One day after Chinatown business leaders called for Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency in Oakland, he announced he would be increasing patrols using the California Highway Patrol officers.
ABC7 News reports Mayor Libby Schaaf asked for additional law enforcement presence after the request. The Governor agreed, but declined to declare a state of emergency.
“One does not need to declare a state of emergency to assert the acuity of a crisis that needs to be addressed,” Newsom said.
There was no immediate reaction from Carl Chan of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce who the day before asked for the emergency declaration and Highway Patrol Officers.
Oakland’s Chinatown has been the scene of numerous armed robberies and muggings since the start of the pandemic. Many of the attacks have been on the elderly and against woman there.
“The rash of shootings, carjacking, assaults and robberies hold the city of Oakland hostage,” said Chan Tuesday, according to CBS5. “Citizens are living in the continuous state of fear for our safety, well being, livelihoods and future.”
Oakland Police Chief Art Cribbs said he supported Chan’s comments and said his department was stretched thin.
“Well, I think they’re right in the sense that this department needs more resources and more help,” Armstrong admitted to CBS5.
In all, Newsom pledged $400 million to law enforcement statewide.
“So all of those supports are new, all of those supports are available, and additional law enforcement support will be forthcoming into Oakland,” says Newsom, according to ABC7.
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