Chief of the Oakland Police Department

Oakland
Chief of Police
since May 13, 2024
StyleThe Honorable
Formation1853; 171 years ago (1853)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Chief of the Oakland Police Department is an office held by the executive head and highest-ranking officer of the Oakland Police Department. The chief was first established in 1853. The chief manages and oversees the planning, development and implementation of all law enforcement and crime prevention programs for the City. They provide leadership, vision and direction to the Department and its command staff and promotes collaboration, communication and coordination with other city agencies and community organizations.

Sean Whent became police chief in May 2014.[1] He became interim chief in May 2013,[2] replacing interim chief Anthony Toribio, who served for only two days after chief Howard Jordan left for uncited medical reasons.[3] Howard was preceded by Anthony Batts.

Whent spent two decades on the force, joining in 1996.[4] Oakland PD monitor Robert Warshaw forced Whent to resign due to the role of Whent (and his wife) in the coverup of a sexual-misconduct scandal involving Oakland police officers (as well as personnel from multiple other agencies) and a child sex trafficking victim.[5]

Mayor Libby Schaaf appointed City Administrator Sabrina Landreth as head of the department on June 17, 2016, putting it under civilian control, after 3 police chiefs resigned within 9 days. The department had been under multiple investigations at the time of the appointment.[6] On January 4, 2017, Schaaf appointed Anne Kirkpatrick to serve as the next police chief.[7] Kirkpatrick officially assumed office after being sworn in on February 27.[8] On February 15, 2023, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao announced plans to fire the city's current police chief LeRonne Armstrong.[9][10]

On March 27, 2024, Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao introduced Floyd Mitchell as the city's newest chief of police, more than a year after the firing of former Chief LeRonne Armstrong. He took office on May 13, 2024.

  1. ^ Will Kane (May 15, 2014). "Sean Whent named permanent Oakland police chief". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  2. ^ Matthew Artz (May 10, 2013). "Interim Police Chief Toribio out just two days after appointment". Oakland Tribune. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  3. ^ Matthew Artz (May 8, 2013). "Police Chief Howard Jordan announces medical retirement". Oakland Tribune. Archived from the original on June 6, 2013. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
  4. ^ Kane, Will (May 14, 2014). "Sean Whent named permanent Oakland police chief". Sfgate. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  5. ^ BondGraham, Darwin; Winston, Ali (June 10, 2016). "The Real Reason Why Oakland's Police Chief Was Fired". East Bay Express. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016. Despite the mayor's claims, multiple city sources say Whent was forced out by Independent Police Monitor Robert Warshaw, who is responsible for overseeing OPD's progress with its 13-year-old federal reforms, and who hand-selected Whent to run the department in 2014.
  6. ^ Queally, James (June 18, 2016). "Oakland loses third police chief in nine days, will operate under civilian control". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2016.
  7. ^ Mettler, Katie (January 5, 2017). "Introducing Anne Kirkpatrick, just hired to fix Oakland's 'frat house' police department". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 6, 2017. Retrieved January 6, 2017.
  8. ^ "Kirkpatrick officially sworn in as Oakland's new police chief". KRON-TV. February 27, 2017. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved June 28, 2022.
  9. ^ "Statement from Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addressing leadership at the Oakland Police Department". Archived from the original on February 16, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2023.
  10. ^ Pritchett, Elizabeth (February 15, 2023). "Oakland police chief fired after alleged cover-up of officer misconduct: 'Significant cultural problems'". Fox News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.