Leronne Armstrong, Oakland Police Chief, describes the crime rates as a crisis as he shares statistics that compare this years numbers to last years numbers among a variety of crimes.
Armstrong refuses to call these crimes “speed bumps” (a term the city leaders used to refer to these violent crimes) and instead corrects the terminology by using the phrase “these are people.”
Armstrong says, “I know that having less resources makes our city less safe […] When I go to these scenes and I meet with mothers and family members, they’re not talking about numbers – they’re talking about their children.”
He also stated, “I hope that we can put politics aside and put public safety first.”
This is a very strong message where you can see and hear just how emotionally affected this man is about the current state of his city. Definitely worth your time.
Stop what you're doing and watch Oakland Police Chief's response to city slashing his budget as crime runs out of control…pic.twitter.com/iKxIYDOshE
— The First (@TheFirstonTV) June 29, 2021