Oakland police shot and killed a person for the first time in two years on Saturday, and although much has been extolled about the department’s efforts to reduce shootings and increase transparency, that doesn’t mean all the public’s questions will be immediately answered.

The family of Demouria Hogg, 30, said Monday they’re still unclear why police, after finding Hogg unresponsive early Saturday morning with a gun nearby, shot him more than an hour later after Hogg awoke.

What is the department’s current protocol for investigating a shooting? When will the officers’ body camera footage be released? Which outside agencies are involved in the review?

This newspaper asked Oakland police Chief Sean Whent to explain the process:

* The officer, who Whent described as a female rookie cop, will be identified soon, likely within the next day. The agency tries to release officers’ names within 72 hours but occasionally withholds an officer’s name for safety purposes, Whent said.

That happened in December, when San Leandro police shot and killed 27-year-old Guadalupe Manzo Ochoa in Oakland after she allegedly tried to ram officers with a car. The officers later received death threats from an East Oakland street gang.

If Whent’s staff believes a similar threat is credible, the officer’s name will be withheld, he said.

* Two Oakland police units are reviewing the shooting. Homicide detectives are running the criminal investigation, looking at whatever crimes Hogg, an ex-felon who was wanted for a parole violation, might have committed that night.

The detectives are also investigating whether the shooting by the officer was legally justified. The Alameda County Coroner’s office will perform the autopsy to determine how many times Hogg was shot and how he died.

That homicide report will be submitted to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in about three or four months. Whent said it can take between one and three years before prosecutors decide to clear or, in almost unprecedented cases, charge an officer with a crime.

Separately, Oakland police’s internal affairs unit will review the shooting on a broader level, Whent said, looking at the shooting but also the tactics of the officer and her incident commanders. About a dozen officers at the scene have been interviewed, or will be soon. Those statements are considered internal and aren’t public.

The department’s Executive Force Review Board, consisting of deputy chiefs, captains and the agency’s training commander, will review the internal report months later. Officers do not testify to the board, which makes its determination after reviewing officer statements, the coroner’s report and video.

* What’s that about video? It’s true that the department has been touted by state and national officials for being one of the earliest adopters of body-worn police cameras, but that doesn’t mean the public gets full access.

Whent said detectives investigating the case can review the footage, as will the DA’s office. Family members of the persons involved in the shooting could be scheduled for a viewing of the footage as the case winds down, he said.

But right now it’s evidence in an ongoing investigation, he said. There’s nothing in the agency’s policy preventing the agency from releasing the video earlier — and some U.S. departments are facing criticism over a controversial shooting have released videos within days to quell outrage in the community.

Whent agreed that releasing a video could help ease tensions in some situations but in some cases could inflame people instead. Setting a precedent now could be a precarious decision, and it wouldn’t be Whent’s alone — he said the DA’s office would also have to be involved.

The video would likely become a public document after the DA’s office finishes its review — years later, of course. The video could be released more quickly if a civil suit is filed by Hogg’s family.

* Rashidah Grinage, a local police critic, said the department should have a firm policy on releasing body camera footage following a police shooting.

The issue hasn’t come up lately, she said, “because there hasn’t been a shooting for awhile.”

Another activist, Cat Brooks, is planning a vigil for Hogg on Friday with hundreds expected to attend.

Her daughter is best friends with one of Hogg’s daughters, Brooks said. She’s helping the family determine next steps.

But right now the video is the only thing the family wants to see, she said.

“It’s the demand we’re getting ready to put out,” Brooks said. “We’re going to put pressure on them.”

It’s likely the involved officer will be back to work before a video is public, however.

Whent said the officer, currently on administrative leave, would typically see a psychiatrist before returning to light duty — or even patrol, depending on the details. That could be within weeks, he said.

“I’m not paying them to sit at home,” Whent said.

Mike Blasky covers Oakland City Hall. Contact him at 510-208-6429. Follow him at Twitter.com/blasky.