like this I can scarcely believe what anyone is saying. SD has considered doing the same thing LA but I’ve yet to see much activity (I live around 3 PD within 10mile range lol). I hope our PD does consider it though. We need the officers and we need to rid bad drivers.

  8. pedro says:

    Aaaaah, more change you can believe in. I’m taking this to the bank, hopefully robbers won’t take it from there.

  9. Jim Smith says:

    See, the Mexicans came here. Now we are like Mexico! No jobs, broke, no taxes for rich, no police, crappy schools, drugs, guns everywhere, every man for himself.

  10. Riker17 says:

    Chief Batts should resign for failing to do his job and every Oakland resident should arm themselves for self-protection.

  11. Brian says:

    I think that every Oakland redsident is already armed. That’s why there are so many murders there. Anyway, the whole thing sounds like a protection racket. Nothing new for Oakland. Nepotism and corruption are nothing new there.

  12. Dave says:

    Oakland PD currently doesn’t respond to many items on that list. I recently reported breakin in my building. Had photos of the perps, their car and license plate. I discovered the perps car the next day in a West Oakland ‘hood and my neighbor reported the location – nothing happened. During a follow up phone call with the OPD, they said they hadn’t opened the case. How’s that for police work?

    The SEIU (union) just called my house and wanted me to let them forward my call to council member Nadel so I could tell her to temporarily raise our sales tax another 1/4 percent to pay for the union librarians, city workers and police. I told her that these taxes are never temporary as they always make them permanent. The paid lackey didn’t even hear me say I was against their position and she forwarded me to the council members voice machine anyway.

  13. Oaklander says:

    Oakland PD currently doesn’t respond to many items on that list. I recently reported breakin in my building. Had photos of the perps, their car and license plate. I discovered the perps car the next day in a West Oakland ‘hood and my neighbor reported the location – nothing happened. During a follow up phone call with the OPD, they said they hadn’t opened the case. How’s that for police work?

    The SEIU (union) just called my house and wanted me to let them forward my call to council member Nadel so I could tell her to temporarily raise our sales tax another 1/4 percent to pay for the union librarians, city workers and police. I told her that these taxes are never temporary as they always make them permanent. The paid lackey didn’t even hear me say I was against their position and she forwarded me to the council members voice machine anyway.

  14. soundwash says:

    -talk about lighting a powder keg…half of oakland is like harlem in nyc.

    I lived next door in castro valley for 5yrs…quite familiar with the area..

    sounds like an intentional move to get the national guard in on the action to “assist” -and get the “Police State” ball rolling in earnest…

    -or maybe its to get the residents to “beg” for higher taxes *cough* to stop the layoffs..

    -s

  15. bobbo, student of the haiku says:

    CRIME. Society,
    Unravels so easily
    I’ve got mine, screw you.

  16. deowll says:

    I’m going to make a wild guess that these people are well paid with great benefits?

    I’m going to make a wild guess that the local government is taxing heavy and has no clue about what they actually need to spend the money on to make the place habitable.

    I’m happy I live in TN. You may consider us to be backward but we aren’t that backward.

  17. NelsonOH says:

    Succinctly expressed
    An accurate assessment
    bobbo for the win

  18. Bill says:

    It’s official, the union won’t contribute 4% to their pension.
    Layoffs will follow.

  19. McCullough, I'll see your Haiku and raise you 2 says:

    Night, terror
    Blue pigs fly
    cameras forget not

    OK, just one, that was exhausting.

  20. bobbo, can limericks be far behind says:

    Well Done McCullough
    What form? NelsonOH-Thanks
    And well done yourself.



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