Yesterday on Facebook the Gig Codiga campaign announced that Gig Codiga had received an endorsement from the Alameda Police Managers Association. Checking his website shows he’s also been endorsed by the Alameda Police Officers Association. Which, of course, is not a surprise given Gig Codiga’s hard lean into LAW AND ORDER.
What is surprising, and slightly hypocritical, is the insistence on retaining this language on his website:
Now, I think we all read the “union bosses” and “political insiders” as a dig to the Firefighters Union. But it’s unclear why the Police unions both the Manager and the Officers are getting a pass at not meeting the yucky “union bosses” and “political insiders” label.
It’s clear why both unions for the police are supporting Gig Codiga, after all he’s the one of the few people who have shied away from full throated endorsements of re-envision policing for Alameda. Instead placing a business-speak label on the effort as “right-sizing” which could either go up or go down depending on who Gig Codiga is trying to win the vote from.
But what I’ve asked of the Gig Codiga campaign and of his supporters is this simple question: what has the Police Chief requested in the last year and a half before COVID-19 that wasn’t given to him in order to fill vacant positions?
When the Chief asked for more money for incentives to lure officers to Alameda, he got it.
When the Chief asked for money to give incentives for other people to refer officers to Alameda, he got it.
When the Chief asked to shorten probation times for lateral police officers, meaning police officers who were already police officers somewhere else, he got it.
It’s only now, in the midst of a world wide pandemic and a national (and local) reckoning on the role of policing in our community particularly in light of how Black people have been over policed that all of the sudden we are
and
That the Gig Codiga campaign didn’t know about all the efforts that had been done before or is deliberately ignoring that is a huge red flag about his readiness for the City Council.
And then the question becomes of who is Gig Codiga looking to serve? Who is the us in the Let’s get Alameda back?
Blogging Bayport Alameda 
This is a change, isn’t it? My impression was that the police officers and managers typically made endorsements similar to fire. That could be wrong. If Mike McMahon is reading, he probably knows the answer.
Comment by MP — October 8, 2020 @ 7:20 am
In prior elections the Police PAC has been quiet. They usually moved their PAC dollars to the Firefighters PAC.
Comment by Mike McMahon — October 8, 2020 @ 11:03 am
Everyone but you (apparently) knows the immense political influence of the Firefighters union in this town, who currently back JKW, Vella and Oddie to the extent that we now have 100 firefighters and a seriously understaffed police department. Vella and Oddie’s Fire union lobbying was what caused the Grand Jury to investigate. Vella, Oddie and JKW’s pandering is what caused the early resignation of the police chief, and contributed to the Fire Chief’s semi-permanent leave for “medical” reasons. Since you like to look at websites, check out the long list of union endorsements and campaign contributions for Oddie and Vella on their websites. Why? Because Oddie and Vella will green light union jobs (and union jobs only) in the coming explosion of construction in this town if Measure A is removed.
Whatever high priced political consultant came up with the awkward “hit the ground running” argument should have considered the damage these toxic city council members have already done to the reputation of Alameda.
Comment by Nowyouknow — October 8, 2020 @ 7:26 am
Sorry, but new construction in this town is going to happen no matter what, with or without Article 26. Removing Article 26 simply allows us to build smaller, more affordable multifamily units, which are less profitable to developers than the large single family homes that we’re only allowed to build currently. Nice try, though.
Comment by JRB — October 8, 2020 @ 7:54 am
So lemme get this straight….
Multifamily is LESS profitable so developers will choose to build them once they are allowed to.
And multifamily units regularly trade between 750M to 1MM so that’s why they’re less profitable than single family homes that use several times more land per unit.
So yeah, I guess it really was over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor..
Comment by dave — October 8, 2020 @ 8:02 am
Us = you, your Dad, your developers, and your construction union buddies. And the “affordable” units will cost $947,000 per unit to build like Everett Commons, changing nothing but your bank accounts.
https://www.latimes.com/homeless-housing/story/2020-04-09/california-low-income-housing-expensive-apartment-coronavirus
Nice try, though.
Comment by Nowyouknow — October 8, 2020 @ 8:09 am
Nowyouknow – I don’t know who you’re alluding to, but you’re making definitely baseless and spurious allegations. Which is par for course for Nowyouknow.
Comment by JRB — October 8, 2020 @ 8:55 am
We have a ISO Class 1 Fire Department. The money you save on insurance far exceeds the trivial price you pay for the men and women staffing the equipment.
Few civilians understand what a Class 1 Fire Department means – it is the highest standard. If the members have worked to achieve the highest standard, with the support of the Council, it’s not because they have collective bargaining. You have one of the few BEST Fire Departments in the Nation, knocking on your door within 3 to 5 minutes.
You must use unions in any city of this State for public works. It’s not an Alameda thing, it’s the law.
Comment by Bart — October 8, 2020 @ 8:18 am
Yup, this is one of the most disappointing things about Gig and his campaign.
He is just using falsehoods, which when pointed out and not corrected turn into lies, on his website.
It is completely false the current City Council has demonized all police. Just false.
There are others on that entire list of ‘CC Positions’ – which when taken together makes me wonder if Gig knows the positions of the Council? Or did he and some reactionary friends, or worse a political consultant, make up the list to sound good.
It would be nice to have debates on facts and real policy. I certainly get there are different points of view, but this right wing alternative fact machine needs to stop.
Lets hope these last 3 weeks go well …
Comment by Ron Mooney — October 8, 2020 @ 8:02 am
From APD Oct. 5 FBook post: Why wouldn’t folks be afraid? Shortage of 12-15 officers which APD states CC has put on hold. Perception is reality…
“Alameda Police Department
Hi Patrice, law enforcement agencies have typically seen an increase in criminal activity during the summer months, however, we have seen an unsettling rise in gun-related incidents since June 1st compared to the same time frame in 2019. We have had 11 reported shootings, 06/1/20-10/5/20, compared to only 1, 06/1/19 – 10/5/19. This does not include other reported incidents where a gun was involved. Our violent crime’s Detective is actively working to resolve these cases, Officers have been providing extra attention to areas of concern, and assistance from the public is becoming extremely vital in resolving these cases.”
Comment by Ned Racine — October 8, 2020 @ 11:12 am
What did the former police chief ask from the City Council in the last two years to fill vacancies which was not given to him?
Comment by Lauren Do — October 8, 2020 @ 11:48 am
Plenty of Guns A Blaz’in around Bayport these days. The Big Island is sadly turning into the Wild West….Whoa! (The Struggle is Real)
Comment by Ned Racine — October 8, 2020 @ 12:03 pm
Council froze hiring for an already understaffed force. Council declared a desire to sharply defund the police. We’ve had 11 shootings in 4 months PLUS other gun crimes such as muggings.
Council’s behavior is indefensible and its leadership is non-existent.
Comment by dave — October 8, 2020 @ 12:15 pm
Despite bullets flying Not one Council member has publicly come out to condemn this behavior and back the blue. Oh wait, there’s an election on the horizon…time to play ostrich and as the Mayor often says, “Don’t forget to wear your mask”. The madness continues…
Comment by Ned Racine — October 8, 2020 @ 12:23 pm
Yes because COVID is bringing out ALL the applicants.
Comment by Lauren Do — October 8, 2020 @ 1:35 pm
So what’s the (complete) answer? (covering a. whether there are vacancies; b. whether former police chief asked for council to do something to help fill them and, if not, why not; c. what part of whatever he asked from the city council, if anything, did he get; d. what effect of answers to b & c have on answer to a?)
Comment by MP — October 8, 2020 @ 12:52 pm
I’ve heard, e.g., that there is a lack of applicants, but don’t know if that is the whole story.
Comment by MP — October 8, 2020 @ 1:13 pm
Officers are retiring and applicants headed elsewhere since the CC and community are unwilling publicly to Back the Blue. Just not fashionable to do so unless something bad happens…TBD.
Comment by Ned Racine — October 8, 2020 @ 1:20 pm
There are vacancies. The former police chief did ask for Council help and was given it. There are still vacancies even with the help.
Comment by Lauren Do — October 8, 2020 @ 1:38 pm
Proof or that’s just mindless speculation.
Comment by Lauren Do — October 8, 2020 @ 1:39 pm
I would play close attention to what Lauren is saying here. A campaign of fear is not rational, Gig, my buddy, you are not at risk as say . . . A black man? Dancing in the street? Locally, law and order is the platform of the weak without experience. Nationally, it is an imperative. Do you accept what happened in our town, Gig? A person was abused.
Comment by Bart — October 8, 2020 @ 3:29 pm
You know what IS rational? Accepting the reality that gun crime has risen quite a lot, and then doing something about it.
Comment by dave — October 8, 2020 @ 4:12 pm
Thanks Dave for putting some clarity into this dystopian debate. Does someone have to get fatally injured before this nonsense is dealt with? Tick, Tock Alameda…
Comment by Ned Racine — October 8, 2020 @ 5:37 pm
Ned, I agree with you on your premise of “Does someone have to get fatally injured before this nonsense is dealt with”,? we need to take a very close look at why it took the response of five police officers and cars to rush to the scene of a black man exercising in the bike lane. perhaps four of the officers could have been out looking for people with guns. my point is we all have different opinions about public safety, and screaming about “law and Order” doesn’t help us to get to a point where we all feel safe. My opinion is that this issue is being politicised for a council race .
Comment by trumpisnotmypresident — October 8, 2020 @ 6:50 pm
We do need to examine that issue, John.
AND we need to address rising violence, immediately.
Why are we not doing both?
Comment by dave — October 8, 2020 @ 8:25 pm
You tube, LWVA/AAUW Townhall Policing in Alameda, I, II. Michele Ellison interviews our cops, even got Chief Rolleri to come. They talk about some of the things mentioned here.
Comment by Li_ — October 8, 2020 @ 9:36 pm
If anyone is looking for the forums referenced above: https://www.lwvalameda.org/community-events.html
Comment by Lauren Do — October 9, 2020 @ 8:47 am
It looks like the NextDoor folks are circling their wagons around Trish and Gig, having finally thrown Amos under the bus. Jay Garfinkle, a major financer and ballot signatory for No on Z, was the first to give a significant political contribution to Amos White at the beginning of his campaign, but he has now announced that he is no longer supporting Amos. What a waste of $1,000. Who’s left to support you now, Amos?
Comment by Reality — October 8, 2020 @ 11:00 pm
these folks never planned on voting for Amos White, I’m just sorry he didn’t understand that when he was looking for support.
Comment by trumpisnotmypresident — October 9, 2020 @ 8:30 am