Oakland Mayor Urges Police Chief To Finish Out His Contract
OAKLAND (KCBS) - Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said Friday she is actively negotiating to keep Police Chief Anthony Batts on board for the duration of his contract now that he will not become the top cop in San Jose.
A statement Batts issued Thursday that he would not be working for the San Jose Police Department also raised the possibility he would not remain in Oakland either.
KCBS' Mark Seelig Reports:
"He's very concerned about, obviously, the number of police officers we have. And he's very concerned about the federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department because of past civil rights violations," Quan said.
Quan said she tried to address some of those issues in a meeting with him Thursday night, indicating she was open to reopening negotiations with the Oakland Police Officers' Association once she had secured funding to re-hire some of the 80 officers laid off in 2010.
Quan acknowledged that Batts was a rising star and said she hopes he will remain with Oakland for many years after his current 3-year contract expires.
"We're talking. I think we'll keep talking, and I think he needs to make a decision," she said.
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