Oakland residents raise crime concerns at packed public safety meeting

IT'S UNREAL THAT THERE ARE NO CONSEQUENCES FOR THESE CHILDREN. REPORTER: EMOTIONS RUNNING HIGH AT A MEETING THURSDAY IN OAKLAND. >> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PAIN AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH. REPORTER: THE MEETING ATTENDED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS A LINE OUT THE DOOR AND SO MANY PEOPLE TRYING TO LOGON THROUGH ZOOM THAT THE APP MAXED OUT. THE ISSUE ON EVERYONE'S MIND? RISING CRIME. >> BEAT US TO THE GROUND. GRABS MY FRIENDS HAIR AND PULLED HER ACROSS THE SIDEWALK. REPORTER: BARBARA WAS ONE OF THOSE IN ATTENDANCE. SHE CAME TO TALK ABOUT HER EXPERIENCE GETTING ASSAULTED AND ROBBED IN THE CITY. BARBARA WASN'T ALONE. >> I WAS PULLED OUT OF MY CAR AT GUNPOINT. REPORTER: SEEMINGLY EVERYONE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. ONE OF THE MAIN CONCERNS WAS WHAT TO DO WITH JUVENILES WHO COMMIT CRIMES. >> ALL COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DECRIMINALIZE YOUNG PEOPLE. OUR COUNTY HAS ADOPTED THAT AS A POLICY. REPORTER: STATISTICS SHOW THAT CRIME IS UP 26% YEAR-OVER-YEAR. MANY IN THE AUDIENCE DEMANDED ANSWERS FROM THE DA AS WELL AS THE POLICE OVER WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO STOP THE VIOLENCE. ONE CASE THAT CAME OUT WAS THE ARREST OF NINE CHILDREN POLICE SAY WERE CONNECTED TO 35 DIFFERENT ROBBERIES. >> FORMAL CONSEQUENCES ESTABLISHED THAT DON'T ALWAYS INVOLVE INCARCERATION. BUT DO INVOLVE AND CARRY SOME PUNITIVE DAMAGES THAT REQUIRES THE PERSON TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. REPORTER: THERE WERE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS. THERE WAS ONE THING EVERYONE COULD AGREE ON. THEY WANT TO FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. >> THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING WOMEN PARTICULARLY, OLDER WOMEN, ASSAULTING THEM AMONG OTHER CRIMES, HAVE TO HAVE CONSEQUENCES. IT'S RIDICULOUS. REPORTER:

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 9,021

Keywords: news, abc, abc7news, oakland crime, oakland public safety meeting, alameda county district attorney pamela price, oakland police, oakland violence, oakland youth crime, oakland crime rate

Id: tGfVZ975HXw

Length: 2min 14sec (134 seconds)

Published: Fri Jul 28 2023