In Release, Oakland Police Union Condemns City of Oakland’s Budget as “Dangerous and Defiant” of Voter Mandates, Public Safety
Urges Mayor Lee to Reopen Budget Process, Fund More Cops, as New Grand Jury Report Shows Oakland is Heading Toward Insolvency
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Oakland (Special to ZennieReport.com) – The Oakland Police Officers’ Association (OPOA) is sounding the alarm following the City Council’s adoption of the FY 2025–27 budget, calling it a reckless defunding of law enforcement that defies voter mandates, endangers public safety, and threatens the city’s financial solvency.
In a letter sent today, Monday, to Mayor Barbara Lee, OPOA President Huy T. Nguyen warned that the Council’s budget “railroaded through with little to no public input” not only fails to meet legally mandated police staffing levels but exacerbates the city’s already fragile fiscal and public safety conditions. (letter attached).
“The Council didn’t ‘find’ money—they gutted a police academy, eliminated sworn positions, and ignored the voter-approved Measure NN,” said Nguyen. “This isn’t budgeting—it’s abandoning the people of Oakland.”
Measure NN, overwhelmingly passed by voters in 2024, requires the City to maintain a minimum of 700 sworn officers. The current budget authorizes just 678 officers for the next two years, while the department currently operates with only 657 officers—more than 100 of whom are on leave, leaving the operation strength at 530.
An independent city-commissioned study from PFM Group Consulting concluded that Oakland needs at least 877 sworn officers to meet basic public safety needs. Thus, Oakland is shorthanded more than 300 police officers to help the public.
The OPOA’s warning comes as the city faces increasing scrutiny. This week, the Alameda County Civil Grand Jury released a report raising “serious concerns” about Oakland’s financial health, citing bond rating downgrades by all three major credit agencies and highlighting the risk of insolvency if the city fails to act swiftly.
“This budget is built on the shaky premise that voters will approve new tax hikes or bond measures next year,” said Nguyen. “But even if they do, Oakland may not be able to sell bonds with our credit in freefall.”
“Most property investors continue to avoid investments in Oakland, citing crime issues and the general uncertainty in the downtown area that they have caused. If large employers shy away from Oakland going forward, the value of some of the city’s largest properties could continue to drop further, which would have a simultaneous negative impact on both property tax receipts and RETT” (Real Estate Transfer Tax)…“ . . . limited budget growth and a downward spiral of investment should be expected to continue if bold action on crime is not taken,”according to the report.
The Grand Jury report this past week piled on the criticism, saying that it has “serious concerns about the city’s governance” and noted that Oakland “elected officials had the expectation that bond sales would continue…yet “there’s no clarity on the city’s ability to sell bonds to fund critical infrastructure in the near term.” As a result of the Oakland City Council’s negligence all three major rating agencies recently downgraded Oakland’s finances, and all labeled the future rating outlook as negative.”
The OPOA also criticized the City Council’s push to replace sworn officers in specialized roles—such as Internal Affairs—with civilian investigators, calling it a move that undermines public accountability, professional standards, and officer retention.
“Oakland has become a training ground for officers who go elsewhere,” said Nguyen. “This is unsustainable. Our officers are exhausted, overworked, and leaving in record numbers. We need a real plan to hire, train, and retain talent—starting with listening to the voters.”
In their letter, the OPOA urges Mayor Lee to:
- Reopen the budget process with input from the public and law enforcement.
- Prioritize police staffing and public safety in line with Measure NN.
- Develop a long-term, fully funded plan to grow the department to sustainable levels.
- Focus on hiring local officers who reflect and serve Oakland’s communities.
“This is Mayor Lee’s moment to lead,” Nguyen added. “We urge her to take bold, visionary action and rebuild a department that earns the trust of both officers and residents. Public safety isn’t just a line item. It’s a foundation for a strong and prosperous Oakland.”
Stay tuned.