Press Release: Coalition Calls for Open and Transparent Alameda County DA Appointment Process

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oakland, CA – November 25, 2024 – This week, the Alameda County District Attorney Accountability Table (ACDA Accountability Table) sent a letter to the Board of Supervisors asking them to commit to an open and transparent selection process for the new interim DA and to select an appointee that reflects the values of voters who have continuously supported criminal justice reform.

In the letter, the ACDA Accountability Table implored the Board of Supervisors to consult community leaders who reflect the geographic and demographic diversity of Alameda County, as well as representatives from directly impacted groups, such as crime survivors, formerly incarcerated individuals, victims of police violence, wrongly convicted individuals, and more. The ACDA Accountability Table also urged the Board to look at the selection process conducted in neighboring Contra Costa County in 2017, which involved an open DA recruitment, application, and appointment processes. The coalition encouraged the Board to take similar actions to ensure the process to replace DA Price is transparent and includes public input.

The letter to the Board also outlined several key priorities for the next interim DA, which include: opposition to the death penalty; holding law enforcement accountable when they break the law; commitment to crime prevention through treatment and rehabilitation services; diverting youth to effective incarceration alternative programs; and resentencing rehabilitated individuals so that they can be reunited with their families and communities.

Lastly, the letter urged the Board to resist regressing back to failed tools such as mass incarceration, which have led to an immeasurable amount of suffering, bloated litigation costs, and a deepening divide between law enforcement and communities.

“We are looking for a District Attorney who will continue the work of transforming Alameda County’s criminal justice system—one that prioritizes healing, accountability, and justice over ineffective punitive measures,” said Sikander Iqbal, a representative of the ACDA Accountability Table. “We hope the Board of Supervisors will listen to the voices of the community and select a District Attorney to protect recent advances in criminal justice reform that will help guide us toward a future of safety, fairness, and justice for all.”

The full letter can be read here. For more information about increasing transparency in the selection process for a new Alameda County District Attorney and the work of the ACDA Accountability Table, contact daatalamedacounty@gmail.com.

About the Alameda County District Attorney Accountability Table
The ACDA Accountability Table is a coalition of Alameda County-based organizations working together to advance public safety solutions by uplifting community voices, building collective strategy, and holding the Alameda District Attorney’s Office accountable.

Contact Information
Alameda County District Attorney Accountability Table
https://acaccountability.org/
Email: daatalamedacounty@gmail.com
Instagram / X (formerly known as Twitter): @ACDAATable