Oakland Council Proposes 10% Cut to Police Budget

On the verge of closing a $83 million budget shortfall, members of Oakland City Council have proposed slashing 10 percent from the Police Department's personnel budget. The move would cut nearly $12 million from the general fund budget and account for the single largest reduction in the budget proposal that's up for approval on Tuesday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Recognizing the budget mess, officials with the Oakland Police Officers Association have said they're willing to sacrifice - with conditions. Officers are due a 4 percent increase on July 1, but the union is currently voting to forego the pay increase at least until July 17 while negotiations continue.

In the meantime, police union leaders say they feel like they're being scapegoated for a budget mess that wasn't their doing.

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