City Government

Oakland City Council Scales Back DAC Contract

Published

10 years ago

March 6, 2014

The Oakland City Council voted, 5-4, to keep the Domain Awareness Center (DAC) with measures to scale-back surveillance to only the Port of Oakland going forward into Phase 2 of the project. Mayor Jean Quan made the tie-breaking vote for Councilmember Desley Brooks’ motion late in a meeting soured by apprehension.

In an open letter to the city on Tuesday, Mayor Quan suggested dialing back the DAC and citywide tracking while toughening safeguards. “We know the government doesn’t get to simply say ‘trust us’ and carry on: we have to earn that trust on a daily basis.” But with the “not if, but when” scenario of an earthquake or natural disaster, Quan wrote that the city’s firefighters, police officers and emergency medics need every resource to save time and lives.

Brooks’ suggestions include cutting ShotSpotter technology, removing many cameras from city streets, and making sure local, state, and federal agencies can’t access data without a written Memorandum of Understanding from the council. The motion won support from Council President Patricia Kernighan and councilmembers Dan Kalb and Larry Reid with some disagreement over the police and fire computer-aided dispatch (CAD). It was unclear just how much data would be stored and available through CAD, about victims and suspects, but it was determined this real-time information is necessary for coordinating first responders during emergencies.

Councilmemebers Noel Gallo, Libby Schaaf, Lynette Gibson McElhaney, Rebecca Kaplan opposed the measure, citing costs to the city, especially in the long run. Kaplan argued the DAC came without any IT support, which the much-understaffed city would have to supply without compensation. Schaaf said she was uncomfortable proceeding without ground rules on privacy rights.

While the “port-only”option goes a long way to rein in city surveillance, many activists saw the vote as a missed opportunity to stop the DAC all together. Some 149 speaker tickets were turned in during the agenda’s Open Forum, and the crowd, including dozens of members from the Lighthouse Mosque in North Oakland, unanimously spoke out against the center. Many feared entrapment or abuse, and argued that the DAC only fueled mistrust. How the council voted, many speakers pointed out, would help or haunt them during mid-term elections.

The votes were made at approximately 1 A.M. Wednesday.

Watch the story unfold on Twitter with #DAC and #oakmtg: http://sfy.co/cbUx

(image via Dustin Craun)

For those interested, here is how the Oakland City Council voted on the DAC:

YES- Brooks, Kernighan, Reid, Kalb

NO- Gallo, McElhaney, Kaplan, Schaaf

Quan: Tie-breaker– Yes

Cross posted from Oakland Local

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Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

7 days ago

April 26, 2024

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

1 week ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.