The Oakland Police Department will likely lift a rule put in place in 2022 that some residents say makes it more difficult for officers to chase suspects.
That outcome is expected after a Thursday night meeting of the Oakland Police Commission saw dozens of residents supporting OPD Chief Floyd Mitchell’s proposal to rescind Special Order 9212, which requires officers to end a chase if they or the suspect’s speed reaches or exceeds 50 mph without commander approval. He also proposed reimplementing a provision to shield officers who terminate a pursuit from discipline or criticism, and requiring officers to notify a supervisor “as soon as reasonably practical” once they have initiated a pursuit.
“I understand that no policy, however expansive or restrictive, will fully satisfy all parties,” said Mitchell, who joined OPD a year ago. “Nonetheless, we were asked to provide written recommendations for formal revisions, and we have done so grounded in national best practices and extensive stakeholder input.”…