Oakland Police Increases Presence at Lakefest – NBC Bay Area

The Oakland Police Department increased its presence around Lake Merritt as Lakefest took place on Saturday.

The move comes days after at least 15 people were shot, one person was assaulted and two police officers were attacked during an unsanctioned Juneteenth event. And it’s a decision that comes as Lakefest has increased security measures.

“We already wanted to focus on crowd control because nothing happened last year. Safety is our priority,” said Shayla Jamerson, a co-producer of the event.

Event organizers conducted bag checks and fencing of the area, while OPD increased its physical presence. In addition, several nearby streets were closed.

“We have additional officers on duty today to provide a visual presence and to visually deter those seeking to disrupt the event,” said Floyd Mitchell, chief of OPD.

Despite increased security measures, Wednesday’s mass shooting was still on his mind, Gamel James said.

“I was a little scared to go out today,” he said. “When I saw how they set it up and how secure it was, it looked pretty safe. They check everyone before they come in.”

The fifth annual event featured music, vendors and food for families.