\u201cInterim Chief Beere has served the Oakland Police Department for over two decades,\u201d Lee said at a press conference at City Hall on Friday. \u201cHe has the trust of the officers he\u2019ll lead, the respect of community partners he\u2019s worked alongside, and a demonstrated commitment to constitutional policing and the reforms that Oakland has fought for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lee\u2019s announcement capped a fraught week for Oakland. On Wednesday, Skyline High School went on lockdown after a teenager was shot<\/a> and wounded on campus. On Thursday, Laney College\u2019s athletic director and former football coach, John Beam, was fatally shot<\/a> in the school\u2019s field house. National<\/a> outlets<\/a> have covered the shooting of Beam, whose work as a coach was featured in Netflix\u2019s documentary series \u201cLast Chance U<\/a>.\u201d OPD announced today that the department has arrested suspects in both shootings.\u00a0<\/p>\n Noting that this has been \u201can incredibly difficult week for our city,\u201d Lee said Oakland must continue to work to get guns off the street. As interim chief, Beere will be charged with overseeing Oakland\u2019s Ceasefire program, a collaboration among multiple departments to use both enforcement and incentives to address individuals who are at high-risk of gun violence, and which many city leaders credit with helping to reduce violent crime<\/a> in 2024 and 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m committed to make this transition as seamless as possible,\u201d said Beere, who added he will continue the city\u2019s emphasis on addressing violent crime and engaging in constitutional policing. Citing the high-profile shootings this week, both of which swiftly resulted in arrests, Beere warned that people who commit gun violence will be caught and held accountable by OPD and the Alameda County District Attorney.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a new day in Oakland and Alameda County,\u201d Beere said.\u00a0<\/p>\n A new role overseeing Constitutional Policing Lee also announced that the city is creating a new city position, the Constitutional Policing Administrator, which will be held by Michelle Phillips.<\/p>\n Phillips, who previously served as Oakland\u2019s inspector general for the police commission, recently returned to the city to work in a high-ranking administrative position. Lee offered few concrete details about Phillips\u2019 new role, but the mayor said it will involve working closely with police leadership on oversight issues, policy development, internal audits, and the allocation of resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n Phillips thanked Lee for taking leadership in creating the new role, saying, \u201cThis step she has taken is a clear example of her clear commitment to the negotiated settlement agreement, building upon the work the city and the department have done over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n The settlement agreement, which stems from a 2003 civil rights lawsuit over police abuse and evidence planting, requires OPD to complete 52 reform tasks. A federal judge reviews the department\u2019s progress and will ultimately determine whether it can operate without supervision.\u00a0<\/p>\n Finding a permanent chief<\/p>\n Mitchell stunned residents in October when he suddenly announced that he had submitted his resignation<\/a> letter to the city. There was rampant speculation about Mitchell\u2019s reasons for leaving, including claims that he was frustrated with the oversight bodies that monitor OPD. Mitchell has not publicly shared why he\u2019s leaving the department after just over a year on the job.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Oakland Police Commission<\/a>, a volunteer board that oversees OPD, is charged with recruiting new candidates for the permanent job, interviewing finalists, and sending a shortlist of three to the mayor for final approval.<\/p>\n
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Assistant City Administrator Michelle Phillips at a press conference at Oakland City Hall on Nov. 14, 2025. Credit: Eli Wolfe \/ The Oaklandside<\/p>\n