OPD Executive Staff

jbeere@oaklandca.gov

On July 9, 2026, Mayor Barbara Lee announced that Chief James Beere would become the permanent Oakland Chief of Police. Chief Beere has been a dedicated member of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) since 1997, serving the Oakland community for more than 27 years. Originally from San Francisco, he has proudly called Oakland home for nearly three decades. Prior to joining OPD,  Chief Beere attended Holy Name Elementary and Sacred Heart Cathedral High School before joining the United States Marine Corps, where he served with distinction as a Command Sergeant Major and is a decorated combat veteran.

Throughout the Chief’s career with OPD, he’s held critical roles including:

• Interim Chief of Police
• Assistant Chief of Police
• Deputy Chief of Bureau of Field Operations 1
• Bureau of Field Operations Commander
• Criminal Investigations Division Commander (Homicide, Felony Assault, Special Victims Section)
• Sergeant of the Intelligence Unit in the Office of the Chief
• Sergeant, Special Resource Section, Crime Reduction Team 5
• Key roles in the Vice, Human Trafficking, Narcotics, and Patrol divisions

Chief Beere’s exemplary service has earned him some of the department’s highest honors, including the Blue Star Medal for outstanding command and control during a mass casualty incident and the Medal of Merit for superior tactics and de-escalation in a life-threatening situation. He has also been awarded the Chief’s Excellence in Leadership Award, Chief’s Commendation, and multiple Captain’s Commendations, Unit Citations, and Letters of Appreciation. His dedication was further recognized with the Officer of the Year Award from the San Francisco Bay Area Emerald Society.

Academically,  Chief Beere graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Golden Gate University and also holds an Associate of Science Degree in Administration of Justice from the College of San Mateo. His professional training includes the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police and the FBI LEEDA Command and Executive Leadership Institutes.

Chief Beere’s commitment to OPD and to Oakland’s safety has been the foundation of his distinguished career, marked by leadership, integrity, and service to the community.

Casey Johnson

Assistant Chief

csjohnson@oaklandca.gov

Assistant Chief Casey Johnson serves as a key member of the Oakland Police Department’s executive leadership team and brings nearly 24 years of dedicated law enforcement service to the organization. A graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 287) and the Senior Management Institute for Police (Session 84), Johnson holds a master's degree in Public Safety from the University of Virginia and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Sonoma State University.

As Assistant Chief of Police, Johnson oversees all day-to-day operations of the Oakland Police Department, ensuring the effective delivery of policing services across the city. This role includes direct executive oversight of patrol operations, criminal investigations, specialized and tactical units, professional standards, risk management functions, and organizational development initiatives. Johnson works in close partnership with the Chief of Police to set departmental priorities, implement strategic plans, and maintain compliance with local, state, and federal mandates.

Throughout his career, Assistant Chief Johnson has served in a wide range of operational, investigative, and administrative assignments, including field training officer, SWAT team member and team leader, undercover officer and instructor, emergency vehicle operations instructor, motorcycle instructor, and sworn narcotics expert for the Alameda County Superior Court. Johnson has also held leadership positions, including patrol sergeant, crime reduction team supervisor at both the sergeant and lieutenant levels, SWAT tactical commander, training division commander, and commander of internal affairs.

In the current executive role, Assistant Chief Johnson provides leadership and direction to Deputy Chiefs, Captains, Lieutenants, Sergeants, and professional staff across multiple divisions. Core responsibilities include setting organizational goals, shaping department-wide policies, overseeing budget administration, and representing the department in community, governmental, and interagency forums.

Through a blend of operational experience, strategic leadership, and commitment to public safety, Assistant Chief Johnson plays a central role in advancing the mission, accountability, and effectiveness of the Oakland Police Department.

Anthony Tedesco

Deputy Chief Bureau of Field Operations 1

atedesco@oaklandca.gov

Angelica Mendoza

Deputy Chief Bureau of Field Operations 2

amendoza@oaklandca.gov

Deputy Chief Angelica Mendoza was born and raised in Oakland and continues to reside in the city. Growing up in Oakland, she attended Garfield Elementary, Calvin Simmons Junior High, and Fremont High School. After graduating from Fremont High, she attended Cal State Hayward (now Cal State East Bay), where she received her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice & Administration with a minor in Sociology. After graduating from Cal State Hayward, Captain Mendoza went to work for the Alameda County Juvenile Probation Department working with at-risk youth to include CAMP Ready established to guide and mentor at-risk young girls. In 1996, Deputy Chief Mendoza joined the Oakland Police Department where she worked in the following sections, units, and divisions:

• Deputy Chief Bureau of Internal Affairs
• Deputy Chief Bureau of Field Operations 2
• Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Risk Management
• Bureau of Field Operations Area Commander
• Office of Inspector General (Inspector General)
• Internal Affairs Division – Investigations
• Internal Affairs Division - Administration
• Bureau of Field Operations Watch Commander
• Criminal Investigations Division (Homicide)
• Criminal Investigations Division (Felony Assault)
• Criminal Investigations Division (Robbery/Burglary)
• Criminal Investigations Division (Gang Investigator)
• Gang, Guns, Investigative Task Force
• Vice & Narcotics
• Undercover Operations
• Department’s Subject Matter Expert on Latino Gangs
• Community Services – Crime Stoppers
• Background & Recruiting
• Citizen’s Police Academy
• Departmental Liaison for the Latino Community Advisory Committee on Crime
• Traffic Section
• Patrol Division

While working as the Department’s Latino Liaison Officer, Deputy Chief Mendoza worked closely with various community groups, including the Spanish Speaking Citizen’s Foundation, where she collaborated with the United States Secret Service Investigative Unit to capture a subject who was posing as a Federal Immigration Agent to extort several undocumented families and who committed crimes against their children.

Deputy Chief Mendoza has been awarded two departmental Medal of Merits, the Chief’s Leadership Award, and a Unit Citation, and was awarded the Distinguished Officer Award for the continuous service that she provides to the community by the Mexican Consulate in San Francisco, California.

Deputy Chief Mendoza graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy, Session 279, representing Oakland California, where the top 1% of Law Enforcement officials throughout the world are selected to attend this prestigious training.

Deputy Chief Mendoza received her Masters Degree in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership from the University of San Diego.

Deputy Chief Mendoza is also a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.

Deputy Chief Mendoza is the first Latina in Oakland Police Department history to serve as Deputy Chief of Police.

 

Lisa Ausmus

Deputy Chief Bureau of Risk Management

lausmus@oaklandca.gov

Deputy Chief Lisa Ausmus has spent more than 30 years serving the Oakland community in critical public safety roles, beginning her professional tenure as a paramedic in 1994 and joining the Oakland Police Department as a police officer in 2000.

 

Her unique background in emergency medical care and field operations informs her modern approach to risk management, effectively bridging the gap between tactical necessity and community-centered care. This dual-discipline perspective has made her a pivotal leader in the department's ongoing efforts to enhance public safety through both efficiency and empathy. This foundation of service and compassion led to over 25 years of law enforcement service to the Oakland community, during which she has been recognized for her courage and professional excellence with the Medal of Merit and the Taser-Less Lethal Medal of Valor.

In her current executive role as Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Risk Management, Deputy Chief Ausmus provides strategic direction for the department’s institutional integrity and constitutional policing framework. She oversees the Office of Internal Accountability, the Training Division, Research and Planning, the Wellness unit, and the Department Information and Technology unit to ensure operational transparency and data-driven risk mitigation. Recognizing that the department's greatest asset is its people, she is deeply committed to the mental well-being and resilience of all sworn and professional staff.

 

As the department’s liaison to the Oakland Police Commission and community stakeholders, she serves as a lead strategist for departmental reform, ensuring community-led oversight translates into actionable policy aligned with the Negotiated Settlement Agreement (NSA) and federal mandates. She directs the integration and optimization of Departmental Policies and Publications, ensuring that all tactical and administrative policies remain consistent with current legal standards and the ethical principles of constitutional policing.

 

Throughout her rise through the ranks, Deputy Chief Ausmus has held a wide range of operational and leadership roles, including Tactical Commander, Tactical Negotiation Team Commander, Internal Affairs investigator, and Academy Instructor. As an executive, Deputy Chief Ausmus prioritizes mentorship and personnel development, with a particular focus on advancing women in the profession. Her career reflects a steadfast commitment to inclusivity, ensuring every member of the department and the community is seen, heard, and treated with respect. Driven by these values, she has served throughout her career as the departmental LGBTQIA+ Liaison and holds the historic distinction of being the first LGBTQIA+ Deputy Chief for the City of Oakland. Beyond her professional endeavors, Deputy Chief Ausmus finds her greatest inspiration and balance in the support of her wife and three children.

 

Kiona Suttle

Deputy Director Bureau of Services

KSuttle@oaklandca.gov

Deputy Director Kiona Suttle has been a member of the Oakland Police Department (OPD) for more than two decades. She previously served as the Human Resources Manager before accepting the appointment to Deputy Director.

Director Suttle began her career in the OPD with the hope of, “being the change that she wanted to see.” Her many roles in OPD have included serving as the Records Division Manager, the Executive Assistant to the Chief of Police, and a Police Records Specialist in the Internal Affairs Division and the Office of Inspector General. As the Records Division Manager, Director Suttle established the Public Records Request Unit, which created a central location for the many public requests for information received by the Department. This allowed for a more effective way of tracking and responding to requests for information. She also played an integral role in the elimination of manual data entry of arrest reports, improving the accuracy and reliability of this data.

Director Suttle grew up in Oakland and is a proud mother. She loves taking long walks, spending time with her family, traveling, and eating, as she is a self-proclaimed “foodie.” She has a B.S. in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from the California State University East Bay and is passionate about helping and uplifting others, which is why she chose a career in public service. Director Suttle lives by the motto “If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody,” and she has spent the majority of her life and career trying to do just that.

 

 

Mario Fajardo

Chief of Staff

mfajardo@oaklandca.gov