Oakland has a police academy and a fire academy, intensive training programs where cadets are given skills they’ll need to work as police officers and firefighters.
In two years, it will also have a community violence intervention academy.
The city of Oakland’s Department of Violence Prevention is working with the Urban Peace Institute, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, to create a training program for violence interrupters, unarmed civilians who de-escalate situations and prevent retaliation after shootings and other forms of violence. The first training cohort will launch in 2027…