{"id":252214,"date":"2026-04-04T23:30:10","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T23:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/252214\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T23:30:10","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T23:30:10","slug":"twice-rejected-oakland-commissioner-who-wants-to-defund-police-gets-promoted-after-improper-vote","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/252214\/","title":{"rendered":"Twice-rejected Oakland commissioner who wants to defund police gets promoted after improper vote"},"content":{"rendered":"

An anti-cop member of the independent commission overseeing Oakland\u2019s police<\/a> is back at the center of a growing political firestorm after being elevated in a vote critics are calling a violation of the law.<\/p>\n

Oakland\u2019s Police Commission voted on March 26 to advance Omar Farmer from an alternate to a full member without listing the action on a public agenda, triggering a formal legal challenge alleging a violation of California\u2019s open-meeting law.<\/p>\n

The commission is expected to retake the vote on Thursday, according to Rajni Mandal, an Oakland physician who filed a formal demand to \u201ccure and correct\u201d what appears to be a violation of the Brown Act<\/a>, the law governing California\u2019s public meeting laws.<\/p>\n

Omar Farmer\u2019s potential elevation from an alternate police commissioner has sparked fury in Oakland.<\/p>\n

Oakland Report<\/a> was the first to document the improper vote.<\/p>\n

Farmer has been rejected twice by the Oakland City Council<\/a> for inclusion in the commission, whose volunteers members are appointed.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Police Commission needs people who, number one, put public safety and all of Oakland first,\u201d Mandal said. \u201cNumber two, we need people who actually can lead without bias and political influence.\u201d<\/p>\n

Farmer has aligned with the Anti Police-Terror Project, which has called for defunding the police and investing in community-based alternatives. That stance has made him a target of critics who argue the commission is out of step with residents demanding more police presence.<\/p>\n

A recent survey found that 92.1% of Oakland\u2019s black respondents identified crime and public safety as a concern<\/a> \u2014 the highest level recorded for any issue among any demographic group surveyed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Councilmember Ken Houston called the third attempt to keep Farmer on the commission \u201cdisrespectful\u201d and akin to an abusive relationship, where city officials and woke public safety advocates keep butting heads despite Farmer twice being rejected.<\/p>\n

Councilmember Ken Houston called the Police Commission\u2019s decision on Omar Farmer disrepectful.<\/p>\n

\u201cI represent the most underserved community that exists in Oakland, and it\u2019s been like that for decades,\u201d Houston said. \u201cMy constituents are scared and they want policing.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added, \u201cMy daughter can\u2019t even walk to the store in her own neighborhood. We want protection just like everybody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Councilmember Kevin Jenkins also expressed concerns about the process.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThese are serious issues. Oakland residents deserve confidence that all appointments, especially those tied to public safety oversight, follow the law and are conducted openly and appropriately,\u201d Jenkins said in a statement to The Post, adding that he contacted City Attorney Ryan Richardson to review the situation. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis is about maintaining trust in our institutions. I will continue to monitor this closely and ensure accountability moving forward.\u201c<\/p>\n

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee also has control over some Police Commission appointments. Getty Images<\/p>\n

The City Council confirms four regular commissioners and one alternate, while the mayor appoints three regular commissioners and one alternate.<\/p>\n

Mayor Barbara Lee did not respond to a request for comment on Farmer\u2019s appointment, nor did the City Attorney\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n

In a letter to city officials last fall, Mandal laid out a detailed list of allegations against Farmer, arguing his conduct has repeatedly exceeded the commission\u2019s authority. Oakland last rejected Farmer\u2019s appointment in October 2025 after a shallow search was conducted for worthy applications.<\/p>\n

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Mandal claimed Farmer has \u201crepeatedly overstepped his authority\u201d as defined in the City Charter, improperly intervened in labor negotiations with the city\u2019s police union, and attempted to break public meeting laws by pushing for votes on items that were not properly placed on the agenda.<\/p>\n

Mandal also raised concerns about Farmer having a personal complaint against the Oakland Police Department while participating in oversight discussions involving the agency.<\/p>\n

\u201cCommissioner Farmer\u2019s record of overreach, staff interference, Brown Act violations, and unauthorized communications makes him unfit for reappointment,\u201d Mandal wrote.<\/p>\n

Farmer declined The Post\u2019s request for comment when contacted.<\/p>\n

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