OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) – If a sideshow appears on the street in Oakland this weekend, police say they will be ready for them.
Last weekend sideshows were a major problem for officers but OPD tells KRON4 why that won’t be the case this weekend.
“You will see this weekend additional officers on the street,” Officer Johnna Watson said.
Video from Citizen app captured the scene last weekend in Oakland.
However, Oakland police say when it comes to enforcement this weekend things will be different.
“The chief has just authorized the full deployment of our sideshow detail enforcement. This really goes back to resources. We need the resources to be able to continue to keep the city of Oakland safe,” Watson said.
A unanimous vote from the city council has given OPD the funding they say is needed to better handle the sideshow problem.
It is not like the city council approves money and all of the sudden more OPD officers start falling out of the sky and you have got more officers on the street.
“It is the funds for overtime that we can bring additional officers in. I will be out there this weekend,” Watson said.
OPD officials say the return of sideshow enforcement means the return of citations, vehicles being towed and, participants being arrested
“And if we don’t get you this weekend or we didn’t get you last weekend, we have seizure warrants and, we will come after you with our seizure warrants. That’s a 30-day impound of your vehicle. It will cost you thousands of dollars. We don’t have limits on how far we will travel. We will travel there and take that car,” Watson said.