Have you ever felt worried whenever a loved one or even yourself walked down the streets of Oakland? Do you not feel safe and do you feel like crimes have increased in Oakland? Well, before Covid-19 hit, the Department of Violence Prevention has proven to have helped decrease the amount of violence within Oakland. One of the programs within the Department of Violence Prevention decreased the amount of people who have been arrested by 49% showing what good the Department of Violence Prevention can do to Oakland. However ever since the pandemic happened we have become so distant from ourselves that we lost contact with loved ones leading people to fall victim to many crimes. We must be connected with loved ones and others as well so that we know nothing violent happens to them. Covid-19 has also unemployed many workers, leading them to resort to robberies in order to support their families. When 2020 ended, crimes increased by 27% and are still increasing in Oakland. The Department of Violence Prevention needs to take stronger initiatives to combat rising crimes due to the pandemic, but only with the help of the citizens of Oakland. 

By signing this petition, you are helping convince policy makers to strengthen and support the Department of Violence Prevention. If policy makers decide to make an action to support the Department of Violence Prevention with the influence of the many signatures that are signed onto this petition, more employment will be given to those who are unemployed, the youth will stay protected, and criminals will be properly rehabilitated to not commit crimes again which will lead to crimes hopefully decreasing once again in Oakland. Please make us build a positive and less violent environment by supporting this cause.