Today, an Alameda County judge granted a preliminary gang injunction in North Oakland. The ACLU of Northern California opposed the injunction, and filed a brief outlining civil liberties concerns.

This is the response of Jory Steele, Managing Attorney at the ACLU of Northern California:

The ACLU of Northern California continues to oppose gang injunctions. The injunction the court issued today is far more narrow and limited than what the City Attorney originally proposed, due to widespread opposition from the community and civil rights groups.

The Oakland Police Department and Oakland City Attorney have the responsibility to ensure that the injunction is not abused in its implementation. Training of police officers and outreach to the community as a whole will be crucial to avoid further mistrust of law enforcement.

These injunctions have proven ineffective and, in other cities where they have been enacted, have actually harmed the communities they were intended to protect. The City Attorney should conduct a formal evaluation of the injunction after one year to assess its impact on crime and on the community as a whole. This kind of assessment should occur before seeking any new injunctions.