Hellhole Oakland plunged into another crisis as police chief who tried to make city safer quits after just 18 months
By Emma Richter
Daily Mail
Oct 8, 2025
The chief of the Oakland Police Department has resigned after just 18 months in the role.
Chief Floyd Mitchell, who was appointed in March 2024, announced Wednesday he will be stepping down on December 5.
'Deciding to resign was not an easy decision, nor was it made in haste,' Mitchell said in a statement.
'Even as I pen this email to each of you, I am filled with a complex mix of emotions—gratitude, pride, and, above all, a deep appreciation for the work you all do.'
Mitchell was Oakland's 11th chief since 2013 and sixth since 2020 and vowed to take a firm stance to tackle the city's rampant crime problem.
It is unclear why he is leaving, but Huy Nguyen, the president of the Oakland police union, suggested that his tough approach was unwelcome in the liberal city.
Nguyen told KTVU some were 'questioning whether certain anti-law enforcement factions of the community were ready or open to his honesty, dedication, and support of public safety.'
Though he was not clear on who the 'factions' were, Nguyen said the Oakland Police Officers Association 'is deeply concerned' about Mitchell's resignation.
'His departure represents another chapter in a troubling pattern of instability at the highest levels of city government and the Oakland Police Department.
'Oakland deserves better. Our police officers deserve steady leadership. And, our residents and businesses deserve a city government that is focused on solutions to keep them safe,' Nguyen said.
Another source told the outlet Mitchell often made decisions on his own and was 'not very responsive' to the mayor.
Sheng Thao was in charge of Oakland when Mitchell was first appointed and was succeeded by current Mayor Barbara Lee in April 2025.
Others said the decision was due to his impatience with the decades-long federal oversight of the department and the power of the Oakland Police Commission.
'I don't think he wanted to be a chief in California,' civil rights attorney Jim Chanin said.
Chanin, who often worked with Mitchell in the ongoing federal oversight agreement, added: 'He seemed to be unhappy here.'
In September 2024 a federal judge told Mitchell that the department's Internal Affairs division must report to him which irritated the chief, who said that the process would consume a lot of his time.
The only way for the Oakland Police Department to break from the federal oversight would be if it met 50 reforms. It has so far only met 48.
Crime in Oakland is about 10 times higher than the national average, but under Mitchell's leadership it dropped 29 percent in the first half of 2025.
In 2024, the city had a violent crime rate of about 3,640 per 100,000 residents. The U.S. recorded an average of approximately 359 per 100,000 residnets that same year.
He introduced several policies in a bid to clean up the city, many of which were met with criticism.
Among them included urging officials to amend the department's rules around police chases which required officers to get permission before chasing a criminal at high speeds on city streets.
Governor Gavin Newsom backed Mitchell on the proposal, both acknowledging that high speed chases create danger for citizens.
In August, Mitchell and Mayor Lee announced the reduction in crime, but made it clear there was more to come.
'There is a lot of work still to be done, but what we are doing right now is showing benefits and that's evident in the reduction of the crime that we're seeing.
'We need to get the word out so people can feel confident about shopping and eating and enjoying themselves,' Mitchell said at the time.
In September, Mitchell pushed for a change in police pursuit policies, asking that officers be required to get permission before chasing a criminal at high speeds on city streets.
Mayor Lee thanked Mitchell for his time in the role and credited him for 'significant reductions in crime.'
Mitchell was appointed chief in March 2024 by ousted Mayor Sheng Thao. He was Oakland's 11th chief since 2013 and the crime ridden city's sixth police chief since 2020
A homeless encampment is seen on the streets of Oakland in April 2024
'I want to thank Chief Mitchell for his dedicated service to Oakland and his leadership during a critical time for our city.
'Under his tenure, we have seen significant reductions in crime - a testament to his commitment to public safety and the hard work of our police officers.
'I am grateful for Chief Mitchell's collaboration with our administration and his focus on community-centered policing. The women and men of the Oakland Police Department have my full support as we work together to ensure a smooth transition and continue building on the progress we've made for Oakland's residents.'
The Oakland Police Department said they will work with Lee and City Administrator Jestin Johnson to find an interim chief until a new one is hired.
Mitchell, who previously served as a police chief in Lubbock, Texas, was ousted Mayor Sheng Thao's final pick after a yearlong search for a replacement to LeRonne Armstrong.
Armstrong was fired by Thao in February 2023 after a probe ordered by a federal oversight monitor found he mishandled two police misconduct cases. An arbitrator later cleared him of wrongdoing.
He then went on to sue the city, accusing them and the former mayor of 'illegal and retaliatory' termination in a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court in February 2024.
Half of the lawsuit was dismissed in November 2024 as an independent hearing officer found that Armstrong shouldn't have faced discipline over breakdowns in the department's Internal Affairs division, but disagreed with his claim that OPD's federal monitor created a false case to kick him out.
New Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee (pictured Tuesday) thanked Mitchell for his time in the role and credited him for 'significant reductions in crime'
The new mayor, Lee, recently announced she was taking a shockingly practical approach to rescuing the battered city.
The 79-year-old progressive firebrand is ramping up police recruitment, clearing homeless encampments, and slashing red tape to secure federal money, all in a bid to reverse years of violent crime, urban decay and political chaos.
Lee has stunned critics and allies alike by embracing a back-to-basics strategy since taking office in April, despite her progressive bona fides.
Her tactics have included reopening long-shuttered firehouses, reinstating high-speed police pursuits, and personally touring blighted streets in a hands-on crackdown on RV encampments and illegal dumping.
Lee stepped in to finish her term and is now leaning on decades of political clout in Washington - and an unexpected appetite for tough municipal management to stabilize a city that residents feared was slipping into ungovernable chaos.
'Right now, I'm trying to make sure that the city gets more unified,' Lee told the Wall Street Journal from Oakland City Hall. 'That we do the work here.'
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Long term Police Chiefs are a thing of the past. Police Chiefs are not protected by Civil Service and can be hired and fired without due process. You cannot serve multiple masters.
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