City Council
October 29, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: Felicia Verdin
City Administrator Assistant to the City
Administrator
SUBJECT: Violence Reduction Efforts Through
Measure Z - Public Safety And
Services Violence Prevention Act Of
2014
DATE: October 15, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report From The Oakland Police Department, Department Of Violence Prevention, And The Oakland Fire Department On Efforts To Reduce Violence In Oakland Through The Measure Z - Public Safety And Services Violence Prevention Act Of 2014 Presented To The City Council, Safety And Services Oversight Commission, Community Policing Advisory Board And The Police Commission.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report provides a summary of how the City departments have used funding from the Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act of 2014 (Measure Z) to reduce crime through violence prevention and reduction services and programs.
The report is being presented at a joint meeting of the City Council and the Public Safety and Services Oversight Commission (SSOC), along with members of the Police Commission and Community Policing Advisory Board (CPAB). It provides an opportunity for the Commission and City leaders to articulate a commitment to reducing crime.
BACKGROUND/LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
On November 4, 2014, the Oakland voters approved the Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act of 2014 (Measure Z) with 77.05 percent of the vote, which surpassed the 66.7 percent approval requirement. Measure Z replaced the Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act of 2004 (Measure Y) and maintained the existing parcel tax ranging between $51 and $100 and the 8.5 percent parking tax surcharge for a period of 10 years through December 31, 2024, to improve police services, fire emergency response services as well as violence intervention and prevention strategies for at-risk youth and young adults.
Jestin Johnson (Oct 17, 2024 17:49 PDT)
Oct 17, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 2
City Council
October 29, 2024
As stated in the Measure Z legislation, the City Council, the Commission, and other public safety-related boards and commissions shall conduct an annual joint special public informational meeting devoted to the subject of public safety.
ANALYSIS/POLICY ALTERNATIVES
Measure Z Objectives and Desired Outcomes
As stated in Measure Z, the objectives are to:
1. Reduce homicides, robberies, burglaries, and gun-related violence;
2. Improve police and fire emergency 911 response times and other police services; and,
3. Invest in violence intervention and prevention strategies that provide support for at-risk youth and young adults to interrupt the cycle of violence and recidivism.
The production of this report aligns with the Citywide priorities of holistic community safety and responsive, trustworthy government, as shown below. Table 1 provides an overview of the objectives, legislation, funding, evaluation, and oversight of Measure Z supported activities.
Table 1: Overview of Measure Z – Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Act LEGISLATION ELEMENTS • Expires in 2024
• Requires 3rd party evaluation and audit
• Minimum 678 Officers and prohibits layoff of officers if layoff results in fewer than 800 sworn OPD personnel
• The City is prohibited from laying off any police officers unless the City Council adopts a resolution containing
factual findings that it is necessary to layoff officers • Services for youth and young adults at high risk for
violence as guided by data analysis; also includes
domestic violence and commercial sexual exploitation
FUNDING • 3% of total revenue for evaluation of programs and services, audit, and oversight
• $2M to the Fire Department
• 60% to the Police Department
• 40% to the Department of Violence Prevention
EVALUATION AND AUDITS • OPD and DVP Evaluations - Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued on 12-3-21. Contract Award on 4-19-22
to Urban Institute / Urban Strategies Council. Council Resolution No. 89139 C.M.S.
• Data – SARAnet – Utilized by OPD to track activities of Community Resource Officers (CRO)
• Data – Apricot 360 is used by DVP to report on
programs and services
• Audit – The most recent audit is attached. Attachment A
COMMUNITY OVERSIGHT
Public Safety and Services
Oversight Commission (SSOC)
• Nine (9)-member Commission
• Monitors annual performance audits
• Monitors annual financial audits
• Provides input on strategies
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 3
City Council
October 29, 2024
Accountability and Evaluation
Measure Z created the Public Safety and Services Violence Prevention Oversight Commission (SSOC), comprised of nine (9) community members, to monitor the financial and program implementation of Measure Z. The current members of the SSOC participated in the review of the Scope of Work included in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) issued in December 2022.
In addition, an SSOC Commissioner was included in the review and scoring of the applications that resulted in the award of a contract to the Urban Institute/Urban Strategies Council.
Measure Z specifies the duties, membership composition, and required background experiences for SSOC members, as well as the requirement to have a joint meeting of the SSOC, the City Council, and other public safety-related boards and commissions. Section 4(A)5 of Measure Z states:
Joint Meetings of the Commission and City Council: The City Council, the Commission, and other public safety-related boards and commissions shall conduct an annual joint special public informational meeting devoted to the subject of public safety. At each such meeting, the public, Commission, and City Council will hear reports from representatives of all departments and the Chief of Police concerning progress of all the City’s efforts to reduce violent crime.
Annual independent program evaluations are also a requirement. Specifically, these evaluations include analysis and evidence that policing, and violence prevention/intervention programs and strategies are progressing toward the desired outcomes, and to consider whether programs and strategies are achieving reductions in community violence and serving those at the highest risk.
A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for new Evaluation contracts was issued on December 3, 2021, and based on the results, was awarded at the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting to Urban Institute / Urban Strategies Council. Work with the Oakland Police Department (OPD) and the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) has been ongoing and will lead to an assessment of the programs and services of both departments from 2022 through 2024.
This evaluation period will provide data analysis for the remaining term of Measure Z, which is scheduled to sunset in December 2024.
Oakland Police Department
The Safety and Services Act identifies Community -focused Policing Services Strategies and emphasizes “uses” or strategies towards achieving the following specific objectives:
1) Geographic Policing:
a) Community Resource Officers (CROs)
b) Conduct intelligence (“Intel”)-based violence suppression operations c) Domestic violence and child abuse intervention
d) Sustaining and strengthening of the City's Operation Ceasefire strategy e) Addressing criminal and nuisance problems
f) Providing needed resources and referrals by partnering with community -based organizations
g) Project management and crime analysis
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 4
City Council
October 29, 2024
2) Maintenance of Sworn Police Personnel positions.
Measure Z implemented several requirements related to the maintenance of sworn police personnel positions. First, the City is required to maintain a budgeted level of no fewer than 678 sworn police personnel at all times. Furthermore, the City is prohibited from laying off any officers if this reduction will result in fewer than 737 sworn police personnel in OPD. In addition, the City may only lay off police officers upon adoption of a resolution by the City Council containing factual findings that it is necessary to do so.
OPD’s official strategic goals are to:
1) Reduce crime and improve public safety;
2) Improve community engagement and strengthen community trust; 3) Develop and foster a high-quality, involved, and respected workforce; 4) Demonstrate sustained compliance with the Negotiated Settlement Agreement; and 5) Prepare for the future of police service delivery.
OPD’s Measure Z strategies align with its official strategies. Moreover, OPD is committed to reducing the risk of negative disparate impacts on the community by enhancing precision-based policing practices and continuously evaluating and mitigating racial disparities and related OPD strategy, policy, and individual performance.
OPD received three areas in which SSOC requested updates for Measure Z goals:
1. OPD hiring plan and recruitment strategies
2. Ceasefire update
3. Ceasefire audit update
4. Receive an annual report on the percentage of time CRO's have spent conducting geographical policing activities
OPD hiring plan and recruitment strategies
The Oakland Police Department (OPD) is committed to recruiting and hiring a healthy and diverse candidate pool to fill sworn and professional staff vacant positions, which will assist with maintaining sufficient resources to accomplish Measure Z geographic policing goals.
The Department has identified several strategies (Attachment B) to reinforce this commitment, with an emphasis on increasing the number of female police officers and officers from diverse cultural backgrounds.
While hiring a diverse and qualified workforce is crucial, retaining them is equally important.
OPD has prioritized the following strategies to retain its workforce:
Training. Training employees reinforces their sense of value. Through training, the Department will help employees achieve goals and ensure they have a solid understanding of their job requirements.
Mentoring. A mentoring program integrated with a goal-oriented feedback system provides a structured mechanism for developing strong relationships within an organization. It is a solid foundation for employee retention and growth. With a mentoring program, the Department will pair someone more experienced with someone less experienced to develop specific competencies and provide performance feedback.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 5
City Council
October 29, 2024
Use communication to build credibility. No matter the organization’s size, communication is central to building and maintaining credibility. OPD employees must know that the Commanders and Executive Team are listening and responding to (or acknowledging) employee input. The Department’s leadership is committed to providing regular updates to its employees about important issues that impact them so that they stay abreast of critical matters and hear them directly from top leaders.
Make employees feel valued. Employees will go the extra mile if they feel responsible for the results of their work, have a sense of worth in their jobs, believe their jobs make good use of their skills, and receive recognition for their contributions.
Employees should be rewarded at a high level to motivate even higher performance. Increasing longevity pay or providing some other financial reward to recognize employees who stay with the Department can be used as motivational power.
It’s essential for the Commanders and Executive Team to say “thank you” to employees for their efforts and find different ways to recognize them. Even something as simple as a free lunch can go a long way toward making employees feel valued.
The Department can also solicit input from employees and ask for their ideas about what rewards might work best for them. The Department can conduct meetings and surveys to enable employees to share their input. Most employees will work harder to implement a decision they helped to influence.
Foster trust and confidence in leadership. OPD must develop strong relationships with employees from the start to build trust, employees must believe that the leadership is competent, and that the Department will succeed. The Commanders and Executive Team must be able to inspire this confidence and make decisions that reinforce it. The Leadership can accomplish this by communicating expectations frequently and on time, updating employees about changes promptly, and establishing open communication channels where employees can easily share their input.
OPD is committed to recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse and qualified workforce of professionals who possess the moral, ethical, and professional standards that exemplify the City of Oakland. The Department believes implementing the above strategies will allow it to maintain sufficient resources to accomplish its goals.
Ceasefire Annual Report
Receive An Annual Ceasefire MZ Specific Report That Illustrates to The Public the Effectiveness of This Violence Reduction Measure.
Measure Z also funds Ceasefire, which is a data-driven, partnership-based strategy to reduce gang/group related shootings and homicides. The goals are to develop better police-community relationships, decrease recidivism rates of participants, and reduce gang/group related shootings and homicides. OPD strives to achieve these goals through collaboration with many partners such as faith leaders, violence intervention and outreach organizations, service
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 6
City Council
October 29, 2024
providers, victims of violence, residents of affected neighborhoods, criminal justice agencies, and the formerly incarcerated, all actively working to build alliances that will stop the violence.
Moreover, past years’ gun violence reductions in Oakland have been linked in part to the Ceasefire strategy, which emphasizes a shared focus on very high-risk individuals (VHI) at the center of gun violence.
The Department of Violence Prevention’s (DVP) role in the strategy is to advocate for and serve these very high-risk individuals (VHI) through coaching and resources. See Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Gun Violence Reduction Strategy Cycle
Ceasefire Oakland is a partnership based, intelligence led, and data-driven strategy. The Ceasefire Partnership began on October 18, 2012.
The Ceasefire Strategy (Strategy) is composed of four (4) vital components: Ongoing Analysis, Direct respectful communications, Intensive services, and intelligence-based enforcement that is informed by the principles of procedural justice. These activities are implemented continuously as a closely coordinated, joint strategy to reduce non-fatal shootings citywide.
Very high-risk individuals (VHI) are those who drive or draw most of the gun violence we see day-to-day. They are shooters and recent victims; those who can influence shooters, someone who is likely to shoot next or be shot and highly network connected individuals. Very high- risk individuals (VHI) typically represent only 10 to 20 perc ent of group members, yet they are responsible for most of the group violence, whether by instigating conflict or committing violent offenses themselves. Both in theory and in practice, it follows that changing the behavior of very high-risk individuals (VHI) will have a powerful impact on gun violence.
After a forty-year average of 108 homicides per year, Oakland experienced a sustained reduction in homicides and non-fatal shootings. There was an average of 46.7% reduction in fatal and non-fatal shootings between 2012-2019.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 7
City Council
October 29, 2024
In March 2020, the pandemic and shelter in place occurred. At that time, Oakland was experiencing a 53% reduction in homicides and a slight increase in non -fatal shootings. The pandemic made it impossible to execute the Ceasefire strategy effectively. The outcome was a huge increase in both homicides and non-fatal shootings in 2020 and 2021. In 2022, after several adjustments to the strategy, Oakland saw a 4% reduction in homicides and a 25% reduction in non-fatal shootings. In 2023, Oakland suffered more challenges . These challenges caused changes to the Strategy, and the number of non-fatal shootings increased.
In response to the increases in homicides and non- fatal shootings in 2023, the City enlisted an outside agency, California Partners for Safety Communities, to conduct an audit of the Ceasefire strategy to understand the impact that challenges and changes had on each of the key components (communications, service provision, and law enforcement) of the Strategy. The audit was also necessary to determine if the City had the necessary focus, quality, and scale to reestablish its efforts at reducing the gun violence in Oakland. The City adjusted to those challenges and changes outlined in the audit and i mplemented a vast majority of the recommendations, and consequently, Oakland has sustained a 27% reduction in homicides and a 30% reduction in non-fatal shootings as of September 23, 20241.
OPD Ceasefire Audit Update
The California Partnership for Safe Communities conducted the audit. Their audit report and findings were presented to the City in January 2024. Their analysis yielded several recommendations that have been implemented in 2024.
As the Audit recommended, weekly coordination meetings resumed and are facilitated by the Mayor’s Chief of Education & Community Safety. This has led to a drastic improvement in the reconciliation of data shared and improvement in the quality of data shared.
The Strategy reinstated Ceasefire performance reviews. These meetings occur every other month. The Mayor’s Performance Review meetings have been an important element in the City’s ability to reduce gun violence significantly and continuously. The Performance Review meetings held with Mayor Thao are a cross-agency, citywide effort specifically devoted to reducing gun violence. The Performance Reviews also serve as an opportunity to practice quality assurance, problem-solving, and strategy formulation with the City’s leadership regarding gun violence intervention and prevention.
Given that the core driver of Ceasefire is direct and respectful communication with those individuals at the highest risk for violence. (Very High- Risk Individuals - VHI), additional OPD officers and service staff were trained to deliver direct communications.
There are rigorous efforts to recruit staff for the Ceasefire Unit so that OPD can simultaneously focus on multiple active conflicts. This has netted an increase in staffing of the Ceasefire Unit; however, staffing is very fluid, and promotions, transfers, and retirements continue to impact staffing levels.
1 These outcomes are derived by comparing the number of homicides and non- fatal shootings on September 23, 2023, to the number of homicides and non-fatal shootings on September 23, 2024.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 8
City Council
October 29, 2024
The Department adjusted to challenges and changes of the near past, and effective September 23, 2024, Oakland has a 27% reduction in homicides and a 30% reduction in shootings.
Geographic Policing
In 2005, Resolution No. 79235 CMS was approved by the City Council. It was an amendment to a previous resolution which implemented the City of Oakland’s community policing policy. The purpose was to create a structured approach to community involvement. It has four guiding principles:
1) reduce crime, enhance public safety, and to improve quality of life. 2) It is a peer level partnership between the community, the Police Department, and other city agencies.
3) In contrast to the 911 emergency response system, it addresses long term, chronic problems using proactive, collaborative problem-solving methods. 4) It fosters a geographically based crime prevention effort on three levels: at the block level, the neighborhood level, and at the citywide level.
The taxes collected under Measure Z fund geographic policing which includes the hiring, deployment, and maintenance of sworn police personnel reporting to specific geographic areas.
These duties include:
1) Crime Reduction Teams (CRTs): strategically geographically deployed sworn personnel who investigate and respond to violent crimes
2) Community Resource Officers (CROs): officers who engage in problem solving projects, attend Neighborhood Crime Prevention meetings, provide patrol, answer calls for service if needed, and more
3) Conduct intelligence-based violence suppression operations such as field operations, high visibility patrol, compliance, and violent crime investigations 4) Domestic violence and child abuse intervention
5) Sustain and strengthen the Ceasefire strategy
See Attachment C, which outlines the role of Neighborhood Services Coordinators, CROs’ priorities, CROs and staffing for Bureau of Field Operations 1 and 2, and SARA (Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment) projects.
Department Of Violence Prevention
The Department of Violence Prevention (DVP) is charged with reducing group violence, intimate partner violence, commercial sexual exploitation, and trauma associated with these forms of violence in Oakland. To do this, the DVP invests in immediate crisis response services and near-term interventions that stabilize victims and prevent additional violence, as well as longer- term, intensive support services for individuals caught in cycles of violence. Specifically, the DVP performs three primary functions:
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 9
City Council
October 29, 2024
1. Supervise and deploy a team of direct service staff who perform intensive life coaching and violence interruption work with individuals at the highest risk of imminent gun violence as a part of the City of Oakland’s focused deterrence strategy.
2. Fund community organizations to deliver a range of violence intervention and healing services to individuals impacted by violence.
3. Convene and build capacity among community-based organizations (CBOs) that form the ecosystem of violence intervention services in Oakland to enhance our collective capacity to prevent violence, deliver effective, coordinated services, and create a safer and healthier Oakland.
This work advances the following two objectives of Measure Z:
• Reduce homicides, robberies, burglaries, rape, domestic violence, human trafficking, and gun-related violence.
• Invest in violence intervention and prevention strategies that provide support for at-risk youth and young adults that data says are at the highest risk of gun violence to interrupt the cycle of violence and recidivism.
The DVP uses Measure Z revenues to fund CBOs to deliver violence intervention and healing services in the areas of group violence, gender-based violence, community healing, and the School Violence Intervention and Prevention Program. On September 19, 2023, the City Council approved new grant agreements with CBOs selected through a competitive request for qualifications process to deliver services from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, for a total cost of $28,087,500 (Resolution No. 89899 C.M.S.), with the ability to extend services through September 30, 2025, if Measure Z is reauthorized during the November 2024 election. City Council also approved grant agreements for youth and adult employment services from October 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, for a total cost of $2,375,000 (Resolution No. 89900 C.M.S.).
Violence intervention services delivered by CBOs from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, which represent the first nine months of the DVP’s two-year grant cycle, totaled $12,837,397.
Measure Z provided 84% of the funding for these services, for a total of $10,728,688. The sections below provide total funding allocations and the number of people served within each strategy.
Group Violence
To reduce group violence in Oakland, the DVP intervenes in active and potential conflicts to interrupt plans for violence and stabilize individuals who are directly impacted. Additionally, the DVP engages individuals who are directly impacted in longer-term intensive support services that help change mindsets and behaviors, strengthen support systems, and create opportunities and pathways out of violence and to safety and stability.
From October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, grantees in the Group Violence Strategy served 1,160 people for a total cost of $5,758,337. Table 2 identifies the cost of services and number of individuals served by service category for the Group Violence Strategy.
Table 2. Cost of services and number of individuals served within the Group Violence Strategy from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 10
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October 29, 2024
Service category Number of
agencies
funded
Cost of services Number of
individuals
served
Adult employment 2 $362,613 160
Adult life coaching 5 $1,132,920 289
Emergency relocation 1 $198,750 32
Hospital-based intervention 1 $275,418 50
Violence interruption 5 $1,800,841 173*
Youth diversion 3 $331,575 109
Youth employment 4 $786,689 207
Youth life coaching 3 $869,531 140
Total $5,758,337 1,160
*Violence interrupters responded to 173 shooting and homicide scenes. The number of individuals served through this response is likely greater than 173 individuals.
Gender-Based Violence
To reduce intimate partner violence and commercial sexual exploitation in Oakland, the DVP responds to individuals in crisis to remove them from harm and provide stabilizing services. The DVP then engages individuals who are directly impacted by intimate partner violence and commercial sexual exploitation in longer-term intensive support services that help them change their mindsets, behaviors, support systems, and environments and improve their opportunities to achieve long-term health, safety, and stability.
From October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, grantees in the Gender-Based Violence Strategy served 1,085 unduplicated individuals and 10,457 duplicated individuals for a total cost of $2,921,654. Table 3 identifies the cost of services and number of individuals served by service category for the Gender-Based Violence Strategy.
Table 3. Cost of services and number of individuals served within the Gender-Based Violence Strategy from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
Service category Number of
agencies
funded
Cost of
services
Number of
unduplicated
individuals
served
Number of
duplicated
individuals
served*
24-hour hotlines 1 $169,840 – 2,985
Bedside advocacy 2 $273,880 – 184
Emergency shelter 3 $570,876 147 –
Employment 1 $266,136 147 –
Legal advocacy 1 $460,763 512 –
Life coaching 1 $199,124 40 –
Safe space alternatives 2 $243,940 – 773
Therapeutic support 3 $517,575 213 6,515
Transitional housing 1 $219,520 26 –
Total $2,921,654 1,085 10,457
*Data may include the same individuals counted multiple times.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 11
City Council
October 29, 2024
Community Healing
The DVP funds community services that support healing individuals and families who have been directly impacted by violence in Oakland. From October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, grantees in the Community Healing Strategy served 134 unduplicated individuals and 14,639 duplicated individuals for a total cost of $1,843,986. Table 4 identifies the cost of services and number of individuals served by service category in the Community Healing Strategy. The DVP also funds Town Nights events in the Community Healing Strategy using a combination of general-purpose funds and funding from private and public donors. Information about Town Nights events is not included in this report since the service category does not receive Measure Z funding.
Table 4. Cost of services and number of individuals served within the Community Healing Strategy from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
Service category Number of
agencies
funded
Funds spent Number of
unduplicated
individuals
served
Number of
duplicated
individuals
served*
Family support 1 $186,055 122 –
Healing and restorative
activities
4 $730,454 – 4,215
Neighborhood and
community teams
4 $907,477 – 10,424
Therapeutic supports 1 $20,000 12 –
Total $1,843,986 134 14,639
*Data may include the same individuals counted multiple times.
School Violence Intervention and Prevention Program
The School Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Program places a team of three individuals – one violence interrupter, one gender-based violence specialist, and one youth life coach – in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) high schools as full-time staff to support students who have been directly impacted by group and gender-based violence. During the 2023-2024 School Year, the School VIP Program operated at four traditional high schools and three continuation high schools in OUSD. From October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, grantees funded to operate the School VIP Program served 226 unduplicated individuals and 2,635 duplicated individuals for a total cost of $2,313,420. Table 5 identifies the cost of services and the number of individuals served by service category in the School VIP Program. During this time period, the operation of the School VIP Program was also supported by $70,247 from a three-year federal grant that the DVP secured to fund the violence interrupters at three schools.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
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Table 5. Cost of services and number of individuals served within the School VIP Program from October 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024.
Service category Number of
agencies
funded
Funds spent Number of
unduplicated
individuals
served
Number of
duplicated
individuals
served*
Community healing 1 $619,455 – 698
GBV services 1 $748,381 133 1,765
Life coaching & violence
interruption
4 $945,584 93 172
Total $2,313,420 226 2,635
*Data may include the same individuals counted multiple times.
Other Measure Z Expenditures
In addition to funding violence prevention and intervention services delivered by CBOs, Measure Z funded the following systems and services for the DVP from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024:
• $70,000 funded the DVP’s data management system, Apricot 360, in which DVP and grantee staff enter data on service delivery. Data collected through Apricot 360 allow DVP staff to monitor grantee performance against contract deliverables, coordinate service delivery across providers, ensure fidelity to evidence-based models, and evaluate service outcomes to assess impact and contribute to knowledge in the field of community violence intervention.
• $75,000 paid for general operating expenses such as cell phone service, office supplies, materials for outreach events, rental space and food for training provided to grantees, periodical subscriptions, and stipends and emergency gift cards for participants. • $119,000 paid for professional services that included mental health services for DVP direct practice staff, printing of public outreach materials, and other administrative support services.
Oakland Fire Department
As one of the busiest departments in the state, The Oakland Fire Department annually responds to approximately 70,000 emergency 911 calls per year.
In addition to its core goals and objectives, as listed in Table 1 on page 2, the annual Measure Z funding allocation to Oakland Fire Department (OFD) in the amount of two million dollars ($2,000,000) plays an important role in supporting department efforts to maintain adequate personnel resources to respond to fire and medical emergencies, including, but not limited to, structure fires, traumatic incidents, medical emergencies, fire dispatch and violent crimes such as shootings, stabbings, and other bodily assaults.
Measure Z supports key elements of the OFD, such as ensuring effective response times for emergencies, but the funding has a comprehensive positive impact on the department’s ability to achieve its mission to providing the highest quality and highest level of courteous and responsive services to the residents, businesses, and visitors of Oakland. This is accomplished by implementing Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
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comprehensive strategies and training in fire prevention, fire suppression, emergency medical services, and all risk mitigation, including human- caused and natural disasters, emergency preparedness, 9-1-1 services, and community-based fire services.
Measure Z funds ensure that the O FD has the necessary personnel resources to: maintain the minimum daily required staffing requirements; meet and improve upon mandated fire emergency 911 response times; and can respond quickly and effectively to violent crime and traumatic incidents where high level emergency medical services (EMS) treatment is needed. Often, a prompt and
skilled response by Fire and EMS personnel will make the difference in whether a person who is violently assaulted or involved in a shooting becomes a homicide victim or not.
Staffing Challenges and Overtime Use:
OFD operates twenty-five (25) fire stations located throughout the city, twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week. OFD is responsible for fire and medical dispatch, fire prevention, fire suppression, mitigation, emergency medical response, specialized rescue operations, fire investigation, emergency management, and fire code inspection within the city.
Currently, OFD has five hundred and thirty-four (534.00) Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) sworn personnel and two hundred four and eighty-eight hundredths (204.88) FTE civilian personnel authorized, for a total of seven hundred thirty-eight and eighty-eight hundredths (738.88) FTE.
Sixteen of the 534.00 FTE sworn personnel are allocated as 40-hr staff positions.
Operationally, OFD fire suppression shift staff are organized into three (3) shifts referred to as A, B, and C shifts. Shift positions operate on a 48/96 schedule whereby members work two (2) shifts (48-Hours) followed by four (4) days off.
Section 4.2.4 of the MOU between the City and Local 55 identified, through the year 2027, daily minimum staffing levels for "Fire Suppression Staffing" of OFD sworn personnel. The MOU minimum staffing sets a daily number of sworn staff, broken out by specific ranks, which must be in the field at any given time. The total suppression staffing equates to one hundred and thirty-seven (137.00) FTE sworn personnel per shift and four hundred and eleven (411.00) FTE sworn personnel to cover all three (3) shifts. This staffing level includes the Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) staffing requirements of a minimum of six (6.00) FTE sworn personnel one (1.00) FTE Captain and five (5.00) FTE Firefighters).
The Fire Department’s overtime use is due to three main causes: staff vacancy level with unfilled positions, compliance with the Local 55 MOU for minimum staffing provisions, and a significant number of personnel out on long-term industrial leave (work related injuries). In previous years a lack of academies created vacancies that needed to be filled with personnel working overtime. However, during this time frame, the department hosted two (2) academies, which required the department to pull personnel from their regularly scheduled shifts in the firehouse to serve as instructors in the academy cadre, and whereby creating vacancies in the firehouse, which needed to be filled at the overtime rate.
9-1-1 Response and the Fire Communications Center
The Fire Communications Center (FDC) serves as the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in need of fire or medical services in the City of Oakland. Annually, approximately 70,000 calls are processed Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
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each year by highly trained, Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified staff. In addition to the biennial recertification, which includes CPR training, in 2023, OFD Communications was acknowledged for being an Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch for 15 years.
Medical Services Division
The OFD Medical Services Division (MSD) is responsible for providing Oakland Fire Department personnel and Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) responders with continuing education and training which meets the state -mandated minimum requirements for Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics (EMT- P). Fire personnel serve as first responders to emergency calls that may require basic and advanced emergency care when dispatched through the 911 system. MSD is committed to providing the highest quality medical
care to the citizens and visitors of Oakland through training, disaster preparation, and managing the day -to-day needs in a high- call volume EMS system. MSD adheres to the policies and procedures of our Local EMS Agency (LEMSA ), Alameda County , and California State Emergency Medical Services and provides written guidelines and procedures related to the operation of first responder fire personnel, EMT, and Paramedics. MSD is responsible for providing continuing education, course requirements, and skills testing to maintain licenses and certificates for Paramedic and EMT credentials. MSD ensures that adequate medical equipment and supplies are available for Engine all Companies, establishes procedures for patient care reporting fo r legal documentation and quality assurance/quality improvement purposes, and is responsible for providing Designated Infection Control Officer (DICO) duties for reporting exposures to suspected or actual communicable diseases, which has been a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
MACRO: A new model to respond to non-violent, quality of life calls
In April of 2021, The Fire Department launched the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) Program, a community response program for non-violent, non-emergency
911 calls. The purpose of MACRO is to meet the needs of the community with a compassionate care first response model grounded in empathy, service, and community. MACRO's goal is to reduce responses by police, resulting in fewer a rrests and negative interactions, and increased access to community-based services and resources for impacted individuals and families.
Over the course of the 18-month pilot phase, which concluded on October 9, 2023, the MACRO program logged over 15,000 contacts with Oakland residents. Prior to the launch of MACRO, it is likely that many of those incidents would have prompted a response from the Oakland Police or Fire personnel.
Over the lifetime of the program, over 83% of MACRO service recipients are Black, Hispanic or Asian, or Indigenous individuals, fulfilling the mandate set forth in Resolution 88553 by Council in 2021. The breakdown of perceived racial demographics of the total 83% BIPOC are as follows: 66% Black, 12% Latinx, 2% Asian, 1% Middle Eastern, and 1% other.
The Fire Department presented a report to the SSOC committee on October 23, 2023.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 15
City Council
October 29, 2024
The MACRO program does not currently receive designated funding from Measure Z. However, the stated goals of Measure Z, which include reducing delays in the 911 responses, align almost directly with some of the core goals of MACRO, which are focused on mitigating delays in emergency responses and creating a civilian response and alternative for nonviolent and non- emergent calls for service to reduce the need for sworn police and fire personnel to these additional non-emergency call types.
Funding for MACRO staff is paid for through a budget allocation from the State of California that expires in 2026. Currently, MACRO has a total of approximately 30 responders (Emergency Medical Technicians and Community Intervention Specialists).
Table 6. The following are the MACRO stats for January 2024 – June 2024:
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 16
City Council
October 29, 2024
Community Engagement to Promote Safety and Service Career Pipelines
The Oakland Fire Department Public Education and Community Outreach arm works to reach, educate, and train the public on fire and life safety hazard. OFD members can be found at local
community meetings, health fairs, and special events throughout the year. This gives the Oakland Fire Department an opportunity to interact with tens of thousands of residents a year, disseminating a message of safety first. In 2022, OFD hosted or participated in over 160 community public education events, including school visits, station tours, fire safety training, career fairs, mentoring, National Night Out, and smoke alarm distribution events.
During calendar year of 2023, the Fire Prevention Bureau and Community Outreach Team:
• Completed over 200 events, including school visits, station tours, community events, fire safety training, careers fairs, mentoring events, National Night Out, and smoke alarm distribution events.
• Visited eleven schools, reaching over 1300 students during Fire Prevention Awareness Week, in conjunction with Smokey the Bear, members from the Fire Operations Division, and the Fire Chief’s Office.
• And distributed over 100 smoke alarms and 50 carbon monoxide alarms to help save lives and reduce the spread of fire thru a partnership with the American Red Cross.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for this report beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
This report was prepared in coordination with staff from the Oakland Police Department, Department of Violence Prevention, and Oakland Fire Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this informational report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are no economic opportunities associated with this report.
Environmental: There are no environmental opportunities associated with this report.
Race and Equity:
Maintaining Measure Z funding is a benefit to residents and visitors to the City of Oakland by providing programs and services to reduce violent crime. It is highly recommended that departments and community members view the work of
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 17
City Council
October 29, 2024
Measure Z through an equity lens. Applying an equity framework will help ensure the City’s ability to address violence prevention in a strategic manner.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Receive An Informational Report From the Oakland Police Department, Department of Violence Prevention, Oakland Fire Department On Efforts To Reduce Violence In Oakland Through The Measure Z - Public Safety And Services Violence Prevention Act Of 2014 Presented To The City Council, Safety And Services Oversight Commission, Community Policing Advisory Board and the Police Commission.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Felicia Verdin at [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
Floyd Mitchell
Chief of Police
Oakland Police Department
Damon Covington
Chief of Fire
Oakland Fire Department
______________________________
Holly Joshi
Chief
Department of Violence Prevention
Reviewed by:
Joe DeVries
Deputy City Administrator
Prepared by:
Felicia Verdin
City Administrator’s Office
Mailee Wang
Department of Violence Prevention
Jennifer Linchey
Department of Violence Prevention
Floyd Mitchell (Oct 17, 2024 13:32 PDT)
Floyd Mitchell
Damon Covington (Oct 17, 2024 15:20 PDT)
Damon Covington
Holly Joshi (Oct 17, 2024 17:40 PDT)
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: Violence Reduction Efforts Through Measure Z of 2014 October 15, 2024 Page 18
City Council
October 29, 2024
Tracey Jones
Oakland Police Department
Michael Hunt
Fire Department
Attachments (3):
Attachment (A): Measure Z Independent Auditor Report – Year end June 30, 2023 Attachment (B): OPD Hiring Plan and Recruitment Strategies Attachment (C): Report on Geographic Policing