When Mayor Jean Quan and City Administrator Deanna Santana appointed Howard Jordan last October to be Oakland’s new police chief, we were skeptical. We understood that Chief Anthony Batts’ sudden resignation — in the wake of another scathing report from federal court monitors — had left OPD in a difficult situation and that the department needed a leader right away. We also knew that Jordan is a smart guy, and well-liked in the department. But we were concerned whether someone who spent his entire career within OPD’s highly dysfunctional system would be able to reform it. After Jordan’s first seven months on the job, we’re still skeptical.
Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan Deserves a Mixed Review
