Assignment Four - The People & The Police: Oakland

A KRON-TV Assignment Four documentary report from 1974, narrated by Paul Ryan, looking at how Oakland Police Department (which fields about 700 police officers) has been trying to adopt a more community based ("humanistic") approach to policing, focusing on the work of their Conflict Management Section. Includes: a public meeting about OPD's record (with Department Chief Thomas Donohue); Sergeant Tim Hahn training officers in the self study process; former Chief Charles Gain and Chief George Hart discussing how things have changed in the department over the past 10 years; a peer Action Review Panel of an officer's conduct in a violent incident; officer John Dixon working his patrol in West Oakland; officers reflecting on their new work philosophy (established in collaboration with social scientists, including J. Douglas Grant) which tries to balance enforcing the law with helping people and street scenes from around West Oakland. Also features an interview with Congressman Ron Dellums, who remembers his experience of growing up in Oakland in the 1940s and how his community felt towards the police. It should be noted that Dellums went on to be the Mayor of Oakland from 2007-11. This film was written, produced and directed by Ira Eisenberg.