Oakland police are investigating several weekend sideshows that broke out across the city.
When officers arrived at one scene, sideshow participants would then move to another location, police said.
During one of the Sunday morning sideshows at 41st and Howe streets near Piedmont Avenue, one car was set on fire in a scene that was widely documented via photos and videos posted on social media websites.
Officers wrote 21 citations and towed four vehicles, according to police, who didn’t say exactly how many sideshows they responded to, where the sideshows were or what the timeline for their response was.
Officers are working to identify additional vehicles that participated in the loud, chaotic events.
“Once identified, investigators may go to the homes where the vehicles are registered and tow those vehicles,” police officials said in an email Monday.
“OPD continues to partner with community groups, local and state law enforcement agencies, and other city departments to develop long-term solutions to address illegal sideshows and violent crimes in Oakland,” police said.
The Oakland Police Officers Association, the union that represents the department’s rank-and-file personnel, said that only 16 patrol cars were available to respond to the sideshows and that the one on 41st Street featured about 200 cars and 500 participants.
“There are restrictive city policies that also hinder OPD’s abilities. Police are doing everything in our power to help residents,” said OPOA President Huy Nguyen. “We ask neighbors to demand the city council and mayor hire more officers and retain the ones we have now.”
“Once identified, investigators may go to the homes where the vehicles are registered and tow those vehicles.”
Oakland Police Department statement
OPD officials didn’t respond to questions about whether Police Chief Floyd Mitchell agrees that the department’s policies hamper its ability to combat sideshows or how many officers were available to respond on Sunday.
Mayor Barbara Lee’s office said the city has a plan to hire more officers — the goal is to get to 700 — and this year was able to balance the city’s budget while increasing funding for public safety, including by adding five police academies and restoring funds for sideshow prevention activities.
“I am very clear we have more work to do and we will continue to do the work to increase public safety in all of our neighborhoods,” Lee said in an emailed statement Monday.
Anyone with information about the latest sideshows can call the OPD Traffic Section at (510) 777-8570. People can send photos and videos of the incident via email.
The post Chaotic night in Oakland: Police investigate several sideshows with hundreds attending appeared first on Local News Matters.
van of 200 cars travelled from 41st & Howe Street, up Moraga Ave and into Piedmont, is Piedmont Police prepared??
Piedmont Police has historically called upon Oakland Police for backup in extreme conditions but due to the current limitations of Oakland Police, the City of Piedmont is a sitting duck!
Piedmont has a plan for wildfire, Piedmont has a plan for earthquakes but Piedmont has NO plans if an extreme sideshow appeared at our doorsteps. Piedmont NEEDS to plan now!