Bay Area
Mayor Thao Rejects List of Candidates for Police Chief
One of the candidates was former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who the mayor fired in February over mishandling and minimizing the importance of Internal Affairs investigations of individual officers. The other two candidates, according to KTVU2, were San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen, who was placed on leave in September during an investigation into departmental policy violations that the city did not reveal, and Kevin Hall, currently the assistant police chief in Tucson, Arizona.
By Post Staff
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has rejected all three police chief candidates that had been forwarded to her by the police commission.
One of the candidates was former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who the mayor fired in February over mishandling and minimizing the importance of Internal Affairs investigations of individual officers.
The other two candidates, according to KTVU2, were San Leandro Police Chief Abdul Pridgen, who was placed on leave in September during an investigation into departmental policy violations that the city did not reveal, and Kevin Hall, currently the assistant police chief in Tucson, Arizona.
Mayor Thao released a statement saying she is requesting a new list of candidates from the Oakland Police Commission.
Former police chief LeRonne Armstrong released a statement through his publicist objecting to the decision not to rehire him.
“It is unfair that I am unable to continue to serve and protect the people of Oakland,” he said. “As a native of Oakland, nothing gave me greater pleasure and pride than to work in my community and fight to improve it.”
