Skip to main content

Relationships matter, regardless of your job

What I think is interesting about what's going on here in Oakland is that the reaction stems from the OPD's historically poor relationship with the citizens of Oakland. (http://www.insidebayarea.com/top-stories/ci_18947724) The OPD was threatened with federal takeover last year because it has failed to reform its behavior and practices. It shouldn't be lost on anyone that Ogawa Park is been dubbed 'Oscar Grant Park' by protesters. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BART_Police_shooting_of_Oscar_Grant) the unarmed man shot by BART police in Oakland the on NYE. Community ties and culturally competency matter in every business, public or private. If OPD had done its due diligence-- training and educating its officers about cultural differences and historical oppression, hiring for diversity of life experience, not just diversity of race and gender-- to change it's relationship with the working class in Oakland violent unrest would be no more of an issue here than in any other 'Occupied' park in the country. (Photograph by the amazing Anthony Kurtz)
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Arboresses

They came to cut                                                                                                      To amputate                        Thursday                                     ...
1 comment
Read more

Why I Don't Hate Valentine's Day...

... anymore But I used to.   Oh I used to.   I don’t buy the whole argument that you don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day because it’s a “commercial holiday” made up by the evil, evil Sees Candy and Hallmark Corporations to sell more cards and candy and make us feel bad about ourselves.   No, you hate Valentine’s Day for the same reason that everyone else hates Valentine’s Day.   Because just like little Summer— the only mixed girl in a class of Espirit wearing Asian and White girls, with their long hair and white Keds.   Summer, a half foot taller than all the boys with her little shaved halfro and homemade dresses—just like little Summer, you got rejected on Valentine’s Day every year of your school going life.   You didn’t get as many Valentines as your “best friend.”   The boy you liked avoided eye contact with you all day as you searched your little brown paper Valentine bag for something from him.   Nothing. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

OPD brutality v. Corp $ in government = mission drift

The Oakland Police Officers' Association just posted "An Open Letter to the Citizens of Oakland"  http://www.opoa.org/uncategorized/an-open-letter-to-the-citizens-of-oakland-from-the-oakland-police-officers%E2%80%99-association/  regarding the general strike tomorrow and inconsistency in the Mayor's message.  The letter notes the extreme cost of providing a police presence for protests and asks that the citizens of Oakland support the police in asking for the Mayor to give clear instructions that are consistent with her publicly stated positions on these issues. I support Oakland police officers and, like all employees, they deserve to have clear expectations laid out by their leadership that are in line with the values espoused by the city government.  That is that only way that any employee can be truly effective.  What is frustrating to me is that the motives of the Occupy movement have been convoluted by the Mayor and the actions of the OPD at the dire...
Post a Comment
Read more