(The Center Square) - The Oakland chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) called upon city leaders to declare a state of emergency on crime, stop defunding the police, and prosecute people who commit serious crimes.
In a written, open letter, Cynthia Adams, president of the Oakland branch of the NAACP, and Bishop Bob Jackson, Senior Pastor at Acts Full Gospel Church spoke out against lawlessness in Oakland, where crime has risen 14% year over year, according to the Oakland Police Department.
“Failed leadership, including the movement to defund the police, our District Attorney’s unwillingness to charge and prosecute people who murder and commit life threatening serious crimes, and the proliferation of anti-police rhetoric have created a heyday for Oakland criminals,” wrote Adams and Jackson. “Our 911 system does not work. Residents now know that help will not come when danger confronts them.”