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OP-ED: “We’ve Let The Dogs Out!”

Published

11 years ago

August 28, 2015

By Jesse Douglas Allen Taylor

If you live in or visit Oakland neighborhoods like the Elmhurst District—what folks refer to as “Deep East Oakland”—you’re used to police helicopters hovering in the general airspace above you for periods of time.

Mostly they appear during police chases, swinging around in wide circles, searching the ground below for suspects.

It’s become such a common flatlands occurrence that—like triggered car alarms—you hardly notice them any more.

I’m not certain exactly when they began, but his summer I’ve begun noticing that OPD’s helicopter corps have added a new “service” that has certainly gotten our attention.

I don’t know the official name, but you can call them “Public Beware Notices From The Air.”

Instead of simply silently circling, observing, and communicating to officers involved in the chase, where, now, under certain circumstances, the helicopter police have begun blaring out warning announcements to the public below through some sort of loudspeaker or bullhorn system.

As far as I can guess, the warning/announcements are repeated over and over, and go something like: “Stay in your house!” “We’ve set police dogs loose!” “Stand still if you see them! Do not run from the dogs or they will bite you!”

Anyway, there are certainly more disturbing things that could be shouted at you from out of the sky on a summer afternoon, but I can’t think of many more disconcerting than “Watch out! We’ve let the dogs out!”, since there is an implicit message that regular residents, not just the suspects, are in danger of a dog attack.

The police helicopters—or OPD’s regular on-the-ground forces, rarely bother to tell residents to stay inside when a “regular” non-dog search is going on.

Therefore, the assumption has to be made that the dogs pose a danger to civilians and suspects alike, and that the dogs have a difficulty in differentiating between the running suspect that the police are seeking and a running resident who is simply scared as hell of a loosed police dog.

And if that’s not true, why make the helicopter announcements in the first place?

You have to understand that these warning/announcements don’t come at you from the kind of state-of-the-art sound system like you see at a Coliseum concert.

The sound is somewhat garbled and inarticulate, even during the time when it’s coming from directly above. And, of course, the police helicopters, during a chase, are rarely simply hanging in the air in one place.

Instead, they generally travel in a wide circle around a designated collection of city blocks, so that sometimes the warning/announcements are directed towards you, sometimes away.

You can’t hear it clearly at all while you’re inside, so you have to go out in the yard to get a good listen, and even then it’s difficult to translate.

Before I finally figured what the police were trying to tell us, it took several passes and repeats, some careful listening, and consultation with neighbors and passersby to figure out what was being broadcast.

And that doesn’t account for residents who don’t hear the messages at all because they’re watching television inside or listening to music outside, or they’re hard of hearing, and, therefore, wander out into the “danger zone” uninformed.

Meantime, the Elmhurst District—like most Oakland neighborhoods—has a high number of people who are non-English speakers. In Elmhurst’s case, it’s folks whose native language is Spanish.

The helicopter dog warnings are given in English-only, and, as I’ve explained above, not in the type of English you’d be subject to in an ESL class or on a Rosetta Stone disk.

It appears, therefore, that anyone within the dogs-turned-loose area who is not sufficiently proficient in understanding spoken (or, more particularly, bullhorn-shouted) English is pretty much shit-out-of-luck.

A second thought. When I was growing up in the Cold War era of the 1950’s, we had periodic air raid simulations at school to prepare us for what to do in a possible nuclear bomb attack.

An air horn would blare out from somewhere, and we would all duck under our desks and cover our heads.

After a certain period of time, the horn would give out an “all clear” blast, by which we knew that the test was over, and we could all get out from under our desks and resume our schoolwork.

The OPD helicopter dog-warnings, on the other hand, come with no “all clear” announcement.

After a time, the warnings simply stop. You’re left to figure out for yourself if that means the police dogs are gone and its safe to go outside again.

The OPD helicopter police dog-warnings tell residents to stay in our homes because police dogs have been loosed, but what about those residents who are out and about in the street when the announcements come?

Presumably, if you happen to be on International Boulevard or certain portions of Bancroft or MacArthur, you can duck into a store or restaurant for the time being.

But what if you’re out on one of the side streets, far from your house, when you hear the dog-warning?

The Elmhurst is not the sort of place these days where you can simply run up to a stranger’s house, knock on the door, and get safety inside because police dogs are running around in the street.

That leads directly into a final set of questions.

First, who in their right mind thought it was good idea in the first place to let police dogs off their leashes in any Oakland residential neighborhood or commercial district, dogs that, presumably, have difficulty seeing the difference between residents and suspects, but are a danger to chase anyone who runs?

Second—and you knew this one was coming—we know that suspects rob and shoot in the hills as well as the flats.

Does that mean that the loosed police dogs—and the accompanying helicopter warnings—are carried out in the Grand Avenue-Lakeshore district and the Laurel and along Broadway in the uptown or College Avenue, for example, or is this simply a Lower Bottoms and Fruitvale District and Deep East Oakland affair?

I suppose we can assume that Oakland police have been using loosed police dogs in their chases and searches for some time.

Perhaps police officials think that adding the helicopter announcements is a step forward, constituting “fair warning” to non-suspect residents. It’s a warning, yes. But hardly fair.

Courtesy of CounterPoints- http://www.safero.org/counterpoints/counterpoints056.html

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New Protections for Ticket Buyers: Gov. Newsom Signs Assemblymember Isaac Bryan’s Bill

OAKLAND POST — Assembly Bill 1349 expands state regulation of original ticket sellers, resellers and online resale marketplaces. The law targets deceptive sales practices, ticket-buying software and speculative listings — tickets advertised for sale by sellers who do not possess them or have authorization to sell them.

Published

6 days ago

October 4, 2026

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Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights). File photo.

By California Black Media Staff

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on Sept. 27 authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Ladera Heights) that strengthens consumer protections for Californians purchasing tickets to concerts, sporting events and other live entertainment.

Assembly Bill 1349 expands state regulation of original ticket sellers, resellers and online resale marketplaces. The law targets deceptive sales practices, ticket-buying software and speculative listings — tickets advertised for sale by sellers who do not possess them or have authorization to sell them.

“Buying a ticket shouldn’t come with hidden risks or unfair practices,” Newsom wrote on social media after signing the measure.

Under AB 1349, ticket sellers are prohibited from listing tickets before they have been officially released unless they have authorization or a legally enforceable right to receive them. Online marketplaces must also take reasonable steps to prevent speculative ticket sales on their platforms.

The law prohibits sellers from using bots, multiple accounts, email addresses or internet protocol addresses to circumvent ticket limits, presale restrictions, electronic queues and other controls. It also bans websites and advertisements designed to mislead buyers into believing they are purchasing tickets from an authorized seller, venue or event organizer.

Sellers who violate certain provisions and fail to provide a promised ticket may be held liable for twice the ticket’s contracted price. Buyers may also recover nonrefundable expenses incurred while attempting to attend an event, along with reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs.

Pastor Tecoy Porter Sr., president of the National Action Network’s Sacramento chapter, said the law establishes needed accountability.

“Buying a ticket to a concert or show shouldn’t mean entering a marketplace where the rules are stacked against you. This year, we worked with a coalition of consumers, civil rights advocates, community groups, and businesses to make AB 1349 stronger. Consumers deserve enforceable rules that protect them. We thank Assemblymember Bryan for his leadership, and we will keep working to make ticketing fair for every Californian.”

Jose L. Barrera, national vice president for the Far West Region of the League of United Latin American Citizens, also praised the measure.

“Californian families deserve certain protections when they buy tickets. Assemblymember Bryan listened to communities across California and delivered a bill that puts fans first. We thank him and Governor Newsom for making it law.”

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Zakiya Jendayi Arrested, Locked Out of Home by Sheriff’s Deputies

OALAND POST — On Tuesday, deputies followed Jendayi as she left her residence of 13 years to file documents in her case at the Appellate Court. Deputies arrested her upon arrival and transported her to Santa Rita Jail.

Published

6 days ago

October 4, 2026

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By Tanya Dennis

Yesterday, more than 10 Alameda County Sheriff’s deputies arrived to take possession of Zakiya Jendayi’s home on behalf of a court-appointed administrator. Jendayi was arrested at the courthouse and transported to Santa Rita Jail around the same time.

Jendayi, who has been embroiled in a probate court battle to retain the inheritance bestowed on her by a longtime friend and colleague who passed away in 2013, had received a notice of eviction last month.

With help from neighbors, friends and clergy, she was able to fend off the eviction from 3614 Randolph Ave. in Oakland and even obtained a reprieve when her bid to file bankruptcy was approved by a county court.

But Philip Campbell, the court-appointed administrator, had already placed Jendayi’s home in his name in October 2025.

On Tuesday, deputies followed Jendayi when she left her residence of 13 years to go to the Appellate Court to file documents in her case. Deputies arrested her upon arrival and transported her to Santa Rita jail.

Undersheriff April Luckett-Fahini said Jendayi was arrested for “safety reasons.” At this time, it is unknown what charges were used for the arrest.

In Jendayi’s absence, Campbell came to her residence accompanied by deputies, had the property taped off with yellow crime tape, and had the locks changed.

Afterward, Campbell requested a police escort to his car amid several angry neighbors who had been advocating that officials pause the eviction pending Jendayi’s appeal.

“Zakiya Jendayi is a respected Black elder in our community,” said Alameda County Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who has been working with Jendayi to prevent her eviction. “It’s outrageous that she was arrested. There needs to be more justice and equity in our probate system.”

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Ask California: Golden State Releases New AI Chatbot

Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced the prototype as part of the state’s broader effort to use artificial intelligence to make government services easier to access. The launch follows his March 2026 executive order directing state agencies to responsibly implement generative AI while protecting privacy, security and civil liberties.

Published

3 weeks ago

September 22, 2026

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

California has launched AskCA, a new artificial intelligence-powered chatbot designed to help residents find and navigate state and local government services through a single online platform.

Developed by the state’s Office of Data and Innovation, AskCA is designed around major life events rather than individual government agencies. Californians can use the tool to find information about finding a job, starting a business, accessing family services and recovering from disasters.

“When a Californian needs help, they shouldn’t have to become an expert in government to find it,” said Newsom. “We’re using the best technology California has to offer to make the government more efficient, effective, and more engaged.”

The state is now seeking Californians age 18 and older to participate in the pilot and help test and refine AskCA’s responses. Officials said subject matter experts across state governments are helping inform the chatbot’s answers, which are designed to draw from verified government sources and provide actionable information.

The prototype grew out of California’s response to the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires. Early testing included more than 140 fire recovery leaders and Altadena wildfire survivors, a dozen job seekers and more than 100 general users.

Jeffery Marino, director of the Office of Data and Innovation, said the tool is intended to remove the need for residents to understand how government agencies are organized before they can get help.

“Californians should not have to understand how the government is organized just to get basic help,” Marino said.

AskCA’s technology will also be used in a new job-skills matching feature that the California Department of Human Resources plans to launch Sept. 30 on CalCareers. Job seekers will be able to upload a resume and receive potential matches to state job classifications.

The state said the CalCareers pilot will not store personal information or require users to have a CalCareers account. California plans to continue testing AskCA as officials evaluate its accuracy, performance and usefulness before expanding the system.