So said truly one of many speakers during a seven hour meeting in Oakland on the 26th of February, 2019, at which Urban Shield had a heart attack. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors kept their word from a year ago and voted to end Urban Shield “as it is currently constituted,” approving recommendations from the Ad Hoc Committee it created that would give Urban Shield a new heart, a new name, and a new purpose.
Thank the Board of Supervisors for their vote right now!
Whether they, and the people who came out in support, can carry through, or whether the Alameda County Sheriff can emerge with a zombified, or perhaps undead, Urban Shield through legal blood-sucking and political intimidation remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear. The people spoke. And someone finally listened. Oakland Privacy is proud to have played a role in the at-least six year struggle to get to Tuesday’s victory.
Check out some of the coverage in the local press:
CBS Bay Area: Alameda Co. Supes Approve Sweeping Changes To Urban Shield Program
SFGate: Supes Vote To Make Sweeping Changes To Urban Shield Program
East Bay Times: Alameda County leaders support new direction for Urban Shield
Here are some of the recommendations adopted:
- Removing SWAT deployment scenarios from law-enforcement exercises
- Eliminating the requirement that SWAT teams participate in the program
- Eliminating the Vendor show
- Emphasizing de-escalation in all exercises
- Prioritizing exercises based on the likelihood and severity of disasters
- Eliminating the competition aspect of exercises
- Changing the name Urban Shield