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Oakland city officials announced Wednesday a $3.5 million grant to strengthen community safety programs, including expanding the city’s Ambassador program in high-crime areas.
Mayor Sheng Tao announced at a press conference a grant and a partnership with Family Bridges to add more ambassadors to downtown Oakland and Chinatown.
“This funding will enable our long-standing community partners to support people in emergencies and non-medical crises in a compassionate and culturally appropriate manner,” Tao said. he said.
The overall goal of this pilot program is to reduce the need for law enforcement and emergency responders to respond to calls reporting emergencies and non-medical situations.
Sakhon Lhasapanthorn is known to many because he wears the Green Community Ambassador vest. He spends his time patrolling Oakland’s Chinatown and interacting with neighbors.
He is one of seven community ambassadors who have now turned mediators and support overall street safety. This includes connecting individuals to housing resources, building relationships with the community, and de-escalating the situation.
Lasapanthorn told KPIX that this work gives him purpose.
“I was imprisoned for 20 years, but I was released at the end of 2018,” Lhasapantong said. “I promised at my parole hearing that I would give back to the community when I returned home.”
This grant means there could soon be more people like him across the community.
“For example, if a community member or business owner is having an altercation or issue with a homeless person, that’s when we are called in to defuse the situation and try to resolve the issue,” Lasapantone said.
Family Bridges said if the situation escalates to violence, the ambassador will call emergency responders because the incident is outside of their scope. However, ambassadors continue to try to calm the situation until authorities arrive.
Business owners like Chris Baker say having an ambassador in the area has been helpful.
“It helps you and the community come together when you have a cleaner block and people coming forward with information about other crimes around you,” Baker said.
Lhasapanthorn said ambassadors want to help before a crisis begins.
“I go in and check in and authenticate people,” Lathapanton said. “To let them know there’s always someone there to help. Consistency is a key right to building trust.”
A small group of protesters gathered in Latham Square, where an event to announce the grant was held. Among the protest participants, Mayor Tao’s recall campaign recently started.
Protester Edward Escobar said he welcomed the addition of an ambassador, but questioned the timing of the announcement.
“Now, after over a year in office, ask yourself why she is doing this. It’s because we’re lighting a fire under her, and she doesn’t believe she’s in the door. Because we know that we have one foot out of the way,” Escobar said.
Recall campaign officially launched The signature campaign started last Saturday. Some of the recall’s organizers issued a statement Wednesday afternoon claiming that protesters were “surrounded, chased and violently attacked” by the mayor’s private security team.
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