Oakland recruiting ex-cons to oversee cops
Former cops need not apply, but former inmates are being encouraged by the city of Oakland to apply for slots on the city’s new police commission.
A notice recently posted on the city’s website for would-be commissioners says, “Must be an Oakland resident. Must be at least 18 years old. Formerly incarcerated individuals encouraged to apply.”
Barry Donelan, head of the Oakland Police Officers Association, said recruiting ex-cons to help select the chief and discipline officers for misconduct was “extremely distasteful.”
And what really bugs the cops is that the voter-approved measure creating the commission bars current and former Oakland cops from serving, as well as police union employees.
Selection panel member Tal Klement, who works as a deputy public defender in San Francisco, said the ballot measure’s backers thought it was important to consider ex-cons.
He said encouraging former convicts to apply to oversee the police was in keeping with the spirit of Measure LL, the initiative that created the oversight commission.
“Part of the measure itself said they were looking for people who had experienced police contact, and obviously if you are formally incarcerated, you have experienced police conduct and potential misconduct as well,” Klement said.
The nine commission members and two alternates will be selected by the mayor and the eight-member civilian selection panel. At least one of the picks must be a retired judge or lawyer with trial experience in criminal law or police misconduct.
The deadline for applications is June 30.
City Council President Larry Reid said the invitation for former cons to apply was news to him. But he added, “We’ll probably wind up with one.”