Earlier today, Oakland swore in its new Chief of Police, James Beere. At the ceremony, Chief Beere reflected on where his career in Oakland started.
"29 years ago, when I put this uniform on for the first time, I was a lot skinnier, a lot younger," said Beere. "I had high hopes, but I never imagined one day that I'd be the chief of police."
Beere joined OPD in 1997. The department has been under federal oversight for the majority of his career, and has gone through 11 police chiefs since 2011.
But the mood during Wednesday’s ceremony was optimistic.
"He knows policing, he knows Oakland," said Mayor Barbara Lee, who listed some of their shared priorities. "Supporting the Department of Violence Prevention and Ceasefire strategy. Ensuring fiscal responsibility and responsible, transparent overtime. Balancing modern technology with privacy and with equity. And of course, the critical partnerships of public safety, which includes civilian oversight, constitutional policing, civilianizing positions where appropriate to do so.”
As Beere steps into his new role as Chief of Police, Oakland could exit Federal oversight this September.
