A formerly incarcerated man has been selected to sit on the Oakland Police Commission, the third such appointment of its kind. Rudy Howell, 53, thinks he can bring a unique outlook to the post.
The Oakland Police Commission was proud to work with community members and OPD (Oakland Police Department) to unanimously pass a first of its kind, progressive policy on the treatment of armed and unresponsive citizens such that the Hogg s and Pawlik s of the world may never again have to pay with their lives, commission Chair Regina Jackson said in a statement.
The policy calls for a police response that is centered on preserving human life, including police, members of the public and the unresponsive person.
It emphasizes de-escalation, stresses a police response that is strategic rather than reactionary and distinguishes between a person with a gun and another weapon.