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As the Occupy Oakland protests continued this winter, so did confrontations between Oakland Police Department officers and protesters. In the most recent incident, which happened on January 28 after Occupy Oakland supporters attempted to take over the Kaiser Convention Center in order to transform it into a social center, over 400 protesters were arrested, many after police encircled marchers and did not allow them a clearly indicated avenue to disperse.

That incident, coupled with recent public forums at which marchers aired allegations of mistreatment by police, has raised questions about whether the OPD was adhering to its crowd control policy, a document last updated in 2005. The Citizen’s Police Review Board is currently organizing another forum to discuss the police response to Occupy Oakland.

The following is a visual exploration of the set of policies–both the OPD’s crowd control policy as well as other city regulations and sections of the California Penal Code–that are supposed to guide how police and protesters interact. Information contained in the Revised Crowd Control Policy for OPD was used as source material for all of the following slides; citations for additional sources is cited after each slide.

Sources used for this slide:

Revised Crowd Control Policy for OPD — Used for all slides

“Oakland Agreement Reached on Crowd Control Tactics” San Francisco Chronicle, November 6, 2004

“The BUMP Squad: Wanna Run Over a Protester? Join the Oakland Police Department” San Francisco Bay Guardian, July 9, 2003

OPD Officer John Hargraves was suspended for 30 days for covering his name badge during an October 25 incident involving Occupy Oakland. His superior office, Lt. Clifford Wong, was demoted for failing to properly report the incident. The incident was caught on video by a person at the march. The video was used to discipline the officers.

Sources used for this slide:



“Each officer shall wear a badge, nameplate, or other device on the outside of his or her uniform or on his or her helmet which bears the identification number or the name of the officer.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section III (C3)

“Two Officers Disciplined for Occupy Misconduct” The Bay Citizen, January 10, 2012

Video of Incident involving both officers.

Sources used for this slide:

“OPD officers shall avoid negative verbal engagement with members of the crowd. Verbal abuse against officers shall not constitute a reason for an arrest or for any use of force

against such individuals.”

“Department personnel must maintain professional demeanor and remain neutral in word and deed despite unlawful or anti-social behavior on the part of crowd members. Unprofessional police behavior can inflame a tense situation and make control efforts more difficult and dangerous.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section VIII (C7,8,9)

“Over last two weeks, 40 arrests, and rising tensions between city officials and Occupy protesters” Oakland North, January 6, 2012

“Occupy Oakland march against police brutality ends peacefully,” Oakland North, October 30, 2011.

“Occupy Oakland General Assembly debates violent ‘Black Bloc’ tactics,” Oakland North, November 10, 2011.

“Protesters clash with police throughout evening as tear gas fills the air,” Oakland North, October 26, 2011.”Occupy Oakland: the Tuesday night confrontations, in photos,” Oakland North, October 26, 2011.

“Fuck the Police, Long Live the Commune” Bay of Rage, January 11, 2012

Sources used for this slide:

“Officers in non-violent crowd situations shall not display weapons before a dispersal order is given or other enforcement action is implemented.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section III (C10)

Sources used for this slide:

“It is essential to recognize that all members of a crowd of demonstrators are not the same.”

“Even when some members of a crowd engage in violence or destruction of property, other members of the crowd are not participating in those acts.”

“This understanding does not mean OPD cannot take enforcement action against the crowd as permitted under this policy, but OPD shall seek to minimize the risk that force and arrests may be directed at innocent persons.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section VIII (C6)

“As night falls, protesters shut down Port of Oakland” Oakland North, November 2, 2011

“In front of downtown banks, some protesters smash windows while others urge peace,” Oakland North, November 2, 2011.

“After midnight, confrontation erupts between police and protesters” Oakland North, November 3, 2012

“Occupy Oakland General Assembly debates violent ‘Black Bloc’ tactics,” Oakland North, November 10, 2011.

“Protesters clash with police throughout evening as tear gas fills the air,” Oakland North, October 26, 2011.

Sources used for this slide:

“In the event of a declared unlawful assembly, it is the general policy of the OPD to use multiple simultaneous arrests to deal with a non-violent demonstration that fails to disperse and voluntarily submits to arrest as a form of political protest rather that dispersing the demonstrators by using weapons or force beyond that necessary to make the arrests.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section V (A)

“California Penal Code 407: Unlawful Assembly” California Penal Code

“Occupy Oakland protesters march through Oakland after chaotic day of evictions, arrests,” Oakland North, October 25, 2011.

“OPD evict Occupy Oakland protesters,” Oakland North, October 25, 2011.

Sources used for this slide:

“Oakland Permits” City of Oakland

“Occupy Oakland clergy and supporters protest beach umbrella citation” Oakland North, December 20, 2011

Sources used for this slide:

“The permissible tactics to disperse or control a non-compliant crowd include all of the following (not in any specific order of use). The use of these crowd dispersal tactics shall be consistent with the Department policy of using the minimal police intervention needed to address a crowd management or control issue.”

— OPD Crowd Control Policy, Section V (H)

“In front of downtown banks, some protesters smash windows while others urge peace” Oakland North, November 2, 2011

“Community art collective condemns Occupy Oakland-related vandalism,” Oakland North, November 9, 2011.

“Occupy Oakland General Assembly debates violent ‘Black Bloc’ tactics,” Oakland North, November 10, 2011.

“Occupy Oakland: Black Bloc in Context” Russia Today, February 10, 2012

Sources used for this slide:

“How I Got Arrested At Occupy Oakland” East Bay Express, February 1, 2012

“Arrests, tear gas as Occupy Oakland protesters attempt to seize a building” Oakland North, January 29, 2012

“Journalists arrested at Saturday Occupy Oakland protest,” Oakland North, January 31, 2012.

“Journalists—Myself Included—Swept Up in Mass Arrest at Occupy Oakland” Mother Jones, January 29, 2012

“Mass arrest attempted at 19th St. in Oakland #J28” Youtube

“Video of YMCA Kettle” You Tube

Sources used for this slide:

“Video of OPD officers Using Batons #j28” You Tube

“Second War Veteran Assaulted by Police” KTVU via You Tube

Sources used for this slide:

“Video of Scott Olsen from Oct. 25” You Tube

“Videographer Scott Campbell Shot By Police” You Tube

“Battle of Oak Street” You Tube

“Arrests, tear gas as Occupy Oakland protesters attempt to seize a building,” Oakland North, January 28, 2012.

“Raw footage: flash grenades and tear gas in downtown Oakland Wednesday night,” Oakland North, November 3, 2011.

“After midnight, confrontation erupts between police and protesters,” Oakland North, November 3, 2011.

“Legal groups demand details on use of force, gas in Tuesday’s Occupy Oakland protests,” Oakland North, October 28, 2011.

“Occupy Oakland: the Tuesday night confrontations, in photos,” Oakland North, October 26, 2011.

“Protesters clash with police throughout evening as tear gas fills the air,” Oakland North, October 26, 2011.

“Occupy Oakland protesters march through Oakland after chaotic day of evictions, arrests,” Oakland North, October 25, 2011.

You can see Oakland North’s complete coverage of Occupy Oakland here.