City Council
September 15, 2026
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Elizabeth Lake
Interim City Administrator
FROM: James P. Beere
Chief of Police
SUBJECT: OPD DEA Task Force MOU DATE: September 1, 2026 City Administrator Approval Date
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator To Enter Into A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) Through September 30, 2031 With The United States Department Of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) To Form The Oakland Police Department (OPD) DEA Task Force Group (Task Force) To Collaborate On Information Sharing And Focused Operations To Disrupt Illegal Drug Activity Occurring In The City Of Oakland.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This resolution, if approved by the City Council, will authorize OPD participation in the OPD DEA Task Force. The Task Force focuses on investigations related to trafficking of illegal drugs in Oakland. Through the MOU, the DEA will provide one or more special agents to the Task Force, and OPD will provide at least one officer. The DEA will also provide funding for office space, supplies, travel funds, equipment, and training, subject to funding availability.
REASON FOR URGENCY
OPD planned to present this MOU to Privacy Advisory Commission. The 2 previous meetings were canceled due to lack of quorum. Therefore, OPD requested to schedule the agenda item straight to Council so the MOU can be approved before the end of September. The current MOU expires on September 30, 2026.
OMC 9.72.010 states that before execution of any Memorandum of Understanding or other written agreement, contract or arrangement (collectively, "MOU") between the Oakland Police Department and the FBI, or other federal law enforcement agency, regarding the Police Department's participation on the JTTF or other federal law enforcement agency task force, or any amendment to any such existing MOU, the Chief of Police shall submit the proposed MOU and any orders, policies, and procedures relevant to the subject matter of the MOU for discussion and public comment at an open meeting of the Privacy Advisory Commission.
Elizabeth Lake (Sep 3, 2026 17:31:31 PDT) Sep 3, 2026
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: OPD ATF MOU
Date: September 1, 2026 Page 2
City Council
September 15, 2026
BACKGROUND AND LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
There is an established nexus between the use, manufacture, and sale of illegal narcotics and violent crime in Oakland. The mission of the DEA is to “enforce the controlled substances laws and regulations of the United States and bring to the criminal and civil justice system of the United States, or any other competent jurisdiction, those organizations and principal members of organizations, involved in the growing, manufacture, or distribution of controlled substances appearing in or destined for illicit traffic in the United States; and to recommend and support non-enforcement programs aimed at reducing the availability of illicit controlled substances on the domestic and international markets.
The DEA State and Local Task Force combines federal leverage and the specialists available to the DEA with state and local officers’ investigative talents and detailed knowledge of their jurisdiction to lead drug law enforcement investigations. The DEA shares resources with state and local officers, thereby increasing the investigative possibilities available to all.
DEA Task Forces also allow state and local police agencies to receive a share of forfeited drug proceeds; participation in DEA Task Forces also allows the DEA to pay for the overtime and investigative expenses of participating police agencies.
Role of Oakland Privacy Advisory Commission with Federal Agreements Ordinance No. 13457 C.M.S. “Federal Transparency Ordinance,” passed October 3, 2017, requires that for MOUs with federal agencies, OPD submit a “proposed MOU and any orders, policies, and procedures relevant to the subject matter of the MOU for discussion and public comment at an open meeting of the Privacy Advisory Commission” (PAC) before execution of said agreement.
On February 6th, 2024, the City Council voted to adopt resolution 90086 C.M.S which authorized the DEA Taskforce MOU in alignment with the staff recommendation.
The current proposed DEA MOU was presented to PAC on September 3rd, 2026. OPD will continue to provide Federal Task Force annual reports to the PAC and City Council annually.
OPD TFO’s will continue to abide by the following City of Oakland and State of California guidelines related to:
• California Senate Bill (SB) SB 54 (California Values Act)1 ;
• The City of Oakland Sanctuary City Ordinance
• DGO M-19 Sections III and VIII (A, C) (OPD policy on prohibitions regarding racial profiling and other bias-based policing)2
.
1 1 SB 54 - California Values Act (Cal. Gov. Code §7284 et seq.) curtails use of state and local resources from engaging in deportations and create safe spaces, including at schools, health facilities, and courthouses - https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB54 2 3 Oakland Sanctuary City Ordinance (code pending) 4 5
http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/police/documents/webcontent/oak032293.pdf 2 http://www2.oaklandnet.com/oakca1/groups/police/documents/webcontent/oak032293.pdf Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: OPD ATF MOU
Date: September 1, 2026 Page 3
City Council
September 15, 2026
• DGO I-15 - Body Worn Camera
• DGO K-03/K-04 – Use of Force (policy/reporting)
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The MOU authorizing OPD involvement with the DEA Task Force, stipulates that OPD will assign one OPD sworn officer to work in partnership with the DEA Task Force; the DEA will provide and fund eight Special Agents to be assigned to the Task Force, and, subject to funding availability, also provide funding for office space, supplies, travel funds, equipment, and training.
So far in 2026, the DEA TF has seized 16.69 kg of powdered Fentanyl, over 4,000 Fentanyl Pills, 62 kg of methamphetamine, and 10,109 pills containing methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine and Fentanyl have had a tremendous impact on the community of Oakland and are extremely dangerous to both the users of these illicit drugs and the communities where these controlled substances are trafficked. Regionally, seizures are on a larger scale, but also significantly impact Oakland, as Oakland has historically been used as a hub for wholesale trafficking and the through transport of illegal controlled substances and precursor chemicals used to process narcotics and controlled substances. Through August 20th, 2026, the DEA Task Force has made approximately 121 arrests in 2026 related to state and federal narcotics/controlled substances offenses.
Oakland continues to face challenges related to the violence frequently associated with drug trafficking activity. Drug traffickers often target and impact vulnerable populations, especially the unhoused community, and distribute destructive narcotics and controlled substances within our communities. For decades, as a byproduct of the drug trade, assaults and shootings have occurred on the streets of Oakland as drug trafficking groups compete for territory or a market share of the narcotics/controlled substances illicit economy. Based on an analysis of shooting data/information from 2024 and 2025, at least forty-eight (48) shootings appeared to have stemmed from illegal narcotics/controlled substances activity.
It is also recognized that the overwhelming majority of illegal narcotics and controlled substances are transported to/from outside of the State of California. The DEA Task Force provides the ability to investigate and prosecute state/federal drug violations across jurisdictions in a manner that OPD and state resources would likely be unable to investigation/prosecute.
OPD and DEA Task Force coordination is a critical element in working to address both the violence associated with drug trafficking activity and the public health impact of dangerous illegal drugs being distributed within the City of Oakland.
RELATED PLANNING EFFORTS
This agenda item is a routine item and does not relate to any Oakland strategic planning efforts.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: OPD ATF MOU
Date: September 1, 2026 Page 4
City Council
September 15, 2026
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No outreach was deemed necessary for this report beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures.
COORDINATION
The MOU was presented to PAC September 3rd, 2026, and OPD consulted with the Office of the City Attorney in the development of this report and accompanying resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no additional personnel or other costs to OPD associated with membership in the DEA; OPD will designate one or more officers already employed through OPD’s operating budget. Any distributions of forfeited assets from DEA to OPD shall be deposited into Fund 2995, Org 102321, Account 46129, Project TBD, and Program PS13.
RACE AND EQUITY
OPD’s collaboration with the DEA helps OPD to target not only illegal drug and narcotics trafficking but violent crime connected to illegal drug trafficking and associated networks through investigation via intelligence led policing. All residents and visitors benefit from these efforts to investigate and prosecute individuals involved in this illegal and dangerous activity.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: OPD ATF MOU
Date: September 1, 2026 Page 5
City Council
September 15, 2026
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing The City Administrator Or Designee To Enter Into A Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) Through September 30, 2031 With The United States Department Of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) To Form The Oakland Police Department (OPD) DEA Task Force Group (Task Force) To Collaborate On Information Sharing And Focused Operations To Disrupt Illegal Drug Activity Occurring In The City Of Oakland.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Lt. Gabriel Urquiza at gurquiza[email protected].
Reviewed by:
Jeffrey Smoak, Captain
OPD, Ceasefire Section
Dr. Tracey Jones, Police Services Manager
OPD, BRM, Research and Planning
Prepared by:
Gabriel Urquiza, Lieutenant
OPD, RTOC – Ceasefire Section
Attachments (1)
A: Alameda OPD Narcotics Taskforce MOU