Oakland Extends Agreement With CHP To Deploy Extra Officers
OAKLAND (KCBS) – The California Highway Patrol will continue to provide extra service in Oakland for the next 60 days.
On Tuesday, the Oakland City Council approved spending $162,000 to keep these patrols going. 10 CHP officers and two supervisors have been doing extra patrols in Oakland since November.
But the state told Oakland officials that those patrols might stop at the end of this month if the city didn't help pay the bill.
Oakland Extends Agreement With CHP To Deploy Extra Officers
Many who spoke at the city council meeting urged officials to spend the money on patrols, arguing that any help is welcome.
Oakland City Councilmember Libby Schaaf said the CHP help is vital, as police staffing is as low as it's been in decades.
"People are accusing us of this being a band aid," she said. "Well, we are bleeding and when you are bleeding, you need a band aid."
But Councilmember Desley Brooks, who cast one of two no votes, said the patrols focus on traffic stops and are not directly impacting violent crime.
"Crime is a real issue in the city of Oakland and people are really afraid," Brooks said. "And this council continues to pass measures that play on fear. But we aren't doing our homework."
The extra CHP officers will be deployed two days a week, mostly on weekends.
(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
