OAKLAND, Calif. – Despite years of rotating police chiefs and a department plagued with chronic understaffing, Oakland Interim Police Chief James Beere has announced his candidacy for the job.
Beere believes Oakland is a city where officers can make a big impact, and despite the challenges, the job is worth having. He has been with the department since 1997.
“I live in Oakland… I’ve lived in Oakland for 30 years,” he said. “My wife and I have raised three boys here. All three of my sons went to Oakland public schools.”Â
Police data shows a significant drop in crime since 2024, a trend that is continuing in 2026. Beere credits Oakland’s return to the Ceasefire Strategy.
Oakland homicides and shootings have decreased
By the numbers:
“Currently, homicides are down by 36% and shootings are down over 20%,” Beere said.
In his first three months, Beere has made internal changes, shifting deputy chiefs to other areas, and moving resources to places where known crimes occur.Â
“We can’t do it by ourselves,” he said. “Our staffing numbers are so low, and we’re working on building it back up. But it was really our partnership with the community, and outside law enforcement agencies, including the federal government, with the DEA and FBI to address violent crime.”
READ: Oakland mayor, city leaders tout lower crime rates in 2025
Partnerships with other Bay Area agencies
Dig deeper:
The department is also strengthening regional partnerships with agencies like the San Francisco Police Department, San Jose Police Department, and California Highway Patrol.
Beere is leading a lean department. Of 700 authorized positions, there are currently 614 staffed officers, 500 of which are operational. He said the men and women of the department have stepped up amid the staffing shortage.
While there are a handful of police academies that will graduate recruits in the future, Beere has brought back 15 officers from administrative leave. He said he has successfully recruited two officers to come back to the department, and four others are in the hiring process to return.
“Oakland, it’s a part of you and these officers that have left… the grass is not always greener on the other side,” he said. “I truly believe now there’s more support than ever and that’s what’s attracting people to come back.”
He said big corporations, Kaiser, Blue Shield, PG&E, and Clorox, have reinvested, staffing additional patrols and some have helped bring back the youth cadet program.
Despite the Oakland Police Department being under federal oversight since 2003, Beere said talks with the federal monitor are promising. The department is in compliance with all tasks except for one and in partial compliance in another.
“I think our vision is the same… to reduce crime, build the department back up, leverage technology, and provide the best possible service with our community together,” he said.
The Source: Interview with Oakland’s interim police chief James Beere.