By: Christina Kostic
Posted In: Opinion
Photo credit: insidebayarea.com
Just last week on Mar. 21, 2009, history was made in California, but it is a day that will be remembered with mourning, anger and hurt. Three Oakland officers were fatally shot and a forth was left brain dead and later died from his injuries, all at the hand of a parole violator pulled over for a routine traffic stop.
I was shocked, saddened and disturbed when I learned of the murders of these four officers. I feel a certain connection to this horrible incident because I am from Piedmont, Calif., the neighboring city to Oakland. Also, on a more personal level, my father is a retired California police officer. While my hometown is sheltered in its own little safety bubble, I have always been aware of the violent history of the city right next door. With a notorious reputation as one of the top-ten most dangerous cities in the United States and with one of the highest rates of homicide in the nation, many people have heard of Oakland for predominately bad reasons. This tragedy is yet another event that will add to the city’s already-tarnished name. At the memorial service on Mar.27, 2009 for Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40; Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43; Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35; and Officer John Hege, 41, 21,000 people attended as reported-a mixture of civilians, state officials and law enforcement from all over the country. Even President Obama responded to the horrific news in a letter: “I was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic loss of (the four officers). Michelle and I hold their families and your community in our thoughts and prayers. Our nation is grateful for the men and women of law enforcement who work tirelessly to ensure safety for our citizens and our neighborhoods.” It’s difficult to sit here and not rant or curse or cry over what happened to these brave men. In a city such as Oakland there is no question that the job of a police officer is dangerous, but very necessary. California has long had a problem with over-crowded prisons and parolee violators. Statewide, almost 17,000 of the nearly 125,000 parolee’s are wanted for violating their parole requirements, state records show. In Oakland alone there are 1,900 parolees-almost 200 of which have outstanding arrest warrants for parole violations, including Lovelle Mixon, the man who killed the four officers. Only now, after this heinous event, are state officials questioning the effectiveness of the current moderation, or lack thereof, of California parolees. But isn’t that how it always goes? It takes a tragedy before change can come. How unbelievably frustrating and sad it is that these four officers were dedicated to helping make the streets of Oakland safer and are now a sad reminder of all the work that is still left to be done.
