Sheng Thao and OPD are making much of the fact that, according to statistics, crime in the Fruitvale is coming down: A 43% decrease in robberies and a 29% drop in burglaries. Uptown is experiencing similar declines in crime.
Thao is out there clapping herself on the back for this welcome relief. But what she’s not telling anyone is the real reason why crime appears to be falling, at least for the moment: under massive pressure from the public, OPD has increased its foot patrols and police presence in these neighborhoods. As we have long pointed out, Oakland needs more cops—a lot more cops—in order to flood the streets with both uniformed and undercover officers; that is the only way to reduce crime. As OPD announced early last month, they planned for “Increased police presence, including our community resource vehicle, additional foot patrols, and dedicated traffic enforcement.” BART Police also said they would “be conducting additional patrols at the Fruitvale Station.”
It’s a big Duh! moment for Oakland: more cops equals less crime. Who knew? Well, you don’t need to be an Einstein to realize it. On the other hand, you do have to be a Fife, Bas or the pro-Palestinian radical Cat Brooks to not realize it. The Coalition has been arguing for more cops for years. Pro-police sentiment among the public at large has soared, with the result that woke politicians have become much more wary of trotting out their usual anti-police propaganda.
I don’t mean to ridicule OPD. They’re justifiably proud of the lower crime numbers. They’re pleased that, at long last, public opinion is returning to where it’s historically been: in favor of policing. Sheng Thao, on the other hand, is demonstrating her usual cynical hypocrisy. She tried for years to defund OPD when she was on the City Council. Not once did she speak out against the likes of Carroll Fife, or even of Ms. Brooks, who wants to abolish the Oakland Police Department. I’ve seen a lot of incompetent Oakland mayors in my time, but Thao takes the cake.
Take care of yourselves. Stay safe. Back on Monday.
Steve Heimoff