Oakland’s civilian police watchdog has a new boss, and he is stepping in at a tense moment. Attorney Antonio Lawson is now executive director of the Community Police Review Agency, the city office that investigates police misconduct. He officially took the job on Tuesday after a stint as interim director, inheriting an agency that has been wrestling with staffing gaps and missing procedures while cycling through leadership changes.
The Police Commission confirmed Lawson’s promotion in Tuesday’s press release, according to The Oaklandside. Lawson first joined CPRA as staff counsel in November 2024, then served as interim executive director through 2025 before being moved into the permanent role. The commission leaned on his experience, as well as the stability that comes from promoting an internal candidate, The Oaklandside reported.
State Civil-Rights Experience
Before coming to Oakland’s oversight shop, Lawson worked at the California Civil Rights Department, where attorneys handle large employment-discrimination enforcement cases. The department’s public news pages highlight major matters in recent years, including a court-approved settlement with Riot Games and work tied to a proposed consent decree with Activision Blizzard. Those cases illustrate the kind of complex litigation background Lawson brings to CPRA, according to the California Civil Rights Department.
CPRA’s Docket and the Budget Squeeze…