It was meant to be a small gathering held at a church in Oakland’s Montclair neighborhood. But the public safety meeting — which was led by Alameda District Attorney Pamela Price and Oakland Police Captain Clay Burch — soon turned into a standing-room only event.
Many residents voiced concerns that Oakland officials are not doing enough to address crime, telling personal stories of carjackings and violent robberies.
According to the Oakland Police Department, there have been 369 carjackings this year alone: a 10 percent increase from last year. At times the meeting dissolved into chaos, with participants shouting and speaking over each other.
The meeting comes as Price faces a recall effort over what her opponents are saying is an overly lenient approach to prosecutions. Price was elected last November after running a progressive campaign — her platform included promises to hold police accountable, not charge children as adults, and not to seek the death penalty.
Another public safety meeting is scheduled for September in East Oakland.
