Oakland will restore its Police Department Cadet Program after the City Council approved nearly a million dollars in grant funding from PG&E and Kaiser Permanente.
Mayor Barbara Lee said the money will support nine cadet positions over two years, which Lee said will help "rebuild a pipeline that reflects Oakland's values, keeping our neighborhoods safe is town business."
The mayor's office said the money will be spent on the cadet's pay, as well as training them, equipment and other "essentials" for their development.
Applications for the paid cadet program are now open through the city's job portal, with the program expected to relaunch in May 2026.
The reinstated program will initially support the cadet positions and provide Oakland young adults with paid work experience, training and a pathway into public safety careers. These include as police officers, dispatchers and police services technicians.
City officials said cadets will rotate through several law enforcement functions, including traffic, community policing, youth services and background investigations.
