Will be covering Police Commission's recommendation on OPD militarized weapon report--the report suggests OPD would try to get another Bearcat & add'l rifles. But in the ad hoc meetings leading up to this, OPD said they know there's no money and won't be pushing it to council

We'll see how this shakes out. Of course the reality is that OPD committed to getting rid of its present Bearcat years ago as a result of the Pawlick murder, and purchasing something more like an armored ambulance https://www.patreon.com/posts/police-passes-to-49251653…

APTP organized around this issue, and it looks like they brought some folks. A right wing hills-dwelling group has been organizing around almost any issue that allows them to push a pro-cop message. But they usually fail to bring out any numbers, we'll see how they do tonight

That latter group for instance, skipped entirely the meeting where pursuit policy was finally approved.

While the right wing flounders, some new groups and individuals have been hitting these meetings, mostly young Black and POC folks who live in the city, flatlands. Its a stark contrast

In the last ad hoc meeting that prepared the recommendation, OPD basically said they aren't going to try to get a bearcat in the near future because they recognize there's no budget for it. Leaving open a different question when the current Bearcat finally becomes inoperative

Here's the central issue on the rec. But there's more to it also...here's the entire recommendation https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/content/files/2025/10/Militarized-Equip-Rec.pdf…

Here's the OPD's mandated report https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/content/files/2025/10/2024-annual-military-equipment-meu-report.pdf…

The mic just picked the greatest moment to stop working.

Oh spoke to soon.

Touche on a person constantly calling speakers "paid activists", called those "police union activists"

Some speakers pushing back on the narrative that Mitchell wanted a broader police pursuit policy but were stopped by OPC---noting he never offered one to the Commission.

Mario Contreras noting that the OPC is to ensure constitutional policing, not aid public safety or fighting crime. Has to be said every once in a while as that is the charter-stated purpose.

Now reading e-comments.

Some of these comments are from people who have never attended a police commission meeting.

There was about a dozen of those, all hyper critical, prompting Chair Garcia Acosta to praise those who've come in person, and comment on the e-comments: "it is very easy to sit behind a computer and type and make our chief of staff repeat the same thing over and over"

Garcia Acosta is being much more direct than usual "no matter how much transparency you have, there are some folks that will have the same narrative...we will hear the same narrative that the OPC has made OPD's work more difficult"

Garcia Acosta noting that every policy entails meetings with police, brass and chief, going over successes with OPD, "standardizing discipline process..." and chief's progressive framework for discipline...anyone saying that we are making chief's work harder, give examples'"

Garcia Acosta: "we are not going to accept slander out here and attacking our commissioners when we are doing the best job...this is the best we've had...we all want to get out of oversight..." Here's some of his comments

Garcia Acosta: "maybe some of the folks that have a problem with constitutional policing, maybe they are the problem themselves"

Garcia Acosta asks Deputy Chief Ausmus if she agrees with claim that they work together professionally "absolutely". To be honst, its visible, I've never seen any antagonism between them and OPC

OPD staffing is not looking good at the moment, it's one of the lowest I've ever seen at OPD in decades, with still no academy scheduled, that would lead me to believe they do not have enough trainees yet to fill a class.

The militarized equip report is up next.

Garcia Acosta again took a moment to publicly verify w/DC Ausmus that OPC and the OPD have a good working relationship, that OPD brought a policy to OPC for help to reduce duplicative reporting; and that idea of not adding property crimes to pursuit came only from OPD, not OPC

Garcia Acosta thanked Ausmus for a good relationship "even when we don't agree." Ausmus responded, "and we often do"

Jackson-Castain going through OIG report about how few officers have been trained on "implicit bias" [racism]: from 23-24, no officers were, and 24-25, only about 30. Ausmus says they are trying to close those gaps now with extra training

Ausmus said that it's not easy to lose the chief, but then said this was like her 16th chief [don't remember exactly what number she said]

A speaker absolutely incorrect that putting GPS in police cars would have to go through the Privacy Commission. That's only for public facing technology, not internal tracking or data.

Anne Jenks noting that the last big scandal at OPD was just in 2024 uncovered by CPRA, Phong Tran's bribery scandal. Murder cases overturned, 100s being reviewed, the entire brass disciplined for improper review of the IAD case

Contreras says that he asked Mitchell at a community meeting what he should do if kidnapped by a masked person. Mitchell said he should comply, allow it to happen and "deal with it in the morning"

Contreras also asks what percentage of Skelly's resulted in overturned discipline;

Garcia Acosta says that the OIG, with agreement of OPD, will begin to sit in on Skelly hearings

Now on to the militarized equip report recommendation. Commissioner Riles was the chair of the ad hoc and wrote the report, this is what's included in the agenda. https://oakland-observer.ghost.io/content/files/2025/10/Militarized-Equip-Rec.pdf…

Riles presents the recommendation, he says this is the second time its come before the Commission, they've revised it with suggestions from full OPC.

Riles: "One of the big issues was the continued use of the bearcat and concern that was voiced that the OPD was interested in purchasing two more bearcats when the funds become available...and going beyond just replacing rifles, but adding additional assault rifles"

Riles now saying that the OPD dropped its interest in additional rifles, and now just wants to replace the current inventory of rifles...they'll be using asset forfeiture money for that purchase.

Riles says Farmer added a lot of insight & data on Bearcat into recommendation, and he reviewed the armored vehicle trainng bulletin, "whether they are being responsible to constitutional policing...using in a way that protects officers, but also responds to community concerns"

Riles says that they think they should do further work on the training bulletin "and based on decision commission makes tonight and council makes...the ad hoc will do further work on training bulletin"

Another recommendation from the ad hoc, per Riles, "we should meet on much more regular basis and look more on a continual basis with the various items in the military equip inventory for the dept"

Riles says they added a substantive history of the use of the Bearcat, the event that led to the NSA's focus on it, the killing of Joshua Pawlick, where the NSA noted the vehicle heightened the sense of alarm of officers and was used as a weapons platform to kill Pawlick

Riles says that he disagrees with Garcia Acosta's idea of not taking a vote tonight, he says there are deadlines on AB481, and the cadence of meetings will be cutting it close.

Riles says he's concerned with attempts to stall the reappointments of Farmer and Garcia Acosta: "we have a number of commissioners that are being challenged for reappointment, particularly Farmer...we have been putting a lot of time on these matters, its already come before OPC

Riles says regardless he hopes the vote will happen tonight

Dawitt, who is also on the ad hoc, says he would like the rec to go back to the ad hoc and have more study, "I don't see us as the subject matter experts"

Garcia Acosta says he would like to have clarifying questions for OPD.

OPD's rep on report: "we met multiple times [in the ad hoc], we had some disagreements but I think we came to agreement in the end"

Garcia Acosta asks for clarity on exactly what OPD represents in the report. "as it stands tonight, the OPD has a bearcat acquired in 2005, over 20 years old...and we have an armored suburban, a regular SUV equipped with armor, different than Bearcat..."

OPD: "the formal request for the Bearcat is to replace the current Bearcat when the current one becomes unusable"

OPD says that the current ask for the armored suburban would be to replace the current one with two additional armored suburbans

Dawitt points out that the OPD just misrepresented everything...now Farmer taking over, noting that the original OPD request was for "Two new bearcat SUV models" to replace the Bearcat

Farmer now reminds that the original goal of 2021 was to choose one of three non-military looking armored vehicles, which OPD agreed to. Now OPD considers that a non-starter.

OPD confirms that the ask is to replace the current old Bearcat and the current old armored suburban, with two SUV Bearcats.

OPD also confirming that the ask is a one for one replacement of 70 rifles being decommissioned.

Here's the OPD SUV that OPD wants, from the ad hoc recommendation. Farmer said its only slightly less militaristic, and not really an SUV

The OPD rep confirms "we have no money" to buy the new Bearcats, so they'd have to go through budget, identifying a Bearcat and ask for funding, or a funding source. "if we get the funds, we come to ask to acquire"

Basically, this is a standard process at council, OPD finds a funding source and asks to use it for the purchase of an expensive item in a public process

What this means is that OPD couldn't just secretly buy a new Bearcat even if it found the money, but this does leave it squishy in that OPD could continue to look for Bearcat money. This would not lock the door, but it doesn't leave it open.

Garcia Acosta says they should actually vote on each request...it must be said, the requests are made in a roundabout way, in a spreadsheet as literally a column at the end.

Farmer going through OPD's past commitment to get rid of current Bearcat, and to get a non military armored vehicle

One of the reasons that OPD once suggested an armored ambulance is because they argued that the Bearcat is only used in rescue operations.

In presenting their case that way several years ago, they misled the public and commission, as I wrote here https://www.patreon.com/posts/in-bid-to-get-of-27978549…

This is the process as I reported, OPD did commit to purchasing a non-military Bearcat, but that was mostly because the hot light was on them after killing Pawlick. https://www.patreon.com/posts/police-passes-to-49251653…

OPD says that the non-militarized vehicles are just an armored box in a regular vehicle. "we can't compromise safety"

Farmer says that the amored vehicle dealer that OPD had been working with partnered with OPD to present the three alternatives. He reminds OPD that these were their own suggestions.

Farmer going through technical description of the vehicles, he says the three vehicles are NIJ4, they meet the same standard as Bearcat for armoring. "they're all to the same level of ballistic protection"

OPD rep saying that they crashed the suburban in an incident "and its never been the same", damaging the suspension. "when we start using vehicles that are not built by reliable manufacturers...we are going to have problems"

Surprising claim from OPD now that the Bearcat is reliable. In 2021, they said it was unreliable and it was in and out of the shop half the year.

Dawitt noting that the previous OPC process was non binding, and that OPD's new approach is basically ignoring it, and pushing for only a Bearcat, saying the others are unreliable

Going through when Bearcat is deployed, usually barricaded individuals, no protests

Farmer arguing that all the vehicles have off road capability and armored area in back for medical care, but he says he'd rather just find a way forward instead of going back and forth

Garcia-Acosta basically saying that the Bearcat is used about every five days, asking if there is an Oakland geographic area where they are mostly used [its East Oakland]

Booker asking if there is actually data and testing that show comparative features of the vehicles. But OPD admits they haven't done any studies on the other vehicles, just assuming the Bearcat is better. He says they can paint the Bearcat white and write rescue vehicle on it

Booker asks Farmer if there's data on that..."these vehicles have been tested just like any other on the street...they have been through studies and tests...not every dept has a Bearcat."

Farmer: "Armored dealer told us...most common thing in depts nationwide, they're trying to divest themselves from overt militarized appearance..." Farmer reminds that the three other vehicles were actually compiled by OPD, not the OPC

Here's the three vehicles vs the new type of Bearcat that OPD now says they prefer. But the reality is that OPD has proposed all four of these vehicles; now they say they aren't interested in the other three

Farmer also said that OPD is overselling the differences.

Jennifer Tu, a long time ad hoc participant was also on the militarized equipment ad hoc, Garcia Acosta soliciting her opinion. She says OPD did a good report, with good transparency "helpful and exemplary"

Tu's comments

John Lindsay Polland suggested primary lens they make rec is, "do they have a good reason to increase the level of equip" what purpose does it serve; noted that OPD wants to expand chemical weapons, but why? He said OPD probably won't get funds to buy a Bearcat, it may be moot.

I think Polland was also suggesting that there's a lot of attention on the Bearcat, to the exclusion of adequately considering the other equip

On to public comment: "I got stabbed in Mosswood Park, none of this would have helped me not get stabbed"

The last speaker suggested that the OPD and CIty decide if they needed all the weapons they bought for things like an election: "I bought too much cheese at Costco, I am not going to replace it, it was a mistake"

resident of Oakland for 40 years says the militarized equipment makes her feel less safe

Incredible story

Of 32 speakers who came to speak in person, only 1 supported OPD's military equip request

Now chief of staff is reading e-comments [not a good use of the public's time, IMO]

Most of the over hundred e-comments oppose acquisition of additional equip, bearcat, many are simply against the idea of militarized weapons completely

This addendum to the reporting in 2021 is worth pulling out.

At a certain point, Commissioners called it quits on reading the comments out loud. Commissioners committed to read the comments to themselves at another time

Commissioner Farmer noted that some of the comments missed the cut off, so there's actually over 300. Chief of Staff committed to sending them all to Commissioners

The COS said she got choked up because of the nature of the comments, observing what's happening in the US and world

Chair Garcia Acosta: "as anti-climactic as its going to be, I think its beneficial specific to send this back to ad hoc... asks what OPD is requesting for equip"

Garcia Acosta says the requests have shifted since the report was introduced, he wants the ad hoc to ..."inventory each request one by one and ensuring they meet the criteria of AB484"

Garcia Acosta says he wants to provide a tally and recs for each equip recommendations; "I want it to be clear in writing and be clear what we're sending to City Council"

Garcia Acosta: "next meeting may be both my and alt commissioner Farmer's last on the dais..." referring to the delays at Rules....

Riles says that the comprehensive review will take much more time than they have, and he suggests that the report be approved, then the ad hoc go back and review each item one by one.

Farmer describing OPD moving the goalposts...and that OPD has made it convoluted, and that the presentation he wanted to present would make it clear. He says Bearcat doesn't meet 4 requirements, as public have stated

Riles says that OPD hasn't done research about the drones, or identified money---suggesting that the report's future needs are not really well explored or researched

Commissioners agreeing that the OPD's request is vague, and confusing; the OPD rep fumbled the explanation and it never recovered.

What I heard was that they'd replace the current Bearcat with two Bearcat SUVs, but who knows

Garcia Acosta makes the motion to redirect back to ad hoc, and: "clarify and reorganize the recommendations and turn it in for a final vote on 10/23"

Riles noting that the agenda would have already been printed by the time the ad hoc committee has been met; but now Garcia Acosta is a bit confusing

Not clear if they want to go over every item, or just the bearcat and rifles.

Riles and Jackson Castain voted no, but it still passed. Not clear if its even going to be a full meeting.

Checking out of the meeting now. Long story short, they did not take a vote tonight on the militarized weapons recommendation. It's being sent back to ad hoc for clarification and coming back in 10/23.