Homicides Surge in Oakland as Defunding of Police Departments Continues

Fox News writer Lucas Manfredi explains in an article yesterday afternoon, “Homicides in Oakland, California have surged 400% citywide in 2021, according to the latest crime analysis data shared by the city’s police department.” The article states that there has been a surge in homicides in 4 of the 5 Areas of Oakland. As of December 2020, the City of Oakland began making budget cuts in response to a movement to reallocate funding and defund the Oakland Police Department. 

According to the Manfredi, “The City of Oakland announced $29 million in immediate spending cuts and other cost saving measures in December. In addition, Oakland is cutting the ODP [Oakland Police Department] budget by $15 million by reducing overtime, specialized units and programs…” The City is making these budget cuts against the recommendations from the Oakland Police Department and current violent crime rates. In a time when homicide rates are up 400% it is hardly logical to decrease policing measures in the city.

The San Francisco Cronicle published an article by writer Rachel Swan December 9, 2020 that discusses the task force formed in Oakland to defund the police department and reallocate those funds to social services. The recommendations of the task force according to the article by Swan include, “…a hiring freeze, eliminating the Internal Affairs Division, replacing the police who investigate domestic violence calls with civilian clinicians…” The dilemma this proposes is one of safety for said clinicians. For instance, if a civilian untrained in defense tactics and unarmed arrives at a home for a domestic violence call and the perpetrator is armed and irate, what safety measures are in place to protect that individual? The projected issue will be if the police force is decreased, there may not be an officer who can respond to assist. The above scenario is not an uncommon situation encountered by law enforcement officers when arriving on scene for a domestic violence call. 

Are we to believe that defunding the police would save lives and less people would be murdered? Looking at the data provided by the Oakland Police Department, it seems a reasonable conclusion would be the opposite; more people are dying and being killed since the defunding of the police department began in Oakland. There is no data showing that the homicides in Oakland are committed by police officers against civilians. So how does defunding the police department keep the residents of Oakland safe? It does not. Additionally, it can be said the defunding of the police department is not what the residents of Oakland desire. According to Swan, “In polls at public meetings, residents of these largely Black and Latino areas have demanded fairer and more consistent policing.” If budget cuts are what the City of Oakland deems as necessary, the police department should not be at the top of the list.