OAKLAND, Calif.—After Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price—whose jurisdiction includes Oakland—failed to use state prosecutors made available by California Gov. Gavin Newsom since February, the governor rescinded his offer on July 10 and redeployed the attorneys back to the state’s Department of Justice.
“It was clear to me that there wasn’t a sincere commitment to follow through on the offer,” Mr. Newsom said in response to a question from The Epoch Times at a July 11 press conference held in the city’s downtown area at a tow yard where recovered stolen vehicles are stored.
He said there had previously been a “lack of engagement” from the district attorney after his office deployed three prosecutors to assist and support Alameda County with criminal cases.
“We’re moving forward, rather than complaining about it,” Mr. Newsom said. “Rather than lament about it and spend all my time pointing fingers, we’re now working around this.”
Ms. Price is currently embroiled in a recall effort due to some residents’ perception that her policies and reluctance to prosecute cases are emboldening criminals.
“I cannot speak to the governor’s disappointment,” Ms. Price said. “I’m disappointed that the governor did not reach out to me directly, and I’m disappointed that the governor did not acknowledge the efforts that our office is making.”
She did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
Mr. Newsom’s administration sent a letter to Ms. Price Wednesday alerting her of the decision to pull back its offer. A memorandum of understanding requiring the district attorney’s signature was never returned, and discussions stalled, according to the letter.
“Despite our outreach, your office has yet to make use of these resources,” Ann Patterson, the governor’s cabinet secretary, wrote.
“Accordingly, we have decided to shift these resources to the Attorney General’s Office, where they will be utilized to work on state-led prosecutions originating from Alameda County.”
Mr. Newsom said during the press conference that the California Highway Patrol will now be more aggressive than they have been before as they refer some complex cases to the office of Rob Bonta, the state’s attorney general, for prosecution to begin immediately.
Mr. Bonta is a longtime East Bay resident. In a July 11 press release from the governor’s office, he said he stands with the governor’s decision to “take necessary steps to ensure the Oakland community is a safe place for families like mine to work, live, and grow.”
“The California Department of Justice is bringing our legal and law enforcement expertise to this collaborative public safety effort and will continue holding bad actors accountable so that Oakland residents can thrive and prosper,” he said.
The governor also said the county’s narcotics unit has no supervisor—after he appointed Michael Nieto to a judgeship earlier this year—no personnel, and hiring replacements are taking too long.
“We expressed frustration with that, and they said they’ll do interviews and resumes, and we talked about the urgency of now,” Mr. Newsom said. “We all have to step up, we all have to be accountable, all of us.”
He said area residents had had enough and it is time for officials to respond more effectively.
“This moment we’re living in, enough ... it’s a crisis for members of the community,” Mr. Newsom said. “People deserve better, people deserve more, and they deserve all of us to be better and do more.”
The governor has prioritized public safety in Oakland this year, with multiple appearances in the area since February.
Additionally, highway patrol operations will be quadrupled in Alameda County for the next four months, the governor said.
“We committed not to turn our back and walk away from the people of Oakland,” Mr. Newsom said. “We’re back here in Oakland, mindful that there’s still more work to be done, mindful that we need to step up our efforts and up our resources.”
Highway patrol officers will be active daily beginning July 15 targeting organized crime, illegal street takeovers, carjackings, retail theft, and other criminal activity, he said.
“This is not a permanent operation, and it can’t be a permanent operation,” Mr. Newsom said. “But we’re committed to keeping up the intensity of this operation.”
Since a surge in California Highway Patrol deployment began in February, 120 officers have recovered 1,142 stolen cars, seized 55 guns linked to crimes, and arrested 562 suspects—including 156 felony arrests—according to law enforcement officials.
“It’s been successful, and now we’re moving into this next phase,” Mr. Newsom said.
Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell and CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee joined the governor to announce the additional resources coming to the area—with the number of shifts increasing four-fold.
“The crime that we’re witnessing and seeing in Oakland is unacceptable,” Mr. Duryee said during the press conference.
“The people of Oakland, the people of California deserve to have a community that’s safe.”
Oakland’s police chief also mentioned an incident involving dozens of individuals taking over a gas station on Hegenberger Road in an organized–and highly publicized—smash-and-grab attack July 5 that resulted in thousands of dollars in damage, stolen merchandise, and cash.
“No business should have [that happen],” Mr. Mitchell said during the press conference.
The newly announced surge follows the planned installation of hundreds of surveillance cameras and license plate readers in the area to help identify and mitigate criminal activity. The governor said they are coming soon, but didn’t provide exact dates.
