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The Alameda County Registrar of Voters’ Office has approved a petition to collect signatures to recall District Attorney Pamela Price, who has faced a backlash against her progressive policies from opponents concerned about an increase in crime.
The group Save Alameda for Everyone (SAFE) announced the petition’s approval last Friday. They will have 160 days from the date of approval to gather enough handwritten signatures to bring the question to voters in a special election June 2024, according to the group.
One of their members is anti-crime activist Carl Chan, former president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber. Chan recently called on Oakland businesses to participate in a one-day strike to voice their demand for greater public safety.
“District Attorney Pamela Price has absolutely failed the people of Alameda County. Crime is spiraling out of control. It’s time to stand up for victims of crime and their families to bring justice back to Alameda County,” Chan said.
Brenda Grisham, another principal in the group, said they will soon start training volunteers to collect signatures. They will have until the end of February to submit 73,195 signatures from registered Alameda County voters.
“I’m African American, and I’ve been doing this for my son, who was killed 13 years ago,” said Grisham.
She said her son was caught in the crossfire between gangs outside of a church on New Year’s Eve in 2010.
She is a speaker for Ceasefire, a program run by the Oakland police to sensitize young people to the victims of gun violence.
“I’m the only civilian in the room and I speak to these young people. They sit there telling you they’re doing a crime on purpose. You can’t just keep letting these killers out on the street. That’s dangerous for them. Dangerous for the community,” she said.
The District Attorney’s Office was asked for comment, but it deferred to Price’s political campaign, which had not responded as of press time.