Oakland: #4 most dangerous city in America (Montclair, Piedmont: crime rate, layoffs, living in)

[JonSmith]

The most dangerous cities in America, 2012
Michael B. Sauter, Douglas A. McIntyre, Ashley C. Allen, Alexander E. M. Hess, Lisa Nelson and Samuel Weigley
24/7 Wall St.com– Tue, Jun 12, 2012 3:07 PM EDT


FBI data shows that violent crime rates are improving across America, but among cities with the highest crime problems, murder rates continued to rise in 2011. The FBI finds that violent crime dropped 4% in 2011, compared with a 5.5% drop in 2010. Nationally, the murder rate fell 1.9% from 2010, and robbery, forcible rape and assault fell 4% each.

Oakland cut its budget by 7% in the current fiscal year, with an additional 5% cut on the way, according to PERF. In the past two years, the city lost 80 police officers to layoffs and another 108 to attrition. This occurred despite increases in both violent and property crime in 2011.

Yet a 24/7 Wall St. review of 2011 FBI crime data shows that violent crime rose in more than half of the cities that have among the highest rates in the country. In seven of the 10 cities, murder rates increased. In eight of the 10, burglary went up.

Oakland historically has been among the most crime-ridden cities in California, with a violent crime rate this year of 16.8 per 1,000 people. There were 14 more murders in 2011 than in 2010, causing Oakland to maintain the ninth-highest murder rate in the country two years in a row. Oakland is the number one city for both robbery and motor vehicle theft rates in the country. Oakland city councilmember Desley Brooks, who wants to allocate $11 million in revenue to the police force, acknowledges the increased violent crime, saying, “we cannot ignore that we have had an increase in violent crime, and so we cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect that it’s going to be a different result.”

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by JonSmith

Oakland city councilmember Desley Brooks, who wants to allocate $11 million in revenue to the police force, acknowledges the increased violent crime, saying, “we cannot ignore that we have had an increase in violent crime, and so we cannot continue to do the same thing the same way and expect that it’s going to be a different result.”

Cut and paste this for 1985 to 2005. It's still the same old song.

[chinamen]

I lived in Oakland for more than 35 years. It is true that it is a dangerous city. To be honest with you, I just find myself lucky to be alive. There were a lot of close calls and dangerous situations in Oakland in my lifetime.

It is true that Oakland has some good areas and crime is very low in those areas. But if you look at Oakland overall, it is not a place for a person who is unfamiliar with the Oakland area. And also, Oakland is a lot different at night than in the day time. Some areas might be considered safe in the day time but at night, it is a very different situation.

[dragontales]

^
Be careful. You might be accused of being an Oakland hater and troll for your comments.

[DocGoldstein]

I will say this, anyone living in the hills near Piedmont, Montclair, Rockridge, Shepard Canyon, will probably not be affected by rising crime in Oakland. So it's not all of Oakland that is crime ridden, but that still doesn't make it okay.

[clongirl]

Oh fer gawd sake...how many of these kinds of threads are there already. What's left to discuss? So if you don't or are too scared of the place, one doesn't have to visit or live there..

Plus, you gotta wonder why the OP would make this the first posting...and even weirder is that DocG is always the first to reply. It's leaning toward mentally ill, actually.

[Gentoo]

You're not safe in the hills! See those in the flats have pointed their heavy artillery toward the hills. The howitzer shells and mortars should start bombarding them any day now. You cannot fly out of Oakland as surely the largest lumbering targets will be instantly detonated as they take flight. Then there are the snipers...those dreaded snipers hiding in alleys. Just the other day I had a dodge a damn grenade just before it exploded. I'm lucky to be alive I tell ya

[dragontales]

Another user got banned recently because he was on a troll calling crusade. If you had a different opinion you would be called a troll automatically.

[DocGoldstein]

Originally Posted by North Oakland City

I'll get banned for calling them out yet they are allowed to keep this troll act up and never get banned.

No you get banned because you've been banned 8 times before previously.

I don't see why you and others are worked by this article. What the article is saying is true, and has been true for decades.

[Gentoo]

This just in:

Shelling has resumed in the flats. The thugs were reported firing tank rounds into a building filled with innocent people. As they tried to escape, they were machine gunned.

Looks like they may have to cancel the Laurel Music Festival and other cultural things this city is also known for should this continue.