Libby’s inaugural festivities became a stage for Black Lives Matter Protests. Her first day in office she threw an Oakland Police Department love fest with selfies and puff pieces; this so offended black activists that they held a people’s inaugural at her home-“Wakeup Your Mayor.” Just as things looked like they might be settling down, Emeryville PD shot and killed Yevette Handerson.
Then City Council misdeeds were followed by the catastrophically stupid vote of a City Council Committee to exempt Walgreens from Oakland’s Living Wage Ordinance. All this left Oaklanders wondering about the basic competency of Oakland California city government. After a hundred days in office Mayor Libby renewed her commitment to cute.
The Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils' (NCPCs) provide a ready made and city staffed forum for crime stopping and police building plans. Oakland Police Officers attend NCPC meetings and participate. At a recent meeting in Beat 22X an officer shared his low opinions on “Black Lives Matter” protests. In fact neighbors often defer to OPD at these meetings, even though the vast majority of officers don’t live in Oakland.
NCPC meetings are the mayor’s and council’s favorite forums for meeting with the people. They have a heavy OPD presence and they attract neighbors with an overriding interest in crime. NCPCs are not enough crime forums for Mayor Libby, she also attended a private meeting organized by a group of Oakmore neighbors (her neighbors) to discuss the crime issue. Crime, crime, crime.
This budget cycle Libby plans to give the lion’s share of Oakland’s resources to the Oakland Police Department and with the current budget picture, this will necessitate cuts elsewhere. Rallying the base (mostly Oakland Hills) and changing the channel to crime puts Libby and OPD back in control, and silences reformers, innovator’s and youth who have articulated and fought for a different future for Oakland.