Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong and the Challenges He Faces as Oakland’s New Top Cop

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 24 February 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With the installation of a new police chief: Leronne Armstrong, the city of Oakland is hoping to end the musical chairs game at the top of the police department. Armstrong is an insider, a 22-year veteran of the department, born and bred in West Oakland, and a proud alumnus of McClymonds High School. The city is facing a spike in homicide rates, a rash of crime against seniors and businesses in Chinatown, and court-ordered department reforms overseen by a federal consent decree that's been in place for 18 years. We’ll ask him how he plans to build trust in the city’s diverse neighborhoods, the role of mental health crisis teams, and looming budget cuts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:42.8	From KQED.
0:45.3	And welcome back to Forum, Scott Schaefer, this hour.
0:47.9	And I'm delighted right now to welcome Oakland's new police chief.
0:52.4	Loran Armstrong is an Oakland native. He's been on the OPD
0:56.1	since 1999. He was sworn in by Mayor Libby Schaff two weeks ago, and he's with us now to discuss
1:01.6	his plans to address the city's public safety challenges, including a recent surge in hate crimes
1:07.0	directed especially at elderly Asian Americans. Chief Armstrong, welcome to Forum.
1:12.3	Good morning. I know you're having. You bet. Well, listen, I do want to talk to you about your
1:16.8	priorities and the budget and all that, but I want to just get a little bit of your bio because
1:20.9	you are the first Black Oakland Police Department Chief. You were born in Oakland. What's the
1:26.4	significance of that, both to you and to the
1:28.6	OPD? Well, I think the significance starts with community, right? I mean, it really is a moment for our
	...

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