photo: Denise Tejada - Youth Radio/ BY-NC-SA

Mayor Ron Dellums and Chief Anthony Batts held a press conference Wednesday to discuss Oakland’s public safety. Batts took office on October 19th and since then has been meeting with Oakland’s community members, council members, officers, and deputy chiefs. Batts says that Oakland’s murder rate has decreased and that residential burglaries are also down from last year.

One topic emphasized at the conference was legalizing sideshows. A sideshow is when a group of cars take over a residential street to do “donuts”—when a car moves at a high speed in circles, burning tires, and with music in the background. The crowd decides who fully executed the donuts or who burned the most tires. The drivers are not doing the moves for a title, but for street credit.

Both Batts and Dellums say they have no intention of legalizing sideshows. They are looking at ways to create safer activities for Oakland residents that may include cars or other areas of interest.

The chief is planning on meeting with Oakland’s new superintendent. He is also working with a San Jose professor to conduct an employee survey among officers to further discuss their concerns.

Previously:

• Introducing Oakland's New Police Chief
• Oakland Mayor's Emotional Press Conference
• Dellums and Too $hort Interviews [Oscar Grant]