The Oakland Police Department, already grappling with 33 homicides in the Bay Area's third-largest city so far this year, is putting more officers on the streets this weekend to focus on violent crime -- after recording an additional three homicides since Wednesday.
An Oakland police spokesperson said the department is closely tracking the rise in fatal shootings in the city of 445,000, including the descriptions of those responsible for those killings. At the same time, homicides in Oakland are down 10 percent in 2022 so far, as compared with this same time last year.
The three homicides that occurred during the last three days occurred during evening hours.
Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, someone was killed in the 1200 block of Lakeshore Avenue. Then, before 10 p.m. Thursday, another person was killed, this time in the 3400 block of Mandela Parkway.
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Also Thursday evening, just after 10 p.m., another homicide occurred in the 1800 block of East 12th Street.
The sole purpose of the additional officers this weekend is to focus on violent crimes, according to police. Officers will also be dedicated to illegal sideshow enforcement and supporting patrol officers for calls for services.
The department is also relying on what it calls intelligence-led policing. Its Crime Gun Intelligence Center and the Violent Crime Operations Center lead the department's focused enforcement and apprehension efforts.
So far in 2022, the Violent Crime Operations Center has arrested 10 suspects connected to homicides and has recovered three dozen firearms.
The Oakland Police Department is encouraging residents and businesses to install security surveillance cameras.
Anyone with information about the three homicides since Wednesday evening is asked to contact the Oakland Police Department's Homicide Unit at (510) 238-3821 or the tip line at (510) 238-7950.
