City Government

OP-ED: Pull the Plug on the Domain Awareness Center

Published

12 years ago

March 5, 2014

Oakland City officials, including the City Council, Mayor and staff, cannot justify their support of the Domain Awareness Center by claiming to be ignorant of its risks to our safety and security.

Although 60 percent of Americans oppose the National Security Agency’s spying on our telephone and email communications, Oakland officials are supporting the creation of a full service urban surveillance network that threatens the privacy and security of everyone in the City.

Oakland’s Domain Awareness Center is a facility that will be able to monitor, merge, and permanently store at least the following kinds of data:

1. Photographs and videos generated by a growing network of publicly and privately owned cameras throughout the City.

2. Audio recordings made by Oakland’s “Shot Spotter” system. We have heard that this system’s microphones are so sensitive that they can record conversations in the streets close to system towers.

3. Photographs taken constantly by license plate readers mounted in Oakland police cars.

4. In the future, social media such as Facebook and Twitter and Internet sites.

Internal City communications gathered and published by the East Bay Express confirm that DAC’s targets are suspected terrorists, political and Occupy activists, and labor unions – not violent criminals. The DAC will not make our neighborhoods safer.

< p>< p>Further, the system, funded initially by federal money, will be part of a nationwide network of Fusion Centers, operating as joint efforts by the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies, state, and local police.

Full development of the DAC will allow law enforcement at all levels to track our movements, reconstruct our activities, and plot our networks of family, friends, and political associates.

The City’s contribution to running the center will be at least $1.5 annually, money that could otherwise be used to operate our parks, fix our streets, or maintain fire stations.

A short history lesson demonstrates why we should all care about the DAC.

During and just after World War I, tens of millions of Americans, including state governors and members of the U.S. Senate, concluded that the war had been fought simply to further the big business, banking, and manufacturing interests of the participant countries.

The pro-war federal government, with a young J. Edgar Hoover leading the effort, began keeping information – on 430,000 index cards – of people classified as subversives – peace activists, unionists, Wobblies, radicals, etc.

In 1919 and 1921, Attorney General Palmer unleashed Hoover to lead raids that led to 5,000 arrests, thousands of deportations, and the end of that movement.

After World War II there was very widespread agreement among Americans that the U.S. and Soviet Union should continue their successful wartime partnership to create a peaceful world where their different systems could compete peacefully for public support.

By 1950 Hoover had dossiers on 450,000 Americans, and a massive red baiting attack was used to justify the Taft-Hartley Act and other attacks on a growing, powerful labor movement, civil rights organizations including even the moderate NAACP, peace groups, and every organization that included communists or so-called fellow travelers among their members or supporters.

The progressive and labor movements in this country have never fully recovered from the attacks and prosecutions of the McCarthy era, even considering the upsurges of the 1960s.

The surveillance tools available to the government today make Hoover’s methods look like child’s play.

If the government could keep track of 450,000 Americans in 1950 by listening to their telephone calls, reading their mail, and following them, think of how many can be tracked using the tools available to the DAC, Fusion Centers, and NSA.

As I have said before, creating a safe and prosperous city requires a commitment to securing social and economic justice for all people in Oakland.

Rather than expensive technology, we need a decentralized police department staffed by officers who will work closely and cooperatively with our communities to protect people’s lives, property and constitutional rights.

As Mayor of Oakland, I will make sure that the DAC is closed and that our city’s police are prohibited from spying on the people of Oakland.

Dan Siegel is a civil rights attorney and a candidate for mayor.

Oakland Post

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Related Topics:City of Oakland DAC Dan Siegel Domain Awareness Center Oakland Oakland Post Newspaper OP-ED Opinion

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Alameda County

The Marin City Flea Market Is Back

The Marin City Flea Market returns on May 23, offering arts, crafts, vintage items, and collectibles. The market aims to uplift local vendors and celebrate cultural diversity.

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Customers shopping in Marin City Flea Market. Photo courtesy of marincityflea.org.

By Godfrey Lee

After a long absence, Marin City will once again hold its flea market. The market will have its grand opening on Saturday, May 23, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church parking lot on 101 Donahue St. It will be held every fourth Saturday of the month

The market will be free to the public

There will be arts, crafts, vintage, collectibles, and other items on sale at the market. Interested vendors can contact info@marincityflea.org or text (415) 484-2984 for more information.

“The Marin City Flea Market’s mission is to uplift local vendors, celebrate cultural diversity, and provide an accessible community space where creativity, entrepreneurship, and connection can thrive,” says their website, marincityflea.org.

The flea market is sponsored and run by the Rotary Club of Marin City.

For more information, contact info@marincityflea.org. Or text to (415) 484-2984

Oakland Post

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Amsterdam News

School District Extends Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler’s Contract for a Second Year

The Oakland Board of Education has extended Superintendent Denise Saddler’s contract through June 2027, promoting her from interim to permanent superintendent with a salary of $367,765.45 per year.

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Supt. Dr. Denise Saddler. File photo.

By Post Staff

The Oakland Board of Education voted this week to extend Superintendent Denise Saddler’s contract for another year, from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027.

Under the new agreement, Saddler’s job title will become “superintendent”; she will no longer be called “interim.”

Along with the new title, she will receive full superintendent benefits and salary at $367,765.45 per year, according to the employment agreement.

The vote to approve the new contract passed 5-2 at Wednesday night’s board meeting.

Saddler’s original interim contract was for one year. The school board was planning to select a permanent superintendent by the fall but earlier this year decided to delay the search.

The new contract reflects the Board of Education’s “determination that continuity in executive leadership is in the best interests of the district as Oakland Unified continues implementation of its fiscal stabilization strategies, academic priorities, labor relations initiatives, and operational improvements,” the employment agreement reads.

In November, the board approved a $150,000 contract with a consulting firm to carry out that search, but Board President Jennifer Brouhard told KQED last month that the process never got off the ground.

“No work was done, no money has been paid for the work (to) the search firm for the superintendent search,” Brouhard said. “Hopefully, we’ll be resuming that in the early part of the fall.”

Dr. Saddler was born and raised in Oakland, attended local schools, and has dedicated more than 45 years of her career to serving Oakland students and families.

She began her career in 1979 as a teacher of students with disabilities. Over the years, she has served as a teacher, principal, district leader, and teachers’ union president.

While working in OUSD, she has served as principal at Chabot Elementary, area auperintendent, and executive leader for Community Engagement and Educational Transitions. She has also supported schools as a principal coach and substitute principal and taught at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education.

Dr. Saddler holds a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Mills College and master’s degrees in special education and in Staff Development and Administration.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Mayor Barbara Lee Joins National Public Safety Leaders to Advance Proven Violence Reduction Strategies

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee attends a two-day meeting with other mayors and public safety leaders to discuss violence reduction strategies; Oakland has seen a 39% drop in homicides.

Published

2 days ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Oakland was one of four cities participating in a public safety convening. Courtesy image.

By Post Staff

Mayor Barbara Lee this week joined Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker and public safety leaders from Oakland for a two-day meeting focused on advancing cutting-edge public safety strategies, including focused deterrence and violence reduction.

The meeting brought together civic and public safety leaders from Oakland and Indianapolis to locations in Baltimore and Philadelphia to share lessons learned and identify innovative approaches to crime prevention, intervention, and enforcement.

The participating cities are widely recognized for pioneering community-centered public safety models that prioritize prevention, accountability, and sustained investment in neighborhood-based solutions

Oakland’s delegation included Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) Chief Holly Joshi, Oakland Police Department Assistant Chief Casey Johnson, and Ceasefire Director Annette Jointer.

Oakland’s participation underscores its continued leadership in advancing evidence-based violence reduction strategies and building a public safety system that integrates law enforcement with community intervention and prevention programs.

Oakland continues to see historic reductions in violence, reflecting coordinated efforts across the Department of Violence Prevention, Oakland Police Department, Ceasefire, and community-based partners, including:

Violent crime down 22%
Homicides down 39%
Lowest homicide total in nearly 60 years

These gains reflect sustained investment in focused deterrence strategies, real-time intervention, and expanded community violence interruption programs.

“Public safety is not achieved by any one agency alone—it requires coordination, trust, and a shared commitment to prevention and accountability,” said Lee. “We are proud to stand alongside cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Indianapolis that are proving what works. We are seeing real progress in reducing violence in our communities, and we remain committed to building on that momentum through strategies that center prevention, intervention, and strong partnerships with residents.”

“Oakland’s progress shows what is possible when cities invest in focused deterrence and wraparound supports that reach people most at risk,” said Joshi. “Our work is grounded in building trust, responding quickly to emerging conflicts, and connecting individuals to services that interrupt cycles of violence. This convening was an opportunity to strengthen that work through shared learning with peers who are advancing similar strategies nationwide.”

Said Johnson, “Effective public safety requires a balanced approach that combines accountability with deep collaboration across agencies and communities.”

“We are seeing meaningful reductions in violent crime because of strong partnerships between law enforcement, DVP, Ceasefire, and community organizations,” said Johnson. “Engaging with peer cities allows us to refine and improve the strategies that are making Oakland safer.”