Oakland police brass say arrests not answer

Carolyn Jones, Chronicle Staff Writer, sfgate.com

(04-22) 23:09 PDT Oakland -- With Oakland citizens fearful and angry about crime, and some even fighting back against robbers and intruders, a top Oakland police official told city leaders Tuesday night that police alone can't solve the violence.

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"You said you can't arrest our way out of this problem," City Councilwoman Pat Kernighan told Kozicki and other police leaders, including Police Chief Wayne Tucker. "Well, you sure better try. We all have our jobs to do, and your job is to arrest people."

Hours before the deputy chief addressed the council's public safety committee, authorities charged a 16-year-old boy in connection with the brazen takeover robbery of a restaurant near Lake Merritt, and a resident shot and wounded an ex-con who police say was breaking into the resident's home in North Oakland.

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In addition to Tuesday's shooting by the resident, two Oakland shopkeepers in the past week have shot and injured men who police say were robbing them. Those citizens, police said, were exercising their rights to defend themselves.



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