Bay Area

Once Again, Community Demands Reinstatement of OPD Chief LeRonne Armstrong

Armstrong says there’s a sense of fairness that should be considered due to his track record. “This is not a sport; this is a community in desperate need of public safety…This is a community that has been asking the police department to police the community differently, to build trust and that’s what I’ve been doing. So, any coach should see, based on my track record, I’ve done just that. This department is not the same department as it was 10-20 years ago, and it’s because of the recent leadership.”

Published

1 year ago

February 15, 2023

Oakland Post

At a press conference held in the Madeline Senegal Fellowship Meeting Room on Sunday at Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ in East Oakland, Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong with community and NAACP support address the media. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

After its Sunday service, Acts Full Gospel Church of God in Christ hosted a press conference by the Oakland NAACP in their continued support of reinstating Oakland’s Chief of Police LeRonne Armstrong.

Armstrong was placed on administrative leave last month pending a report accusing him of not holding an Oakland officer accountable for misconduct. In the church’s Madeline Senegal fellowship meeting room, a dozen media outlets heard directly from Armstrong, the Oakland NAACP, and questions from community members.

Armstrong said that additional information from the federal monitor being reviewed by the mayor shows that the conclusions in the summary report leading to his suspension are inaccurate and lack evidentiary support.

“The situation defies common logic,” said Armstrong. “A policy that says the investigation should not be discussed with anyone in an investigation that determined the chief should have known by policy he had no right to know…There’s a reason why the Negotiated Settlement Agreement (NSA) has a clause that says that the IAD (Internal Affairs Division) cannot be located within the OPD. It is located in Frank Ogawa Plaza because an NSA mandates that there’s independence between the departments.”

Armstrong said, “I deserve to be in this position of chief of police, as someone born and raised in Oakland, raised in poverty. As someone who has struggled and come from poverty to make it to the chief of police…but to have someone tarnish my reputation, tarnish the beliefs of my family and friends in this community is unacceptable.”

Armstrong also expressed that he has brought OPD closer to the end of federal oversight than any other chief previously. The OPD has been under federal oversight for two decades since 2003, pending compliance with 52 reforms negotiated in a settlement agreement including racial profiling and reporting practices about the use of force.

The appointed federal monitor, Robert Warshaw, is paid $100,000 a month according to reports, which amounts to $1.2 million annually to oversee and ensure that the OPD remains compliant.

With just months away from the end of federal oversight, Armstrong’s supporters call into question placing Armstrong on leave and that the overall investigation may be a ploy to extend the oversight and allow Warshaw to remain on a lucrative payroll.

“I believe in holding officers accountable when the information is presented to me, but, in this case, that information was not brought to me, so I was not able to take the proper action. If I’d have had the information, I would have launched a full investigation,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong says he’s worked toward building a department that polices professionally and constitutionally.

“I have worked hard to change the way the community views the department because when I was growing up, we didn’t like it: We hated it, and we feared it.”

Armstrong has served the police department his entire adult life, promoting volunteering, giving back and treating people with dignity and respect. As chief, he encouraged this culture and is proudest of reducing stops of African Americans by 65%.

“This is a huge deal because less Black people being touched by law enforcement lowers the risk of the violence we’ve seen across the country. And so, when you can minimize the opportunities for the interaction of law enforcement and African American men in particular, you can reduce the number of violent incidents. I believe we can focus on crime, but not over-police certain communities,” he said.

A church member said, “We have had way too many chiefs in the last decade that have been relieved of their duties, yet we have the same monitor who appears to have made a small fortune.”

Former Chief Assistant District Attorney of Alameda County Terry Wiley supports the chief and said he has known Armstrong for 30 years and characterized him as a “tremendous leader.

“He is a man of integrity, with a highly decorated career as a police officer,” said Wiley. “It says a lot when the African American, Asian and Hispanic community join forces as a collective to say that we want the chief reinstated because he did not do anything wrong. We don’t want to see his career tarnished and he does not deserve the treatment he is receiving. We are here to ask the mayor to reconsider her actions and reinstate the chief.”

“On behalf of the community, the Oakland NAACP, we are asking the mayor, again, again, and again to reinstate the chief,” said Oakland NAACP President Cynthia Adams. “The voters are also asking you, mayor. Listen to the voters, listen to your community; they are asking you to reinstate the chief. Bring the chief back to his duties. Please bring him back to where he needs to be in Oakland.”

A response from Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has yet to be received.

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Activism

S.F. Black Leaders Rally to Protest, Discuss ‘Epidemic’ of Racial Slurs Against Black Students in SF Public School System

Parents at the meeting spoke of their children as no longer feeling safe in school because of bullying and discrimination. Parents also said that reported incidents such as racial slurs and intimidation are not dealt with to their satisfaction and feel ignored.

Published

14 mins ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church. Photo courtesy Third Baptist Church.

By Carla Thomas

San Francisco’s Third Baptist Church hosted a rally and meeting Sunday to discuss hatred toward African American students of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD).

Rev. Amos C. Brown, president of the San Francisco NAACP and pastor of Third Baptist Church, along with leadership from local civil rights groups, the city’s faith-based community and Black community leadership convened at the church.

“There has been an epidemic of racial slurs and mistreatment of Black children in our public schools in the city,” said Brown. “This will not be tolerated.”

According to civil rights advocate Mattie Scott, students from elementary to high school have reported an extraordinary amount of racial slurs directed at them.

“There is a surge of overt racism in the schools, and our children should not be subjected to this,” said Scott. “Students are in school to learn, develop, and grow, not be hated on,” said Scott. “The parents of the children feel they have not received the support necessary to protect their children.”

Attendees were briefed last Friday in a meeting with SFUSD Superintendent Dr. Matt Wayne.

SFUSD states that their policies protect children and they are not at liberty to publicly discuss the issues to protect the children’s privacy.

Some parents said they have removed their students from school while other parents and community leaders called on the removal of the SFUSD superintendent, the firing of certain school principals and the need for more supportive school board members.

Community advocates discussed boycotting the schools and creating Freedom Schools led by Black leaders and educators, reassuring parents that their child’s wellbeing and education are the highest priority and youth are not to be disrupted by racism or policies that don’t support them.

Virginia Marshall, chair of the San Francisco NAACP’s education committee, offered encouragement to the parents and students in attendance while also announcing an upcoming May 14 school board meeting to demand accountability over their mistreatment.

“I’m urging anyone that cares about our students to pack the May 14 school board meeting,” said Marshall.

This resource was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library via California Black Media as part of the Stop the Hate Program. The program is supported by partnership with California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.

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Bay Area

Mayor London Breed: State Awards San Francisco Over $37M for Affordable Housing

On April 30, Mayor London N. Breed announced San Francisco has been awarded more than $37.9 million in funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) as part of the State’s Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

Published

37 mins ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco Mayor London N. Breed (File Photo)

By Oakland Post Staff

The HCD loan will provide the final funding necessary for development of Casa Adelante – 1515 South Van Ness, a 168-unit affordable housing project located in San Francisco’s Mission District.

The new development at 1515 South Van Ness Ave. will provide 168 affordable homes to low-income families, formerly homeless families, and persons living with HIV earning between 25-80% of the San Francisco Area Median Income (AMI).

In addition, the project is anticipated to provide family-friendly amenities and ground floor community-serving commercial spaces that preserve the prevailing neighborhood character of the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.

“This funding unlocks our ability to move on building affordable housing units for families in San Francisco at a crucial time. We understand the level of need for more housing that is accessible, and like the state, the city continues to face a challenging budget cycle,” said Breed. “1515 South Van Ness is a good example of what can be achieved in San Francisco when you have strong community partnerships and an unwavering commitment to deliver on critical needs for our residents.”

“From the beginning of my term as Supervisor, I have fought to bring affordable housing to 1515 South Van Ness” said Supervisor Hillary Ronen. “In the interim, the site has been utilized for homeless services and shelter, and I am thrilled that HCD has recognized the value of this development, and we are finally ready to break ground and bring 168 affordable homes to low income and formerly homeless families in the Mission.”

Owned and occupied by McMillan Electric Company until 2015, the City and County of San Francisco purchased 1515 South Van Ness Avenue in June 2019 with the intent of developing new affordable housing.

In November 2020, the San Francisco Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) released a Multi-site Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking qualified developers to build affordable housing on the site, and subsequently selected Chinatown Community Development Corporation (CCDC) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) in May 2021 to develop the site.

The project is expected to begin construction in winter 2025.

“A strong, long-term push by Mission advocates to make this site 100% affordable is now paying off, with 168 family units that include services and childcare. People of color communities know what they need, and we are excited to be in partnership with a team, consisting of MEDA, CCDC, and MOHCD, that listens,” said Malcolm Yeung, Executive Director at CCDC.

“We are excited to be in partnership with CCDC, yet again, and for the opportunity to develop intergenerational affordable housing in the City’s Mission District,” said Luis Granados, executive director at MEDA.

Increasing housing affordable to lower-income and vulnerable residents is a key priority in the City’s Housing Element which calls for additional funding for affordable housing production and preservation, as well as Mayor Breed’s Housing for All Executive Directive that sets out the steps the City will take to meet the bold goal of allowing for 82,000 new homes to be built over the next eight years.

Tuesday’s funding announcement emphasizes the importance of regional and state collaboration in order to reach our housing and climate goals.

“We are thrilled—not just to bring a project of this size to a community with great need — but to do so with community-based developers and their partners who understand the neighborhood and sensitivities around cultural preservation,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez.

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Bay Area

East Bay Regional Park District Issues Rattlesnake Advisory

The East Bay Regional Park District released an advisory today on rattlesnakes, which emerge from winter hibernation in early spring and become more active. Warm weather can bring more potential for rattlesnake encounters with humans and dogs, particularly along trails and roads.

Published

5 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Oakland Post

The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is the species found in East Bay Regional Parks. Courtesy photo.

The Richmond Standard

The East Bay Regional Park District released an advisory today on rattlesnakes, which emerge from winter hibernation in early spring and become more active.

Warm weather can bring more potential for rattlesnake encounters with humans and dogs, particularly along trails and roads.

Visitors are encouraged to avoid hiking alone in case of an emergency, to scan the ground ahead as they walk, jog or ride, stay on trails avoiding tall grass, and to look carefully around and under logs and rocks before sitting down. Keep your dog on your leash to be extra safe, park officials said.

If you encounter a rattlesnake, leave it alone – it is unlawful to capture or harm one. Move carefully and slowly away or around it and give it plenty of space, park officials said.

Those who are bitten by a rattlesnake are instructed to stay calm by lying down with the affected limb lower than the heart, then having someone call 911.

Getting medical attention is critical.

Those bitten should not use tourniquets, “sucking,” or snake bite kits. If you are by yourself, walk calmly to the nearest source of help to dial 911, do not run.

If bitten by any other type of snake, wash the wound with soap and water or an antiseptic and seek medical attention.

Not sure what bit you? Check the bite for two puncture marks (in rare cases one) associated with intense, burning pain, which is typical of a rattlesnake bite. Other snakebites can leave marks without associated burning pain.

The Northern Pacific rattlesnake is the species found in East Bay Regional Parks. Snakes are important to the natural environment, helping to control rodents and other reptile populations. But enjoy them from afar.

For more information, download the Park District’s Common Snakes brochure or watch our Gopher Snake or Rattlesnake video to learn how to tell the difference between rattlesnakes and gopher snakes. Additional information is available at ebparks.org/safety/wildlife-encounters.