#oakland-police

#oakland-police

Being a police chief in a major city in the United States today is half political and half administrative. They set the policies of the department. They coordinate with the city administration, the mayor, the council, and other elected officials. They pick leadership, like the deputy chiefs and the captains. And they manage big picture stuff, like the budget, personnel, and rules.

For reasons that he did not share publicly, Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell is leaving his post after less than a year and a half on the job, which leaves Oakland once again in search of a new police chief. The city of Oakland has had quite a few chiefs leading its police department in the last two decades. They don't tend to last long in the job on average, about two years, with 12 different people holding the post since 2000.

At a police commission meeting last month, leaders warned this would be the necessary course of action. "We have to be able to answer 911 calls. That's the bare minimum. Everything else is a luxury. We don't like it. I'll tell you right now, the chief is not happy that he has to do it. We have to do this," said Deputy Chief Lisa Ausmus.

A preliminary 3.4-magnitude earthquake struck this morning at 8:06 am, centered under the Pacific about 50 miles southwest of Eureka. This follows a 3.0M quake on the San Andreas Fault earlier this week, centered near Cupertino.

Jessen, a WWII veteran and retired Oakland officer, was celebrated for his lengthy service and as an inspiration for many in the police community.