Former Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong kicked off his campaign for city council at McClymonds High School on Saturday, campaigning on a message of hope and resilience.
Armstrong’s kickoff started with a strong show of support in the community where he was born and raised.
“Oh yeah, we’re very fired up in this community,” said resident Carol Wyatt.
Armstrong brought in early campaign donations and glowing endorsements Saturday, with a lineup of community leaders that included longtime city councilmember Noel Gallo.
At the event, Armstrong gave hugs and handshakes, delivering a speech focused on hope and healing for Oakland.
“My brother was killed in an Oakland public school,” Armstrong said. “That changed my life. See, it said to me that I needed to do something different in my community.”
And Armstrong did just that, working his way up the ladder of the Oakland Police Department for 24 years. That ended in February 2023, when newly-elected Mayor Sheng Thao fired Armstrong over accusations of department mismanagement.
Armstrong was later cleared of any wrongdoing, and has since sued the city for wrongful termination.
“See, I’m from west Oakland. I’m a truth-teller. I’m not scared of nobody,” Armstrong said. “I told you when they fired me, I wasn’t scared. I told you that I was going to come back standing. I told you that I was going to prevail. And I did, and we will prevail in this election.
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Seneca Scott, a leader in the recall effort against Thao, showed his support at the campaign kickoff.
Scott pointed to Armstrong’s firing as a major catalyst for the mayor facing a recall, which may end up on the November ballot.
“And the reason is not Armstrong himself, but because of what happened immediately after he was fired. You saw a noticeable dropoff in public safety and you saw the city descend into madness,” Scott said. “Like what happens when the teacher’s gone and there’s a substitute? Class is going to act up.”
NBC Bay Area spoke to Armstrong, to ask him — in the event the recall effort failed — if it would be hard to work with the person who fired him.
“No matter who is mayor or who I sit next to, I hope our commitments are the same,” Armstrong said. “Our commitments should be to the residents and visitors of Oakland, and that’s what I’m here for.”
