Oakland mayor rejects all finalists for vacant police chief position
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao has rejected all finalists for the city’s police chief job, leaving the vacant position once again in limbo nearly a year after Thao placed the last permanent chief on leave and then fired him.
In a statement, Thao’s office said she wanted the Oakland Police Commission to supply her with a new list of candidates to lead the department, which remains under federal oversight amid a series of internal scandals.
“The Oakland Police Chief leads a critical component of the mayor’s comprehensive community safety strategy,” Thao’s statement said. “Mayor Thao thanks the Oakland Police Commission for their continued service and looks forward to working with the commissioners to select the best possible candidate for Oakland.”
The move marks the latest twist in a saga that began in January, when Thao placed the OPD’s former chief, LeRonne Armstrong, on leave after a report that found “systemic deficiencies” in how his department investigated misconduct cases.
Thao fired Armstrong nearly a month later, citing his public statements downplaying the actions of a police sergeant whose misconduct led to a series of cover-ups by higher-ranking officers. Armstrong also publicly criticized the mayor and OPD’s federal monitor, Robert Warshaw.
Despite being let go, Armstrong continued to enjoy support among many people in the community, including members of the Oakland Police Commission. In October, his name was the only one publicized on a list of 18 candidates for the job that was compiled by three outgoing members of the police commission.
Oakland Councilman Noel Gallo, in a phone interview Wednesday, confirmed the names of the three finalists as Armstrong; San Leandro police Chief Abdul Pridgen and Kevin Hall, an assistant chief in Tucson, Ariz.
Pridgen, who was a finalist for the job Armstrong ultimately got in 2021, has been on administrative leave in San Leandro for unspecified reasons.
Gallo expressed frustration over the process.
“The police chief is the most important position we have and we have been waiting for months and months to fill the vacancy,” Gallo said. He still stands firmly behind Armstrong, even though Thao fired him earlier this year. “I need someone with experience but most of all knows Oakland. I still support him and would love to get him back.”
Check back for updates to this developing story.