Oakland Sees Recent Spike in Violent Crimes
The Oakland Police Department announced a 1400% increase in violent crimes from January 2020 to January 2021, marking the deadliest January in 20 years. 15 homicides and 64 shootings and murders occurred in January 2021 alone, a 129% increase over January 2020.
This plays out to a rate of more than 2 shootings a day and 1 murder every other day for the entire month of January. The OPD has reported a sharp rise in violent street crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are seeing these incidents continue even as the pandemic starts to improve. For further comparison of violent crimes occurring in 2020 vs 2021, take a look below:
- 159 shootings in 2021 vs. 79 shooting in 2020
- 149 car-jackings in 2021 vs. 57 car-jackings in 2020
- 340 robberies in 2021 vs. 226 robberies in 2020
In an April 12th press conference, Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong discussed how he believes the City of Oakland should respond to these violent events. This press conference followed a violent crime spree in East Oakland, with 6 homicides occurring in 6 days.
Armstrong believes stronger police enforcement is necessary to help reduce the alarming spike in violent crimes throughout Oakland, claiming recent police budget cuts have had grave impacts. As such, Armstrong calls for more financial and practical resources to help minimize violent crime rates in Oakland.
The loss in resources, primarily, police officers, may have contributed to the skyrocketing violent crime rates, according to Armstrong. With this in mind, we could see an increase in enforcement efforts across Oakland if police budgets are restored.
What Does This Mean for You?
If the OPD receives more policing resources due to the sharp spike in violent crimes, there’s a likelihood that more arrests will occur. Understandably, stronger enforcement efforts could mean more people end up behind bars on violent crime charges, such as assault and battery, murder, and more.
A conviction on any of these charges could result in years to decades of imprisonment, thousands of dollars in fines, loss of firearm rights, a criminal record, and more. Don’t let this happen to you.
Whether you were at the wrong place at the wrong time, falsely accused, or made a mistake, know that our Oakland criminal defense lawyer has your back. To speak with us about your situation, contact us online or at (510) 907-6600!