Calls to get fired Oakland police Chief LeRonne Armstrong back in uniform are getting much louder.
After 20 years of federal oversight of the Oakland Police Department, frustrated community members gathered Monday to say they want the fired chief back, and federal monitor Robert Warshaw let go.
Many blame him for the chief's dismissal last week.
“We want the monitor over the police department investigated and removed immediately. You have been fired from five other cities and today we fire you from Oakland, California,” said Bishop Joseph Simmons of the Greater St. Paul Church.
Dozens of Armstrong's supporters from community organizers, faith leaders to allies from other cities gathered in front of city hall in a rally led by the Oakland NAACP chapter.
Armstrong was fired after accusations that he failed to adequately oversee an investigation into officer misconduct.
“We found that the chief was clearly ambushed and sabotaged by elements both in the police department and in this building,” said Jorge Lema, president of Teachers for Change.
On Monday supporters called the former chief’s firing a modern day lynching and political assassination that began with a confidential report being leaked to a media outlet -- a report they believe was filled with lies.
The group claims the mayor said she would meet with them prior to deciding whether to fire the police chief, but didn’t follow through.
“She did a modern day lynch in our face,” said Cynthia Adams, president of Oakland NAACP. “You turned your back on the voters, that is what hurts so bad.”
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“You must not repeat what happened during reconstruction after we were freed from enslavement. The enemy said we are going to turn the clock back. Chief Armstrong has pushed the clock forward and she is trying to push the clock back,” said Amos Brown, member of the National NAACP Board of Directors and San Francisco’s chapter president.
Oakland Councilmember Noel Gallo is calling on the FBI and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein to investigate how the documents were leaked and remove the federal monitor
Former Chief Armstrong also released a statement Monday saying he will likely begin the appeal process this week which could take up to six months.
Warshaw declined to comment on the issue.
Meanwhile, the chief's supporters say the demand needs to be taken seriously, noting that his support transcends race and city borders.
“We are not here just because he is a Black man, we are here he is a good man and a good cop,” said Simmons. “We now must have a strategy to have our chief reinstated or for a fully transparent report to tell us why not.”
