LAPD Chief Michael Moore told a news conference Tuesday that the Oceanview Plaza Towers in a busy downtown area of the city had "strained our deployment."
The assignment is expected to last only until mid-summer, while a nationwide search is conducted to find a more permanent replacement. Dominic Choi becomes the 58th chief in the LAPD’s history.
Crime in Oakland is rising at a disproportionate rate compared to other urban centers in California, officials said, noting increases in violent crime, robbery and vehicle theft by 21%, 38% and 45%, respectively, in 2023.
"They can stop calling. Those vehicles will be held by us until those court cases have been settled," Sheriff Patrick Withrow said in a video on Facebook.