OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — ABC7 Eyewitness News spoke with interim Oakland Police Chief James Beere as he makes his case to lead the department permanently.
In our sit-down Tuesday, Beere addressed everything from staffing shortages to public trust and how both affect daily life in Oakland.
“Our number one priority though is to serve the community and reduce violence and address crime,” said Beere.
Beere became interim chief last December.
He says in addition to taking steps to reestablish trust with the community, he’s also continuing to try and stop crime.
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A goal, he says, will be achieved by also acknowledging mistakes OPD has made in the past.
“We didn’t get on board earlier enough with technology, which is something that we started to do probably a couple of years ago,” said Beere.
Data compiled by ABC7 Eyewitness News shows a double digit decline in many types of crime in Oakland in recent years.
Beere says those numbers reflect his department’s commitment to things like the city’s ceasefire strategy.
With the trend moving in that direction, some have questioned whether OPD needs the roughly 250 officers the department is requesting.
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But Beere says they are necessary and cautions that even with increased technology his staff has limitations.
“You’re talking about increased calls for service, more calls for OPD to assist other agencies… and less law enforcement agencies here,” he said.
A longtime resident of Oakland, Beere says he’d be honored to serve his community as permanent chief.
But regardless of whether he’s picked or not, he tells us he’s determined to leave a lasting impact on the Oakland Police Department.
“If it’s me, I’d be honored. But, if not, I want to make sure this department is set up for success. I want to be able to walk out of this place whether it’s a month from now or three years from now knowing that I made a difference,” said Beere.
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