The Oakland Police Officer’s Association (POA) has called for Mayor Sheng Thao to resign immediately [1], citing a severe lack of resources for handling rising crime in the city.
POA President Huy Nguyen made the demand during a news conference on Tuesday, highlighting what he described as multiple failures under Thao’s leadership, including inadequate police resources and a budget crisis.
Nguyen criticized Thao for her administration’s handling of crime and the impact of an ongoing FBI investigation, which he claims has hindered the city’s functionality. “Every day, our citizens feel the tragedies. They cannot exit their own home or walk the streets of Oakland, calling 911 and not getting the services they need,” Nguyen stated.
According to Nguyen, the understaffed police department struggles to respond to emergency calls effectively, with officers facing slower response times due to resource shortages.
In response, Mayor Thao issued a video statement asserting that crime rates in Oakland have decreased. “It’s unfortunate that the POA is obviously playing politics,” Thao said, urging unity and pointing to her administration’s efforts, including new police academies and saving 80 police jobs.
Despite Thao’s claims, the POA argues that these measures are insufficient. “This is a time to invest more in the city, hire more police officers, retain the police officers, and fix the crime issue,” said POA Vice President Tim Dolan.
A recall effort against Thao is underway, but the POA has urged her to resign to expedite the process.
“If she resigns by this week, the election will take place in November, versus waiting through the recall. Then it will happen in April, and the process drags out longer when we need to work into the new budget immediately.” – Huy Nguyen, Oakland Police Officer’s Association president