Oakland to Pay $10.9 Million in Police Scandal

SAN FRANCISCO–Oakland city officials have agreed to pay $10.9 million to scores of minority victims who claim they were beaten and falsely charged by four outlaw police officers known as the Riders, officials announced Wednesday.
The 59-page civil settlement, unveiled at a news conference in downtown Oakland, also imposes a series of reforms on the 700-officer Oakland Police Department. The changes include the development of an early-warning system to identify problem officers and closer contact between top police brass and officers on the street. Overseeing the reforms for at least five years will be an independent monitor who will report to a federal judge.
City Attorney John Russo said the monetary payment in the 2-year-old case was a bargain basement settlement for this struggling blue collar city of 395,000, compared to the estimated $42 million paid by Los Angeles city officials to settle just 96 of about 190 cases in the Rampart Division scandal.
But Los Angeles officials bristled at the comparison, saying the two cases bare little resemblance.
The Oakland settlement brings to a close a sweeping federal class action lawsuit, in which 119 alleged victims of the Riders claimed the officers–three of whom are now on trial in Oakland–faked evidence, planted rock cocaine and other drugs and beat up suspects. More than 80 victims, most of whom where black males, were incarcerated and served from a few hours up to 500 days behind bars. Many had their cases later dismissed.
Lawyers say the money–minus attorneys’ fees–will be allotted to victims depending on how long they spent in jail and the extent of the physical abuse they suffered. The lowest payment will be $10,000; the highest more than $500,000.
”This settlement is very important for our clients, who had to endure the unendurable,” said co-counsel James Chanin. ”As a result of their treatment at the hands of these officers, they’ve suffered a breakup of their families, loss of jobs, probation and a total of 40 years in jail. All for things they did not do.”
Russo defended both the settlement and the quality of the police department.
”Many urban police departments have problems with aggressive officers and Oakland is no exception,” he said. ”In a large department with so many officers under stress, people are bound to not follow protocol and cut corners. But the city did not just stick its head in the sand and hope this will all go away. ”
The four veteran former officers, who worked the graveyard shift in the city’s tough northwest corner, were arrested on charges ranging from kidnapping to falsifying arrest reports to assault. Three–Matthew Hornung, 31; Clarence Mabanag, 37; and Jude Siapno, 34–are currently on trial in Alameda Superior Court. Frank ”Choker” Vazquez, 46, the alleged ringleader of the Riders, is a fugitive, believed to have fled to Mexico.
The case stems from accusations from a 23-year-old rookie cop who spent two weeks in 1999 patrolling predominantly black West Oakland with the four officers before quitting the force, reportedly in disgust.
Russo said the sweeping reforms would begin with the establishment of a 24-hour citizen complaint line.
The settlement is expected to be finalized by the Oakland City Council next month.
Eric Moses, a spokesman for the Los Angeles city attorney’s office, acknowledged the city has paid out $42 million to settle 96 Rampart-related cases, with another 95 cases unresolved.
”It’s irrelevant to compare these two cases,” Moses said. ”We have a different set of facts. We have had issues getting information from the Police Department in a timely manner. And the Rampart case was much more pervasive than just four officers.”