Oakland Police Department responds to community call for Spanish-speaking Fruitvale police officer --

After a lengthy recruitment process, Officer Francisco Romero, a Spanish-speaking  police officer, has been selected to improve the relationship between the OPD and the Fruitvale neighborhood in Oakland by attending to the specific needs of the Spanish-speaking community and encouraging its citizens to report crimes. 

Given its monolingual and mixed legal status characteristics, this predominately Latino and immigrant Fruitvale neighborhood is a community faced with many public safety challenges, according to a statement released by the Fruitvale Leadership Alliance.  “There is an under-reporting of crime due to several factors, among which are:  the “9-1-1” system is not user-friendly for multilingual communities; there is a lack of multilingual officers; and, due to the threat of deportation, there is a general lack of trust.”

“The Fruitvale community can now become a true partner in reducing crime and bridging a stronger relationship between residents and the Oakland Police Department,” said Central Oakland Police Captain Rick Orozco.  “Crime has historically been dramatically under-reported in Fruitvale and we intend to change that in order to ensure the safety of all who reside there.  By regularly patrolling the business district, in meeting with its merchants and its residents, and by listening to their concerns, Officer Romero will earn the trust of the community. That is a critical piece in our overall goal to gauge, track and apprehend criminals in the area.”

“We felt it was time to have a dedicated Spanish speaking officer that people would feel comfortable with,” says Unity Council CEO Gilda Gonzales. “The Spanish speaking community is reluctant to speak out,” adds Gonzales. Speaking about Officer Romero, Gonzales says she is thrilled. “We did get the right officer here – he has real credibility in the community.”