Oakland Hires Bratton As Consultant

The city of Oakland has hired William Bratton to develop a public safety plan for California's most violent city.

The City Council voted 7-1 to hire Bratton Wednesday, and awarded the former chief's security company a $250,000 contract. Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan called Bratton's hire important and referred to him as "one of the brightest minds in policing," reports the San Francisco Chronicle .

Critics said Bratton would implement an aggressive form of "stop and frisk," a practice he supported in New York that allows officers to stop a person they believe is committing a crime.