A California police union is blaming a city's brutal day of violence on low staffing and morale.
On what Oakland's police union is calling "Bloody Monday," four people were killed, and multiple people injured following several shootings and a stabbing. The union says officers have been leaving the department because of the defund the police movement, KPIX-TV reports.
“Stop the attrition," Barry Donelan, the union president, said in a statement. "We’re losing 10 a month, and (we need to) provide these officers a sense of value and appreciation that they deserve as the dedicated public servants that they are. Last night was extremely taxing to those who were on duty."
Oakland Police Chief Laronne Armstrong also expressed frustration over staff shortages.
"Over the last 24 hours, the City of Oakland experienced an unprecedented level of violence that continued into this morning," he said in a statement. "So far this year, we have lost 94 lives in our city. Our department is stretched beyond capacity as we manage multiple critical incidents that have traumatized families and our community."
