Oakland Wins Third Place in an Ugly Contest
Study says East Bay city has third highest crime rate in the country
By SAJID FAROOQ
Updated 2:24 PM PST, Mon, Nov 23, 2009
Oh Oakland. Even when you win, you lose. In true Oakland fashion, the East Bay city has been bestowed a dubious honor.
A new survey says the home of the Oakland Raiders is also home to the third highest crime rate in the country. Oakland's 2008 statistics moved them up two spots from last year's CQ Press report.
Oakland was given the unwanted title despite experiencing two consecutive years of decreasing crime rates and welcoming a new police chief whose "passion is trying to stop the level of murders, homicides and deaths" in the city, according to the Oakland Tribune.
And in true Oakland fashion, the report does not come without its own drama.
CQ Press' rankings rely heavily on data the FBI keeps on murder, rape, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary and car theft. But even the FBI has attacked the group's annual studies. Mayor Ron Dellums dismissed the study while acknowledging Oakland has a long way to go.
CQ, of course, dismisses the criticism as little more than politics.
First Published: Nov 23, 2009 2:01 PM PST
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