Federal judge has harsh words for Oakland in wake of OPD sex scandal

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The City of Oakland and its police department were called before a federal judge after a report he commissioned found serious problems with the handling of a sex scandal involving as many as a dozen officers.

That hearing took place in federal court in San Francisco.

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Federal Judge Thelton Henderson told the City of Oakland and its police department that its long history of federal oversight is far from over.

Henderson told city leaders and attorneys for all sides that the city's handling of the sex abuse scandal shows, "we're still not finished after 14 years of reforming this department. It's clear these allegations would not have been full investigated but for the court's intervention."

The hearing comes after an independent report found then Oakland Police Chief Sean Whent and top city officials including mayor Libby Schaaf were inept in their handling of a sex scandal involving an underage prostitute.

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Current chief Anne Kirkpatrick apologized for the scandal and promised to follow all the reforms outlined in the report.

Attorneys want the police department to release the specific names of OPD command staff involved in the lack of effort put into investigating the allegations that came to light after officer Brendan O'Brien committed suicide in 2015.

"These supervisors have to be held accountable for letting this go, and letting this happen," Attorney Jim Chanin said.

Judge Henderson said he would issue his order in the next day or two, and that it would include further reporting from, and oversight of Oakland's police department.

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