Chief of the Oakland Police Department

Last updated

Oakland
Chief of Police
Floyd Mitchell, 2024.jpg
Incumbent
Floyd Mitchell
since May 13, 2024
Style The Honorable
Formation1853;171 years ago (1853)
Website Official website

The Chief of the Oakland Police Department is an office held by the executive head and highest-ranking officer of the Oakland Police Department. The chief was first established in 1853. The chief manages and oversees the planning, development and implementation of all law enforcement and crime prevention programs for the City. They provide leadership, vision and direction to the Department and its command staff and promotes collaboration, communication and coordination with other city agencies and community organizations.

Contents

Sean Whent became police chief in May 2014. [1] He became interim chief in May 2013, [2] replacing interim chief Anthony Toribio, who served for only two days after chief Howard Jordan left for uncited medical reasons. [3] Howard was preceded by Anthony Batts.

Whent spent two decades on the force, joining in 1996. [4] Oakland PD monitor Robert Warshaw forced Whent to resign due to the role of Whent (and his wife) in the coverup of a sexual-misconduct scandal involving Oakland police officers (as well as personnel from multiple other agencies) and a child sex trafficking victim. [5]

Mayor Libby Schaaf appointed City Administrator Sabrina Landreth as head of the department on June 17, 2016, putting it under civilian control, after 3 police chiefs resigned within 9 days. The department had been under multiple investigations at the time of the appointment. [6] On January 4, 2017, Schaaf appointed Anne Kirkpatrick to serve as the next police chief. [7] Kirkpatrick officially assumed office after being sworn in on February 27. [8] On February 15, 2023, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao announced plans to fire the city's current police chief LeRonne Armstrong. [9] [10]

On March 27, 2024, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao introduced Floyd Mitchell as the city's newest chief of police, more than a year after the firing of former Chief LeRonne Armstrong. He took office on May 13, 2024.

List of Oakland police chiefs

Key
SymbolMeaning
*Acting/interim chief

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References

  1. ↑ Will Kane (May 15, 2014). "Sean Whent named permanent Oakland police chief". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  2. ↑ Matthew Artz (May 10, 2013). "Interim Police Chief Toribio out just two days after appointment". Oakland Tribune. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ Matthew Artz (May 8, 2013). "Police Chief Howard Jordan announces medical retirement". Oakland Tribune. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  4. ↑ Kane, Will (May 14, 2014). "Sean Whent named permanent Oakland police chief". Sfgate. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ BondGraham, Darwin; Winston, Ali (June 10, 2016). "The Real Reason Why Oakland's Police Chief Was Fired". East Bay Express. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016. Despite the mayor's claims, multiple city sources say Whent was forced out by Independent Police Monitor Robert Warshaw, who is responsible for overseeing OPD's progress with its 13-year-old federal reforms, and who hand-selected Whent to run the department in 2014.
  6. ↑ Queally, James (June 18, 2016). "Oakland loses third police chief in nine days, will operate under civilian control". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  7. 1 2 Mettler, Katie (January 5, 2017). "Introducing Anne Kirkpatrick, just hired to fix Oakland's 'frat house' police department". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Kirkpatrick officially sworn in as Oakland's new police chief". KRON-TV . February 27, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Statement from Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addressing leadership at the Oakland Police Department". Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  10. ↑ Pritchett, Elizabeth (February 15, 2023). "Oakland police chief fired after alleged cover-up of officer misconduct: 'Significant cultural problems'". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  11. ↑ James Queally (June 15, 2016). "Oakland replaces interim police chief six days after his appointment". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  12. ↑ "MAYOR LIBBY SCHAAF ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF INTERIM POLICE CHIEF BEN FAIROW" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  13. ↑ James Queally (June 18, 2016). "Oakland loses third police chief in nine days, will operate under civilian control". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Cassidy, Megan; Ravani, Sarah (February 21, 2020). "Oakland Police Commission fires Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Oakland fires police chief after trust 'irrevocably broken'". SFGate . Bay City News Service. February 20, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Cassidy, Megan; Ravani, Sarah (March 23, 2020). "Oakland mayor appoints new interim police chief". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  17. ↑ Greschler, Gabriel (February 8, 2021). "Oakland's Jewish interim police chief retires, again". J. The Jewish News of Northern California . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  18. ↑ Ravani, Sarah (February 5, 2021). "Schaaf selects veteran LeRonne Armstrong to lead Oakland Police Department". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  19. ↑ Ravani, Sarah (February 15, 2023). "Oakland mayor fires police chief after report finds misconduct over officer investigations". San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  20. ↑ Halpert, Madeline (February 16, 2023). "Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong fired over response to misconduct". BBC News . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong Fired, Mayor Announces". KNTV . February 15, 2023. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  22. ↑ Ellison, Stephen (March 22, 2024). "Oakland names Floyd Mitchell as new police chief". KNTV . Retrieved June 8, 2024.
  23. ↑ Torrez, James (May 13, 2024). "Oakland's new police chief officially on the job". KTVU . Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved June 8, 2024.
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