Poll finds Oakland voters support Mayor Barbara Lee, want more cops

Most voters in oakland need extra police, extra surveillance and fewer homeless encampments, in line with a latest survey by the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

The analysis company introduced earlier this month FM3 surveyed 735 doubtless voters in Oakland on-line and by telephone about city points and insurance policies.

The survey additionally included questions on metropolis management, exhibiting that 61% of respondents assist Lee. The town council apparently doesn’t take pleasure in the identical goodwill; she solely acquired a choice rating of 27% within the opinion ballot.

A majority of voters surveyed wish to see Oakland’s governing construction change to offer the mayor extra energy.

Respondents say they need extra cops from Oakland

The resultslaunched Thursday morning, reveals that 67% of respondents assist growing the variety of officers within the Oakland Police Division, in comparison with 9% who need the drive decreased.

The survey additionally reveals sturdy assist for growing police enforcement in neighborhoods and enterprise districts. Sixty-seven p.c of respondents stated they need town to observe privately owned digital camera techniques, equivalent to enterprise safety cameras, with the homeowners’ permission. Equally, 66% assist the usage of city-owned automated surveillance cameras, and 59% assist the usage of aerial drones to observe public security incidents.

By a 14-point margin, respondents had been extra more likely to say crime and public security have improved (40%) moderately than worsened (26%) in latest months. From OPDs most recent weekly crime reportViolent crime in Oakland is down 25% this yr in comparison with the identical interval final yr. Experiences of robberies and burglaries are down 42% and 27% respectively, though it might take a while earlier than property crime information is finalized as OPD should evaluate every report.

When requested about six classes of metropolis providers, respondents overwhelmingly stated public security and emergency response occasions are crucial to take care of in a tough finances cycle (61%), adopted by sources for homelessness (11%), highway upkeep and repairs (8%), staffing for metropolis providers (7%), unlawful dumping cleanup (4%) and parks and recreation (3%).

Respondents need Oakland to restrict homeless encampments

The chamber additionally requested voters how town is coping with homeless encampments. The Oakland Metropolis Council is at present contemplating sweeping adjustments to its encampment coverage, together with permitting town to clear encampments with out offering residents with different shelter and permitting police to arrest folks for tenting.

The survey requested voters in the event that they wished to alter these insurance policies, however it solely centered on just a few particular adjustments. One change would permit town to shut sidewalk camps with out discover and make it simpler to clear automobile camps. Sixty-one p.c of respondents stated they had been in favor of those adjustments.

There was additionally broad assist for typically limiting homeless encampments in public areas (85%) and for limiting long-term RV and automobile encampments (74%).

Every year for the previous twenty years, the Chamber has employed a knowledge analysis agency to gauge the doubtless positions of Oakland voters on a number of key points, together with public security, the financial system, high quality of life and the effectiveness of native elected officers.