The trust of our community is our highest priority. We will not tolerate any breach of that trust from any member of our department, Manheimer added.
A spokesperson for the department told Fox News on Thursday that it is currently conducting an extensive internal investigation into the claims. Members of our community and OPD staff alike are troubled by these allegations, the spokesperson said. This is why it’s so important to aggressively pursue a comprehensive and thorough professional investigation.
Any employee found to have violated department policies will be subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal, the agency said.
KTVU reported that sources close to the department linked the seizure of the cell phones to previously reported allegations from the nonprofit news website, The Oaklandside, that an officer may have been running an Instagram account with the handle @crimereductionteam, though noting no one has been identified so far.
We will not tolerate any form of hate speech, any expression that supports hate speech, or any acts of subversion, whether in-person or on online platforms, the department said in a statement Friday evening.
Though the department did not specify the nature of the social media accounts, it reiterated that hate speech will not be tolerated. The trust of our community is our highest priority. We will not tolerate any breach of that trust from any member of our Department, Interim Police Chief Susan E. Manheimer said.
The investigation comes after the department denounced the events that took place at the U.S. Capitol earlier this week, calling the riots a disgraceful assault on our democracy.
OPD revives superpredator language to criminalize Oakland youth
OPD revives superpredator language to criminalize Oakland youth
January 2, 2021
At the end of the 15,000-youth march organized by two teens on June 1, 2020, dozens of youth were arrested when a curfew was called for 8 p.m. after the march was underway, making it retroactively illegal. OPD also used tear gas against these “superpredators.” – Photo: Ray Chavez, Bay Area News Group
by Barni Qaasim, Digital Organizing Director,
Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ)
Oakland, Calif. – On Dec. 15, the Oakland Police Department released a dangerous statement to create fear and vilify Oakland youth. Using dehumanizing language like “juveniles” and “underaged suspects,” interim Police Chief Susan E. Manheimer stated that her purpose is to create “alarm” without addressing the causes or offering any solutions.
ByKimberly Jones
On December 15, the Oakland Police Media Unit sent out a press release using inflammatory language to spread what the chief said she “hoped” would be “alarm” about “juveniles committing violent crimes in Oakland.”
The release says that there has been a recent spate of carjackings and robberies by children who range in age from 11 to 16 years old who are armed. The stolen vehicles are then used to commit further crimes. Readers are then advised to be aware of their surroundings, be aware when entering and exiting their vehicles and avoid distractions like their cell phones.
Calling it an active investigation, Interim Police Chief Susan E. Manheimer said “it is my hope that everyone is alarmed by the fact that it appears these violent acts are being committed by middle-school-age youth.”