Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announces he's stepping down

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell announced he's stepping down after being on the job for less than two years.

"I am truly honored to be given this opportunity to serve as Oakland's police chief," Floyd Mitchell said at his swearing-in in the Spring of 2024.

But 18 months later, Mitchell is calling it quits. He submitted a letter of intent to resign to the city, effective Dec. 5. Mitchell's contract requires him to give a 60-day notice.

Mitchell will work with Mayor Barbara Lee over the next few weeks to identify an interim police chief.

He was hired by former Mayor Sheng Thao to replace LeRonne Armstrong, who was fired in early 2023.

TIMELINE: Oakland has had 11 different police chiefs in 15 years

The 35-year police veteran was previously the chief of police in Lubbock, Texas.

"It has been an honor to serve the Oakland community, and I am grateful for the support I've received from the residents," Chief Mitchell said. "I'm incredibly proud of the men and women of this Department and the collaborative working relationships forged with the community and business owners to reduce crime. My commitment over the weeks ahead is to help ensure a smooth transition and continue to keep Oakland safe."

In his farewell email to the police department, obtained by ABC7 News, Mitchell wrote: "Deciding to resign was not an easy decision, nor was it made in haste. Even as I pen this email to each of you, I am filled with a complex mix of emotions."

But email doesn't give a specific reason for his decision to leave.

Sergeant Huy Nguyen is president of the Oakland police union. He said the police chief position has been a revolving door in Oakland.

MORE: Oakland police collaborating with NAACP to hire more officers amid staffing crisis

"To be number 15 in the last 25 years, since I have been here. Every time a chief takes the helm, it is just a matter of time when it will occur. And that's the sad part of the condition of the police department," Nguyen said.

The City of Oakland has pointed to a drop in violent crime this year compared to last year under Mitchell as a possible signal that things are improving. But Nguyen argues that's not enough. He says attrition leads to instability.

"But the true reality is, we have to self-evaluate ourselves as a city about why have gone through so many police chiefs," he said. "The number of police chiefs that are in and out of this place makes it very difficult to function as an agency, makes it very difficult to follow that tasks that need to be accomplished."

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee thanked Mitchell for his leadership. She says the recent reduction in crime is a testament Mitchell's commitment to public safety.

In statement to ABC7 News, she said: "I want to thank Chief Mitchell for his dedicated service to Oakland and his leadership during a critical time for our city. Under his tenure, we have seen significant reductions in crime -- a testament to his commitment to public safety and the hard work of our police officers. I am grateful for Chief Mitchell's collaboration with our administration and his focus on community-centered policing. The women and men of the Oakland Police Department have my full support as we work together to ensure a smooth transition and continue building on the progress we've made for Oakland's residents."

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Oakland Councilmember Zac Unger said he's disappointed to see Mitchell leave.

"I think Chief Mitchell was always very clear about what he needed to do in order to make the city safe. He didn't soft-peddle anything. But he was quite clear with us -- on the council -- about the need to staff up the department. And I think that is something we will need to continually work on," Unger said.

The Oakland Police Commission responded with a statement. Chair Ricardo Garcia-Acosta wrote: "We must also express our shared disappointment, as significant progress was being made in restoring trust and embracing oversight through crafting smart policy, removing unnecessary administrative burdens and working toward standardizing a progressive discipline process."

In a statement to ABC7 News, Oakland City Councilmember Janani Ramachandran said selecting a new police chief is not easy and is calling for transparency in the selection process.

Does Mitchell's resignation risk reputational damage for the OPD and the city?

Reaction was pouring in from across the East Bay Wednesday after Mitchell announced his impending resignation.

"I think his expectation was for a department that was about to turn around, and what he found was a department that was falling apart," said ABC7 News insider Phil Matier.

Matier said he wasn't shocked by Mitchell's announcement.

OPD has been plagued by numerous scandals, and the department has been under federal oversight for about 25 years.

John Burris is a civil rights attorney, whose case brought the department under that supervision.

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He believes Mitchell struggled to lead OPD under those parameters.

"The court gave him so many instructions that he had to take over the internal affairs sections and have it report directly to him, which is not something he was accustomed to doing," Burris said.

But leading the Oakland police is not for the timid, say many former employees.

"It's a fantastic city. It's an incredibly wonderful police department, but it almost feels abused," said Anne Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick was OPD's chief from 2017 until she was fired in 2020. She sued and won a case for wrongful termination.

MORE: New reports suggest Oakland PD overtime has cost city $236 million since 2008

Kirkpatrick says OPD chiefs face pressures from the city and other players, which make the job extremely difficult.

"I think that, politically, they do not treat the police department well. I do not think that the community or the politics of the city supports the police department as a whole," she said.

Beyond the challenges in leading the department, experts say losing another chief damages the reputation of the organization and the community it serves.

Activist Cat Brooks says the department needs a head who will hold its officers accountable.

"I want a police chief that wants to work himself out of a job. I want a police chief that actually understands that as much as they're passionate about keeping their community safe, the way we do it doesn't actually do that," Brooks said.

Matier says whoever Mitchell's interim replacement is will likely come from inside OPD.

"That person will probably hold that job for a year. That will give the police commission time to do a search for a replacement. It'll probably take that long, because they'll have hearings all over the place, but it also will give the mayor a year, and so she will not have to be confronted with picking a new chief until after next year's election," Matier said.