Staffing of sworn officers in Oakland’s Police Department has been problematical for many years. During the five years that Measure Y has been in effect, there has been only one brief period, of less than one year, when Oakland actually had 803 sworn officers - one of the main goals of Measure Y and funded by its incremental property tax increase.

Current sworn staff in the OPD is at about 770, significantly fewer than 803. It is easy to argue that Oakland’s sworn police staff should be much higher than 803. The city of Cincinnati - which is comparable in size and in demographics to Oakland, has had similar kinds of crime problems and is a model of police reform - has a sworn staff of 1,050.

Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts has said that he needs many more officers to do his job well. Oakland’s long history of abundant violent crime, and crime generally,  also suggest that more police officers are needed.

Oakland’s current budget deficit and the expected even-larger deficits for the coming several fiscal years present major challenges to staffing of all city departments, and particularly the police. The primary responsibility of local government is to provide for public safety. Oakland clearly has failed in this and current efforts of the new chief to improve efficiency and morale need to continue.

On the other hand, Oakland’s inability over the past five years to provide adequate sworn staffing means that there are complex structural problems within the city’s administration and the Police Department, which must be investigated and remedied.

Elected officials in Oakland are now suggesting police layoffs of up to 200 officers. Such layoffs very likely would permanently decimate Oakland’s Police Department.

The city has had an ongoing problem with staffing for many reasons, which are evident, but not simple. The current rate of attrition of sworn officers is about 50 per year. This occurs for various possible reasons including the age structure of the police department and also retirement incentives and benefits. Police work is very tough and officers who retire as early as possible no doubt deserve their relief.

If Oakland has in the recent past struggled to maintain a constant but inadequate level of sworn staffing, how can it in the future expect to increase its total staff to the higher level required to provide adequate public safety?

It is important to keep in mind that the economic conditions between 2004 when Measure Y was passed and 2008 when the effects of the financial crisis arose in Oakland were much more favorable for city revenues than we can reasonably expect for the foreseeable future.

The bottom line is if Oakland lays off 150 or 200 police officers, these positions are unlikely to be regained. Again, we have not been able to deal with our ongoing police attrition rate of 50 per year under a relatively good economy. How then could we expect to fund yet another 40 police recruits, for a total of 90 per year, if we are to rebuild the department back to its present (but inadequate) level? To increase Oakland’s Police Department to approximately 1,000 officers within five years or so would require recruiting about 150 new officers per year. This would be under a much-smaller budget than we’ve had in the past.

Some new thinking is required ... and some hard work.

Written by By Mike Ferro of Make Oakland Better Now.