City Government

Hotline Established for Police Whistleblowers to Report Corrupt Officers in Oakland

Published

8 years ago

July 15, 2016

Police accountability activists this week established an anonymous hotline for whistleblowers to report “corruption, misconduct and predatory policing” within the Oakland Police Department (OPD).

The hotline was set up by Civil Rights attorney Dan Siegel at his Oakland law firm, Siegel and Yee.

“We are hearing unofficially from people in the department that they are embarrassed and upset” by ongoing sex abuse and other misconduct scandals in OPD, said Siegel, speaking at a press conference Monday in front of the police department headquarters.

The press conference organizers, the Anti Police-Terror Project (APTP), said they decided to create the hotline after learning that Mayor Libby Schaaf hired a private investigator to “identify and punish whistleblowers who are bringing these problems to the public,” according to an APTP statement to the media.

“Our legal team, Siegel and Yee, wanted to step up and provide a safe place for officers who want to expose corruption of the police department to come tell their stories,” said Cat Brooks of APTP.

According to the APTP statement, activists are hearing that some officers “want to stop observing the ‘Code of Silence’ that goes against their oath to protect and serve the City of Oakland.”

“Many of those same officers may fear retaliation, a ruined career or worse as a result of going against the expectation to look the other way when the abuse of authority occurs,” the statement said.

Siegel and Yee will take statements and give advice to OPD employees who contact the hotline.

“We can provide you with legal advice if you are facing retaliation for going public with information about (misconduct), and your anonymity will be protected,” the APTP statement said.

Spokeswoman Karen Boyd denied that the city was seeking to plug leaks.

“The city administrator initiated an investigation not into whistleblowers but into who was divulging (information) or how information that was legally, confidentially protected was being divulged,” Boyd told KRON4.

Saying the hotline is unnecessary, Schaaf said in an interview with KRON that the city already has its own hotline for whistleblowers.

“Oakland has long had its own anonymous whistleblower hotline. It’s run by our independent auditor,” Schaaf said.

The hotline number at Siegel and Yee is (510) 839-1200. Evidence can be emailed to policehotline@siegelyee.com.

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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

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

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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

7 days 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

7 days 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.