So just how much has crime gone up since Oakland laid off 80 cops? Depends on who you ask. According to the Oakland Tribune, the Oakland cop union just released a report, in which robberies and assaults rose eight percent in the month after the layoffs went into effect. But if you ask the Police Department’s leaders, they’ll tell you that during the same period — July 13 to August 13 — the overall number of serious crimes actually declined when compared to the same time last year. So who’s playing Texas Hold ’em with the numbers here? The cop union, which wants you to be spooked into clamoring for more cops? Or the brass, which wants to carry water for the City Council and assure the public that all is well? The best answer comes courtesy of Deputy Chief Jeffrey Israel: “One month is not enough time to determine a trend.” He’s right, and we’re surprised that the Oakland Police Officers Association thinks we’re so dense we’d fall for such a clumsy trick.
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