Dan Lindheim

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September 17, 2010 | 6:59 PM | By

More on federal oversight of Oakland Police

Oakland Police

Some additional points to take away from yesterday’s hearing on the federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department:

  • Court oversight of the Oakland Police Department was supposed to end after five years, in 2008. If Judge Thelton Henderson decides OPD has not sufficiently completed the outstanding tasks, it will be the second extension of the Negotiated Settlement Agreement.
  • Accountability throughout OPD for appears to be a priority of Chief Anthony Batts, and he is backing up his words with action. Chief Batts told Judge Henderson of seven Internal Affairs cases opened recently for failure to supervise at a high level, including three cases opened this week. “Much like you, judge,” Batts said, “empirical data speaks for itself.” Continue reading →
FILED UNDER: Police, Dan Lindheim, Judge Thelton Henderson, Negotiated Settlement Agreement, Oakland Police Department, Rocky Lucia
September 16, 2010 | 11:43 PM | By

Judge threatens to extend oversight of Oakland Police

Oakland Police

Almost a decade ago, dozens of Oakland residents filed an explosive class action lawsuit against the city’s police department, alleging a group of rogue officers had violated their rights by beating them, planting evidence and filing false charges. The “Riders” scandal (named after the self-appointed moniker of the bad-apple officers) and federal lawsuit by 119 plaintiffs (Delphine Allen, et al v. City of Oakland) led to a Negotiated Settlement Agreement in 2003 intended to reform OPD. The implementation of the NSA, as it came to be known, is overseen by a team of monitors appointed by Judge Thelton Henderson of the Northern District of California.

Eight years on, the Oakland Police Department is still not in full compliance with the NSA’s stipulated reforms. According to reports presented by OPD staff and the monitoring team, the department needs to conduct sufficient integrity tests, making sure units are supervised by their primary sergeant, maintaining consistent training and reporting protocols for Use of Force incidents as well as investigating such matters in a timely fashion, and properly utilizing new databases that track personnel records, deployment and car stops. Continue reading →

FILED UNDER: Police, Dan Lindheim, Jim Chanin, John Burris, Judge Thelton Henderson, Negotiated Settlement Agreement, Oakland Police, Oakland Riders, OPOA