by Paula Lehman/OAKLAND  Voters in Oakland, where there have been over 100 homicides so far in 2008, on Tuesday turned down a ballot measure that would have put 105 officers and 75 police services technicians on the street over the course of three years. But it wasn’t a lack of campaigning that ruined Measure NN’s chances; instead, many people believe that it was the unfulfilled promise of an earlier crime-fighting measure that killed this year’s initiative.

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by Ali Winston/OAKLAND

Contrary to previous reports, the Oakland Police Department will not be deploying tactical units on election night to ward off potential civil disobedience.

“It will be like any other night,” said Officer Jeff Thomason, a police spokesman. Between 32 and 100 officers will be on the streets during the 3 PM-midnight shift, when most citizens will be at the polls.

SWAT teams will be on standby, which the departments says is standard operating policy for every day of the year. “All we have to do is make a call,” said Thomason.

By Ali Winston/WEST OAKLAND

The Oakland Police Department will have to look for new sources of funding after Measure NN fell short of the required two-thirds margin.

With 100% of votes tallied, 59,933 votes were in favor of NN, and 49,415 against – or 54.95% for and 45.05% against.

Ballot Measure NN would have allowed the Oakland Police Department to add more officers and buy needed equipment such as police cars and new crime-fighting technology.

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