Oakland fires 80 police officers, lists crimes cops will no longer respond to

By Stephen C. Webster
Raw Story
Jul. 16, 2010

The Oakland Police Department is feeling the burn of California's unending budget crisis, as 80 officers were laid off Tuesday night after negotiations between city and police union failed to reach an accord.

The department's chief had said in recent days that unless the city could meet the union's demands, officers would no longer respond in person to register sex offenders, or for reports of vehicle accidents, grand theft, identity theft, burglary, embezzlement, vandalism, stray animals and others.

Instead, victims in most non-emergency situations are being directed to file reports over the Internet. Police say the move will help them better focus on emergencies and violent crime.

In Oakland, one of the nation's most crime-plagued cities, non-violent reports make up about a quarter of 911 calls, according to area reports. The 80 officers laid off constitute about 10 percent of the police department's total manpower.

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