Oakley City Councilwoman Shannon Shaw issued a statement Thursday night in response to comments made by fellow councilmember George Fuller who suggested they stop sending Oakley Police Officers into the City of Antioch until they look at a mutual aid agreement.
Fullers comments came after he listened to Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe speak at an NAACP event.
Here is the statement issued Thursday evening by Shannon Show:
By now some of you may have read or heard about a statement made at our January 24th Council Meeting regarding a concern over mutual aid pertaining to a neighboring city. Let me be clear, this statement was made by one individual Council Member and he does not speak for the entire Oakley City Council and certainly not for me.
As both the wife and mother of law enforcement officers, I felt the need to address this topic:
A sworn police officer may work for a specific City or County, but in California they are sworn state-wide and can enforce the law anywhere in the State, including a neighboring City that requests assistance. Our Police Department has and should continue developing strong working relationships with all neighboring agencies, especially with those that we share a common border. Neighboring agencies working together in time of need is what is best for the safety of all citizens.
When the call goes out for help, officers shouldn’t care what agency is asking, what City you’re in, and they certainly shouldn’t care if there is a mutual aid agreement, they just go…and help. In fact, Oakley does not have a “mutual aid agreement” with individual cities they have a policy to serve anyone who calls.
In a joint statement from the Oakley City Manager and Oakley Police Chief it stated:
“The Oakley Police Department has always adhered to police department policy when it comes to how to handle outside assistance to other agencies. In part, our policy reads ‘It is the policy of the Oakley Police Department to promptly respond to requests for assistance by other law enforcement agencies, subject to available resources and consistent with the applicable laws and policies of this department. Officers may respond to a request for emergency assistance; however, they shall notify a supervisor of their activity as soon as practicable.”
Police officers put on a badge and take an Oath to serve and protect. That is a responsibility and dedication a police officer has to their community or any other community in need. I am sure that Oakley PD will continue to assist outside agencies when resources permit and I am grateful to the cities that have answered our calls for assistance when needed.
Previous Stories:
- Antioch Police Officers Association (APOA) Address Comments by Mayor Lamar Thorpe and Oakley Councilmember George Fuller – Read Statement
- Oakley Councilmember Suggests Not Sending Officers into City of Antioch — Full Story
3 comments
Oh God, lets not have another pissing contest of public “statements.”
Yes, Mr. Fuller’s statement was ill-advised. He was reacting to Lamar Thorpe’s carps, but he (and everyone) should know by now what a bag of hot air Thorpe is. Don’t get down in the gutter with him and don’t drag our police officers, who have a tough job, in there with you.
As hesitant as I am to write this, both Mr. Fuller and Mr. Thorpe tend to get emotional, and rightfully so. The Antioch-Brentwood region cannot co-exist if the PD agencies do not work together; that’s a fact. I am glad councilwoman Shaw, Oakley PD, and the Antioch PD can be sensible.
Thank You Shannon, I hope that we get rid Lamar, he’s an idiot!!
Comments are closed.