July 2016
Oakland Police Department (OPD) on its 13th year of Federal Oversight - costing taxpayers $13.6 million
His statement underscores a reality for Oakland police: What was supposed to be at most seven years of oversight by a federal judge and a team of independent monitors has dragged into its 13th year, costing Oakland taxpayers $13.6 million, as a carousel of police chiefs, mayors and other civic leaders have entered and exited City Hall.
Of the $13.6 million spent to date for the federal monitoring program, about $6.2 million is going to the team run by the current monitor and compliance director, Robert Warshaw, according to city records. The rest has gone to other teams, equipment and audits of the department.
The program began as part of a settlement in the Riders civil case, in which 119 plaintiffs, all but one African-American, were paid $10.5 million after four rogue officers allegedly beat and planted evidence on them. As part of the negotiated settlement agreement, the department was given 51 tasks to complete — from documenting and reducing racial profiling in car and pedestrian stops, to tracking discipline of officers through internal affairs.
But the oversight is not limited to those tasks. For example, the monitors were critical of the department’s handling of Occupy Oakland protests in fall 2011, which led to a report questioning the use of force and internal investigations of officers involved.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/07/13/oakland-police-in-13th-year-of-federal-oversight/
