CPRB Policy Recommendations from Occupy Oakland Investigations December 13, 2012 (revised as of Dec. 21, 2102)

Categories  Training  Handling of Press  Equipment Related  After-Incident Reporting

Training  Pre-Planning Mass Demonstration Training  Post-Occupy Training

Pre-Planning Training  Officers with histories of problematic uses of force should be restricted from participating in mass protests where less- lethal munitions are likely to be deployed.  OPD should develop a training documents for commanders, with the highlights of the Crowd Control Policy and Use of Force (K- 3) prior to the start of the assignment.

Post-Occupy Training  OPD should provide in-depth K-3 Training for all officers as a result of the lessons learned from Occupy.

Handling of Press  OPD and the City of Oakland should work on updating their policy to incorporate a clear definition of press.  OPD should develop a policy regarding videotaping, photographing and filming of officers by the general public.

Equipment  Personal Digital Recording Devices (PDRD)  Helmets

Equipment Con’t Personal Digital Recording Devices (PDRDs)  All Tango Team officers or officers assigned to protect a line should be required to wear a PDRD.  All of the PDRDs and uploaded videos need to reflect an accurate time showing the date and time when the event was recorded.  OPD should develop a separate PDRD Manual of Rules Violation.  Instances when PDRDs should be used should be expanded, including in crowd control situations for all officers.

Equipment Con’t Helmets  All OPD officers should have their names and serial numbers prominently displayed on their riot helmets.

After-Incident Reporting  Direct supervisors shall review the reports of their subordinates to ensure accuracy, completeness and compliance with the requirements of DGO K-3. All superior officers who have approved a police report prepared by their subordinates shall be held accountable for ensuring that the contents of the reports are complete and conform with requirements outlined by applicable OPD policy.  OPD officers should be allowed an opportunity to review PDRDs and additional time to complete their supplemental police reports after a mass demonstration or event where officers may have multiple contacts with multiple individuals involving less lethal force or less lethal weapons.  The Mass Use of Force Report writing process needs to be in writing.  OPD should omit a lone Use of Force Writer.

Conclusion  These recommendations offered by the CPRB will be shared and reported directly to OPD.  These recommendations will also be included in the CPRB’s future Annual Reports to report on the progress of these recommendations.