Protesters demand to know why no charges filed yet in OPD scandal

Byby Melanie Woodrow KGO logo
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Protesters demand to know why no charges filed yet in OPD scandal
It's been nearly three months since an Oakland Police Department scandal came to light, and on Tuesday protesters demanded to know why charges haven't been filed.

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- It's been nearly three months since an Oakland Police Department scandal came to light. The accusations were stunning as officers were accused of having sex with a possibly underage girl and separate allegations of inappropriate texts.

On Tuesday, protesters demanded to know why the charges haven't been filed.

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Members of the Anti-Police Terror Project stormed the Alameda County District Attorney's Office.

Allegations of sexual misconduct within the Oakland Police Department involving Celeste Guap first came to light in May.

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Guap told the ABC7 I-Team she was underage when she had sex with Oakland Police officers including one officer who later committed suicide.

"You are committed to investigating and prosecuting any cops that you deem were involved in the rape of this child?" asked Anti-Police Terror Project spokesperson Cat Brooks.

"The answer is yes," Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O'Malley said.

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O'Malley says her office is still investigating. "We have to have sufficient evidence to be able to bring a case to court," she said.

In June, Mayor Libby Schaaf made this vow regarding the Oakland Police Department. "To root out what is clearly a toxic macho culture," she said.

RELATED: Several Bay Area officers under investigation for possible involvement in sex scandal

Schaaf said that behavior included racist texts. "They are wholly inappropriate and not acceptable from anyone who wears the badge," she said.

The city of Oakland released an emailed statement saying: "As a result of this investigation, the city intends to suspend two officers for violating city and departmental policy."

RELATED: Several Bay Area officers under investigation for possible involvement in sex scandal

In the meantime, the Anti Police-Terror Project told O'Malley they'll be back in a couple of weeks to check on the progress of the district attorney's investigation into allegations involving Celeste Guap.

Below is the completed statement released by Karen Boyd, the Communications Director for the City of Oakland

The City of Oakland has concluded its investigation into the exchange of inappropriate text messages containing offensive and inappropriate racial and homophobic content between sworn members of the Oakland Police Department.

As a result of this investigation, the City intends to suspend two officers for violating City and departmental policy. These suspensions are subject to due process and grievance procedures. In addition, since several officers involved in this case appeared to be unclear of their obligations to report this misconduct, the Oakland Police Department will initiate department-wide refresher training on the City's Anti-Discrimination/Non-Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedure policy (Administrative Instruction 71, attached).

Administrative Instruction 71 states: "The City of Oakland strictly prohibits any form of unlawful employment discrimination and/or harassment or other inappropriate conduct based on race, color, religion/religious creed, sex/gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, national origin/ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or status in any other group protected by federal, state or local law. The City will not tolerate any harassing or discriminatory conduct on these bases or any inappropriate conduct that affects tangible job benefits, that interferes unreasonably with an individual's work performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment."

In keeping with our commitment to transparency and accountability to the public, the City of Oakland is providing as much information regarding the outcome of this investigation as we are allowed to share by law. The City is constrained from releasing additional details related to this confidential personnel matter by State law (Penal Code section 832.7) which prohibits the disclosure of peace officers' names associated with personnel investigations as well as disciplinary actions taken against peace officers and other confidential details related to personnel investigations.

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