Twice-rejected Oakland commissioner who wants to defund police gets elevated after improper vote

An anti-cop member of the independent commission overseeing Oakland’s police is back at the center of a growing political firestorm after being elevated in a vote critics are calling a violation of the law.

Oakland’s Police Commission voted on March 26 to advance Omar Farmer from an alternate to a full member without listing the action on a public agenda, triggering a formal legal challenge alleging a violation of California’s open-meeting law.

The commission is expected to retake the vote on Thursday, according to Rajni Mandal, an Oakland physician who filed a formal demand to “cure and correct” what appears to be a violation of the Brown Act, the law governing California’s public meeting laws.

Oakland Report was the first to document the improper vote.

Farmer has been rejected twice by the Oakland City Council for inclusion in the commission, whose volunteers members are appointed.

“The Police Commission needs people who, number one, put public safety and all of Oakland first,” Mandal said. “Number two, we need people who actually can lead without bias and political influence.”

Farmer has aligned with the Anti Police-Terror Project, which has called for defunding the police and investing in community-based alternatives. That stance has made him a target of critics who argue the commission is out of step with residents demanding more police presence.

A recent survey found that 92.1% of Oakland’s black respondents identified crime and public safety as a concern — the highest level recorded for any issue among any demographic group surveyed. 

Councilmember Ken Houston called the third attempt to keep Farmer on the commission “disrespectful” and akin to an abusive relationship, where city officials and woke public safety advocates keep butting heads despite Farmer twice being rejected.

“I represent the most underserved community that exists in Oakland, and it’s been like that for decades,” Houston said. “My constituents are scared and they want policing.”

He added, “My daughter can’t even walk to the store in her own neighborhood. We want protection just like everybody else.”

Councilmember Kevin Jenkins also expressed concerns about the process.

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

“These are serious issues. Oakland residents deserve confidence that all appointments, especially those tied to public safety oversight, follow the law and are conducted openly and appropriately,” Jenkins said in a statement to The Post, adding that he contacted City Attorney Ryan Richardson to review the situation.

“This is about maintaining trust in our institutions. I will continue to monitor this closely and ensure accountability moving forward.“

The City Council confirms four regular commissioners and one alternate, while the mayor appoints three regular commissioners and one alternate.

Mayor Barbara Lee did not respond to a request for comment on Farmer’s appointment, nor did the City Attorney’s Office.

In a letter to city officials last fall, Mandal laid out a detailed list of allegations against Farmer, arguing his conduct has repeatedly exceeded the commission’s authority. Oakland last rejected Farmer’s appointment in October 2025 after a shallow search was conducted for worthy applications.

Mandal claimed Farmer has “repeatedly overstepped his authority” as defined in the City Charter, improperly intervened in labor negotiations with the city’s police union, and attempted to break public meeting laws by pushing for votes on items that were not properly placed on the agenda.

Mandal also raised concerns about Farmer having a personal complaint against the Oakland Police Department while participating in oversight discussions involving the agency.

“Commissioner Farmer’s record of overreach, staff interference, Brown Act violations, and unauthorized communications makes him unfit for reappointment,” Mandal wrote.

Farmer declined The Post’s request for comment when contacted.