Oakland Mayor Jean Quan and City Administrator Deanna Santana have decided to appoint an independent investigator to evaluate the department's use of force in responding to Occupy Oakland protests, the mayor's office announced Tuesday.
Quan and Santana plan to announce more details at a news conference Wednesday morning, alongside police Chief Howard Jordan and "members of the investigation panel."
Several Oakland police commanders and the Citizens' Police Review Board are already investigating the department's use of force.
Quan made the decision to appoint an investigator without consulting the City Council or court-appointed police department monitors, key officials said.
The announcement comes as efforts to recall Quan ramp up, bolstered by criticisms of the mayor and the police department's response to protesters, and as the city prepares for a hearing with a federal judge in early January about several officers who covered their badges during protests. Next month, the monitors, who are overseeing the department's progress in making court-ordered reforms, are expected to release a report that is higly critical of the department.
Patrick Mitchell
Yes, throwing away more taxpayer funds to "investigate" a problem that was largely of her own making is another great idea from the mind of Jean Quan. Allow me to help: it was your poor decision making and inability to lead that led to the now infamous debacle. Investigation over. May I start collecting my pension now?
June Ko-Dial
give it a rest!! she's damned if she supported them and let them stay, shee's damned if she instructs the police to remove the dirty, dangerous tent city that had nothing to do with the original OW and is pissing off the majority of Oakland residents. the OO are the ones that caused the necessity for the Police! overtime and all!!!
now there needs to be an outside investigation otherwise noone will trust one done by either side = mor money spent. this isn't about Mayor Quan! this is about unhappy people that need to get a life and get involved in City activities to see what really goes on and why. Negative people that make more noise and will be costing the city another 1.5 million for an unsuccessful recall election. doe that make sense?
this unorganized OO group are solely responsible for the cost of the police, their overtime, cost of the city clean-up of all their crap, now businesses threatening to pass up Oakland because of the Port strikes. thats helping the financially strapped Oakland!!