Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf officially announced the appointment of the city’s newest police chief on Wednesday. «I am so excited to be in Oakland and be your chief of police,» Anne Kirkpatrick said during the news conference. «I think it’s the greatest opportunity in America policing today. «She is Oakland’s first female police chief, filling a void left open for seven months as the new head of a force that’s been rocked by scandal and a succession of leaders. «I do have the courage to hold officers accountable, but that includes myself,» Kirkpatrick said. «But also to the men and women of the Oakland Police Department, in this chief, I have the courage to stand by you. «Schaaf said community input was the cornerstone of Kirkpatrick’s selection. «Oaklanders wanted a leader with integrity, able to change culture,» she said. Kirkpatrick has 34 years of law enforcement experience. A former chief in Spokane, she most recently worked in Chicago, appointed by Mayor Rahm Emmanuel to lead reform efforts there. Some hope she’ll do the same here. «We’ve got to give her a chance, like we do everybody. Just got to give her a chance to see what’s going to happen,» Oakland NAACP spokesperson Cynthia Adams said. In Oakland, Kirkpatrick will not only have to gain the trust of a skeptical community but also the support of the rank and file. «Through all these turbulent times, Oakland police officers have been working hard for this community and now we hope we have an equally hard-working chief of police to guide us into the New Year,» Barry Donelan said. Unlike prior chiefs, Kirkpatrick does plan to live where she works. «I just told everybody I’ve got to save up some money, y’all are expensive,» she said.
