Dear Oakland Business Community, Residents and Friends,
This Friday, November 5, former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle is scheduled to be sentenced in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with information that may help guide your planning efforts that day.
While it is not anticipated that any major protests or demonstrations will occur, the Oakland Police Department has the resources and plans in place to respond in the event that a demonstration or protest emerges. As we have in the past, the City of Oakland remains committed to facilitating peaceful demonstrations and responding appropriately if personal safety and/or property are at risk.
We are not urging businesses to close on Friday. Instead, we advise that you use common sense precautions and convey a sense of calm to your employees and customers. Please note that there are a number of activities happening that night that will draw crowds to downtown Oakland, including Oakland’s First Friday Art Walk, a monthly city-wide event featuring premier art galleries, restaurants, bars, clubs and cultural venues, and a sold-out show at the Fox Theater.
We have been in close coordination with BART and AC Transit, who have indicated that trains and buses will be operating normally. BART has confirmed that they have no plans to close stations. You can sign up for email and text message alerts at www.bart.gov/alerts to be notified of service changes as they happen.
The City has developed a variety of communications channels to keep the business community and the public informed of developments as they occur. We encourage you to use the following:
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We will post regular information updates on our web site: www.oaklandnet.com
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To receive alerts by email or wireless device, subscribe to our e-alert system by entering your email address. If you would like to receive wireless alerts via mobile phone, be sure to check the “Send Wireless Alerts to this address” box and enter your mobile number and carrier. Once you’ve saved your subscriber preferences, be sure to select “Emergency Alerts for Merchants.”
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Follow us on Twitter: oaklandpoliceca
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If you don’t have a computer, call (510) 444-CITY for information and/or recorded updates.
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You may also contact the City of Oakland’s Business Assistance Center at (510) 238-7952 or visit www.OaklandBAC.com for support and additional information.
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To report any tips or suspicious activity, call the Oakland Police Department’s non-emergency line at (510) 777-3333.
Keeping peace on our streets and protecting Oakland businesses and residents is our top priority. Thank your for your consideration and support.
Sincerely,
Dan Lindheim, City Administrator
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