Oakland fires police chief for alleged misconduct cover-up

By OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Oakland Police Department has lost its seventh head of police in as many years over the alleged cover-up of an officer’s misconduct. The firing threatens to extend two decades of federal oversight, which is the longest of any police department in the country and which was set to end by June. Democratic Mayor Sheng Thao said at a news conference Wednesday she was firing Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong after a probe concluded the chief and the department failed to properly investigate and discipline a sergeant. The Oakland Police Department has been under federal oversight since 2003 due to complaints of abuse of power.