A pair of Oakland, California, residents slammed the city’s response to crime on Thursday’s edition of “The Megyn Kelly Show.”
Bishop Bob Jackson, co-founder of Acts Full Gospel Church spoke about a letter he wrote which lambasted Oakland officials for their soft approach to crime.
“There was no real focus from the leaders of the city on public safety,” Jackson said.
He explained that his church members do not feel safe in the city and are not showing up to night services as a result. He claims that the city is an “environment of danger and lawlessness” and citizens feel like they don’t have a voice to represent their concerns about public safety. (RELATED: ‘It’s Unreal!’: Oakland Residents Grill Soros-Backed DA During Town Hall On Crime Surge)
“We demand to have safety and feel protected in our city that we love so well,” he said.
He criticized the city’s apparent attempt to defund their police department, which resulted in a lack of funds necessary to carry out their duties. He claimed this has resulted in long wait times, often as long as 35 to 45 minutes, for residents that need to speak to police in the event of an emergency. He added that the city has about 700 officers on duty, falling well short of the 1,200 it needs to meet its safety goals.
This feeling of helplessness has resulted in citizens having to take up arms to defend themselves, Jackson argues.
Seneca Scott, founder of Neighbors Together Oakland, drew a direct comparison between Oakland and Boston, Massachusetts. Boston, which has a population of 666,000 people has 2,200 officers whereas Oakland, which has a population of 450,000 people, has just over 700 officers, Scott argued. He accused the local elected officials of “playing politics with public safety” and being dishonest about crime trends within the city.