Oakland Police To Crack Down On Foul Language
OAKLAND (KCBS) – As Oakland pushes for more community policing, the city's top cop is trying to crack down on the use of foul language by officers.
As reported by The Bay Citizen, Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts said the use of profanity has no place in a department looking to improve its image, already having trouble with decades of mistrust in the community.
Kimblyn Bryant with the Oakland Community Organizations said it is a step in the right direction.
"Whatever measures are necessary to improve that, we have to be able to work together," Bryant said. "Some of the conditions that we're facing are only going to be solved when the community and the police work together."
But not everyone is in agreement with the move. Sergeant Dom Arotzararena, the president of the Oakland Police Officer's Association, said he understands where the chief is coming from but there is a time and place for hard language to be used in Oakland.
KCBS' Mark Seelig Reports:
"I'm not saying that we're going to talk to a librarian or teacher or your mom or anyone like this (in that manner)," he said. "But you have to get firm with some people. Some people just don't comply with, Sir put your hands up."
Several recent cases in which officers were disciplined for profanity have drawn the line in the sand between the two sides.
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