When Oakland Police Chief Anthony Batts first took the job in 2009 he was tasked with trying to make a city safer with fewer resources.
Part of that involved Batts implementing reforms, including improving the department's standing in the community and on officer discipline.
One area the chief has focused some of his attention is on cutting down profanity in the department, according to The Bay Citizen.
The digital newspaper reports that officers have been disciplined in "several recent cases" and not everyone in the department is happy about it.
"I’m sorry. I’m not dealing with librarians. I’m not dealing with P.T.A. moms," Sgt. Dom Arotzarena, the president of the Oakland Police Officer’s Association, told The Bay Citizen. "I’m dealing with criminals, guys who are in San Quentin, guys who are in prison. The last thing I want people to think is that I’m some softie."
The move is part of an overall program to improve the department's relationship with the community.
Under Batts tenure, officer disciplinary cases have tripled. But he says it is not a rampant problem.
"I don’t want to say we have a runaway culture here, but I think we have a very traditional culture,H he told the paper. "It’s not just expletives; it’s their overall attitude."
To read the full story, visit The Bay Citizen's website.
