A former California police chief fired from his post last year has sued the city of Oakland and its mayor, saying he was unlawfully terminated in retaliation for criticizing the federal court-appointed monitor overseeing the department.
LeRonne Armstrong filed his lawsuit in Alameda County Superior Court on Monday. He seeks reinstatement as police chief, the post Mayor Sheng Thao fired him from in February 2023 after a probe ordered by the oversight monitor found he mishandled two misconduct cases.
Oakland has been without a permanent police chief since, even as violent crime, robbery and vehicle theft climbed in the city of 400,000 across the bay from San Francisco . On Tuesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced he will deploy 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland to assist with targeted crackdowns on criminal activity, including vehicle and retail theft.
Preliminary data shows that crime rose in Oakland last year, despite falling in other California urban centers, Newsom’s office said. Last month, In-N-Out Burger announced it will close its first location in its 75-year history due to car break-ins, property damage, theft and robberies at its only restaurant in Oakland.