Councilmember Dan Kalb

Crime in Oakland has seen a dramatic increase. We must take a range of actions that will provide a comprehensive approach that includes a myriad of prevention, intervention and enforcement strategies.

Total Crime has increased 28% from last year, according to the Oakland Police Department’s Weekly Crime report from early September 2023. The increase in crime we are seeing is a seriously worrying trend, and one that the city must address.

High quality security cameras placed on freeway on-ramps can improve OPD’s ability to obtain evidence and investigate and solve certain serious crimes. High quality security cameras located on commercial private properties along retail business district corridors in Oakland can improve OPD’s ability to obtain evidence and investigate and solve crimes that have plagued residents and our small businesses.

Oakland Police beat officers provide community presence, improve community relations and can deter criminal activity. Bringing reentry services to scale throughout Alameda County would help more people in need while reducing recidivism in our communities. Increasing MACRO’s capacity to handle 9-1-1 calls will reduce the number of calls that OPD is required to address.

This resolution will require that the City immediately (1) identify and evaluate options to increase staffing and retention of 911 dispatchers and reduce 911 hold time for residents, (2) authorize a lateral police academy (in addition to the six recruit academies already approved in our two-year budget), (3) seek increased support from federal, state, and county agencies including adding additional FBI investigators to help solve violent crimes and increasing multi-jurisdictional operations to confiscate illegal guns, (4) expand the city’s violence prevention and intervention efforts and urge the County to expand reentry services for those in need, (5) place security cameras along selected freeway on-ramps to help with investigations, and create a grant program for the City to fund the purchase of security cameras along retail business corridors, and (6) move to expand the number of walking beat officers in Oakland neighborhoods and make those OPD positions permanent.

Please review my Public Safety Resolution here.

Earlier this year, I developed a Safety Plan for Oakland and outlined a number of Budget and Service Priorities. Now that the City Council passed the City of Oakland Biennial Budget in June and I submitted a Public Safety Resolution in September, I have updated my Safety Plan a second time. This new Plan is informed by the newly adopted City Budget and my Public Safety Resolution. Both Budget and Service Priorties are expanded while the Collaboration Efforts section is significantly revamped and enlarged.

Budget priorities include funds that the City Council dedicated during the budget process. Service priorities outline ways in which the Oakland Police Department and other departments/offices can focus resources to better ensure public safety for all while Collaboration Efforts explore partnerships and relationships with federal, state and local partners.

I've outlined these priorities and efforts here.

Read about Councilmember Kalb's efforts to keep District One and the larger Oakland community up to date on issues affecting our residents.

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• Dan Kalb's Newsletters 2023
• Dan Kalb's Newsletters 2019-2022
• Archives of Dan Kalb's District One Newsletter -- 2013 to 2018

On June 26th, after a two-month long process, the City Council adopted a two-year budget effective July 1st. Facing a nearly $180 million dollar deficit each year, the Mayor and Council were forced to make tough decisions in difficult circumstances to balance city services and available funding.

A few highlights of the adopted budget include:

1. A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING: The Proposed Budget allocates over $200 million over the next two years for the creation and acquisition of affordable housing -- some of which will serve our homeless population.

2. FUNDING OF SIX POLICE ACADEMIES along along with funds for violence prevention.

3. EXPANSION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: The Proposed Budget uses federal, state and local funds to allow for the expansion of hours and services at Oakland’s Head Start and Early Head Start program.

4. INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: The Proposed Budget includes more than $106 million in funds to build, repair and upgrade parks, recreation facilities, libraries, storm drains and non-road infrastructure. And it includes $87 million to continue street repaving as part of Oakland’s 5-year paving plan.

The Council amended the budget to preserve fire service, phase in 24/7 crisis response, add civilian investigators to the police department, and add community ambassadors to business districts. .

Meeting with constituents, community organizations and city staff helped inform our budget conversations. I have received a lot of feedback from residents of District 1 regarding requests for this budget. I was able to fight for a number of key services for Oakland. As public safety is a top priority, I wanted to make sure we provided funding for the Police Department and for the Department of Violence Prevention. I also made it clear that it is essential to prioritize 911 dispatchers to improve our 911 wait time. Additionally, I worked to ensure we did not lose essential senior center programs.

The budget provides necessary resources for violence prevention and effective crime prevention/intervention efforts. I am thankful my colleagues agreed to three of my critical additions to the proposed budget. (My complete budget priorities can be found here: Councilmember Kalb's Budget Priorities).

1.Restoring critical senior center services via unfreezing a key supervisor position.

2.Restoring an additional $750,000 dollars of grant funding to the Department of Violence Prevention for grantees working to curb violence on our streets.

3.Prioritizing hiring and retention of 9-1-1 dispatchers to improve response time.

We are very appreciative to our City Staff, and especially to our Finance Department, who worked tirelessly through nights and weekends to ensure that we have the most timely and accurate information. Their work helped us create and pass a thoughtful and balanced budget.

We still have many challenges in front of us. We will continue to serve our good City with integrity and concern for all as we navigate the challenges ahead.

Councilmember Kalb promotes data-driven solutions to the toughest challenges facing our communities. Read more about his policy priorities and legislative accomplishments:

• Public Safety and Violence Prevention
• Affordable Housing and Tenant Protection
• Homelessness
• Environmental Protection and Illegal Dumping
• Government Transparency and Ethics
• Wildfire Prevention
• Budget & Revenue
• Business & Economic Development

Please visit Councilmember Kalb's Covid-19 Resources and Information page for a summary of resources and information on the COVID-19 health emergency in Oakland, compiled by the Councilmember and his staff.

I'm excited to announce that my office has additional mural funding to distribute! I've been able to partially fund murals in various D1 locations including on Piedmont Ave., San Pablo Ave, Market St., Lowell St., and Claremont Ave., and I'm looking forward to funding more. See here for details on eligibility and how to apply.

Your issues are important to us! Contact Councilmember Kalb's office (see "Contact Us' section below) to request information or support.

Many issues can be resolved by reporting to Oak311 (see Popular City Services section below). Once you have a case number please contact my office if the issue is not resolved within a reasonable amount of time and we can follow up.

District One residents can sign up for a meeting with Councilmember Kalb - now virtual - usually on the first Saturday of every month. Contact Keara O'Doherty at kodoherty@oaklandca.gov, or 510-238-7014 to reserve a 20-minute slot to speak on any issue.