Sign in Subscribe
4 min read Oakland Public Safety Committee

Oakland backs license plate readers, drones, and 5 more police tools

Oakland Public Safety Committee: The committee voted to keep all 7 OPD surveillance tools, from plate readers to drones, and sent it to a March 3 council vote. Plus $3,409,389 in paramedic gear.
Share
Oakland
Public Safety Committee
February 24, 2026

TL;DR

  • The committee backed keeping all seven OPD surveillance tools, from plate readers to drones, with a final council vote set for March 3.
  • OPD said it cut its discipline-hearing backlog 73%, from 169 cases in October 2024 to 46 by January 2026. The police oversight agency disputed the count and asked to take over the hearings. The committee kept them in OPD and set a three-month update.
  • The committee recommended a five-year, $3,409,389 deal for paramedic CPR and cardiac equipment, funded mostly by a 1997 voter-approved tax.
  • The committee also endorsed a $1,369,243 contract with ImageTrend to replace the fire department's records system and meet a new national standard.

This post is for paying subscribers only


You might also like...

23
Jun

Fewer car lanes, more crossings proposed for 14th Street

Oakland Public Works and Transportation Committee: A nearly $2.5M safety redo of 14th Street and two disposal contracts head to council July 7. A nearly $21M Broadway contract moved to July 14.
3 min read
16
Jun

Oakland mayor breaks 4-4 tie to put charter plan on the ballot

Oakland City Council: A strong-mayor charter measure heads to the November ballot after Mayor Lee broke a 4-4 tie. The council funded 21 violence-prevention groups and raised property taxes.
5 min read
12
Jun

Oakland passes its budget by declaring a fiscal emergency

Oakland City Council: The council passed its 2026-27 budget 6-2, declaring a fiscal emergency to waive the 700-officer police minimum and Democracy Dollars. It also moved $50M up to housing.
6 min read
09
Jun

Oakland sends $38.1M anti-violence plan to Council, cut to 2 years

Oakland Public Safety Committee: A $38.1M plan for 21 violence-prevention groups heads to the full Council, cut from 3 years to 2. The first wildfire report flagged an unfilled manager job.
3 min read
09
Jun

A paperwork error stalled payments for 369 Oaklanders' care

Oakland Life Enrichment Committee: A fix to keep lifeline services reaching 369 frail seniors and disabled adults heads to the full council June 16. Plus up to $197,432 for summer camp.
2 min read