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Oakland Police Department Priorities

Because of our close association with local police we are in a position to direct them to trouble spots or areas where we want them to focus special attention. Priorities are established by the MSIC Steering Committee from reports by residents at our public meetings, on our Yahoo Group, from our Web site feedback, or through representatives of home owner and other organizations who serve on the MSIC Steering Committee.

These priorities are specific actions we are asking crime patrol and parking/traffic enforcement officers covering Oakland Police Beat 13Z to take. We separate these priorities because the OPD staffs for these functions with separate, dedicated officers. The MSIC Steering Committee reviews and updates these priorities each month.

Residents are encouraged to help us with these updates, as we want to ensure what we are asking reflects the most important needs of the community.

The current top priority for which we are asking assistance from the OPD traffic enforcement units is:

Priority 1 - This priority was developed because MSIC has received complaints from residents about speeding motorcycles and cars on Skyline Drive, from 7400 to 9400 Skyline Drive. The situation is exacerbated during good weather days because Skyline Drive is also used by bicycle enthusiasts, and by those traveling to and from Parks in the area. Thus, MSIC is requesting that the OPD Traffic Division place a Traffic Officer, for the purpose of ticketing for speeding, from 7400 Skyline to 9400 Skyline, on Thursdays and Fridays from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. specifically on sunny, good weather days when traffic volume is higher.

MSIC has received similar complaints from residents on Mountaingate, Ascot, Skyline, Mountain, Shepherd Canyon Road, Snake, and Colton, and they have been listed in past MSIC traffic enforcement priorities. The speeding and careless driving issues are affecting many streets in Montclair, not just the ones we have identified in past traffic enforcement priorities submitted to OPD. The "sting activities" (ticketing) conducted by OPD in response to our traffic enforcement priorities are not a long-term solution to the problem because the problems reoccur after OPD leaves the area. Thus, MSIC is asking OPD for help to develop a community driving-awareness program that can be marketed to our residents to get their awareness of the problem and a voluntary commitment unmotivated by the threat of a moving violation to calm driving behavior on Montclair's streets. 

The current top priorities for which we are asking assistance from the OPD crime patrol units are:

Priority 1 - This priority was developed because MSIC has received complaints from residents about robberies, assaults, vandalism, and car thefts on Mountain Boulevard from Thornhill Drive to Colton Drive, Colton Drive to Snake Road, and Snake Road to Mountain Boulevard during early afternoon hours during week days. Thus, MSIC is requesting that a Patrol car cruise up and down the area from Mountain Boulevard at Thornhill Drive to Colton Drive, Colton Drive to Snake Road, and Snake Road to Mountain Boulevard, at least once a shift, on weekdays from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Priority 2 - This priority was developed because MSIC has received complaints from residents along Snake Road, from Shepherd Canyon Road to Colton Boulevard about speeding, donuts, and burglaries during night time hours. We have also been concerned about the sink hole and how it impacted drivers on Shepherd Canyon Road. Thus, MSIC is requesting that a Patrol car cruise up and down Snake Road, from Shepherd Canyon Road to Colton Boulevard, Thursday through Saturday from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. 

Priority 3 - This priority was developed because MSIC has received complaints from residents in the Estates Drive area that young people were again congregating in the area along Pershing Drive, unofficially designed as "The Lights," during night-time hours. Thus, MSIC is requesting that a Patrol car cruise up and down from Estates/Liggett (to include the area along Pershing designated as "The Lights" where young people congregate at night), crossing La Salle, to Wood Drive, Wood Drive to Harbord Drive, and Harbord Drive to Moraga Avenue, Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.

The three Patrol Priorities above were written to address specific problems occurring in those areas and to prevent those problems from occurring again.

Montclair residents understand the current Police Officer shortage and how it affects all of Oakland, and our residents recognize that OPD does its best to patrol our neighborhoods. MSIC believes that we can work with OPD to look for ways, creative and long-term ones, to improve the effectiveness of patrol operations in Montclair, and we need your participation and feedback in this effort. Thus, MSIC is recommending that OPD thoroughly study Patrol Operations in Montclair to determine how to Patrol our neighborhoods more often (during day and night time hours), and more evenly and effectively to respond to crimes in progress and deter the risk of crime in Montclair. 

Updated July 14, 2008

If you wish to suggest a priority, please do so at our Feedback page. Make sure to be specific on what you want the police to do (street, area, specific action, time of day, etc.). You can also let us know via our Yahoo Group if you are a member or by contacting Nick Vigilante, MSIC's OPD Priorities Coordinator.