(Oakland, CA) OPD shifts to 'smaller scale' tactics for Occupy

[alp227]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Facing criticism from a federal court monitor for using "military-type" tactics against Occupy activists, Oakland police changed their strategy during Tuesday's May Day protests - swooping in on individual suspects instead of making mass arrests, keeping their beanbag guns holstered and using tear gas sparingly.

"This was our attempt to handle things on a smaller scale, in hopes of facilitating the majority's freedom to assemble," said Sgt. Christopher Bolton, chief of staff to Police Chief Howard Jordan.

On some levels, the effort appeared to succeed - 39 people were arrested, compared with more than 400 during a January protest, and vandalism was not as widespread as in other large Occupy actions.

Some critics, though, said the effort fell short, and that police had provoked protesters.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/05/02/BAJO1OC8TP.DTL

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Also: "Judge losing patience with OPD's Occupy probes"

[Dawson Leery]

1. Not that THEY can be trusted.

[msongs]

2. have ANY police been held accountable for their behavior at OWS events? Sgt Pepper Spray in Davis? n

[Kalidurga]

3. In Minneapolis we are sort of lucky

We only had 6 squads that I could see, 8 cops on horseback, several on motorcycles, and several on bikes. This was for about 80-100 people at Loring Park, I don't know how many marchers I only saw them as they were leaving.

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. Police 'took their eye off the ball', and here's why...

(actually this was in Montreal's May Day protests, but Oakland PD could also use some humor)

[EFerrari]

5. That's brilliant.

lol

[FailureToCommunicate]

6. Here's another photo of it