Rudy Howell Approved as Third Justice-Impacted Oakland Police Commissioner
Rudy Howell, Impact Coach at the Rubicon Education Partnership (REP), was approved as the newest commissioner on the Oakland Police Commission (OPC) at last Tuesday's city council meeting. Howell will become the third justice-impacted community member to sit on the OPC since its establishment in 2016.
"My initial motivation was just trying to be involved in the community," Howell said. "I just wanted to be able to explain my position as somebody impacted by a lot of these laws and policies that seem to really target minority communities. A lot of times, people who create policies don't know how they impact people. They're not really affected by certain policies because they're somewhat removed from the situations they're making the rules for."
In his role on the OPC, Howell will be tasked with reviewing and proposing changes to the Oakland Police Department's policies and procedures related to police use of force, profiling, and right to assemble, among other responsibilities outlined in the city's charter.
Howell's focus on civic engagement will play a key part in his work on the OPC. "I think it's important that the way gets paved for formerly incarcerated people to engage civically," Howell said. "Oakland is a very important place for as far as civil rights. There's been a lot of movement in Oakland about being equitable and having a fair shake. It's not enough to talk about it; let's be about it. Let's put in the work, and let's make policies that help everybody."
In his position at REP, Howell connects justice-impacted individuals with resources to advance their education and obtain college degrees. "My role with Rubicon is to strengthen the community with education," Howell said. "Education is not a short-term endeavor. It's a long-term investment of mind, body, and soul. It's all about the community and improving the community. The Police Commission's work is also about improving communities."
While he was incarcerated, Howell received his A.A. in Business Administration from Lassen College and was accepted into San Francisco State University, where he began taking classes immediately upon his release. He earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 2016 before joining Rubicon Programs as an Impact Coach.
Despite his success in college, Howell acknowledges that studying the justice system is not a substitute for life experience. "No book will teach any criminal justice major the impact of these policies," Howell said. "I think I'm able to articulate the impact of certain policies that are in place. Let's revise those to make it more equitable for everybody in the community."
The process to join the OPC began in April, when Howell first applied for the role that he will take over next month. In addition to the initial application, the selection process consisted of a public statement at an OPC Selection Panel meeting, interviews with the OPC Selection Panel, background and reference checks, and a final review and approval by the Oakland City Council. Commissioners on the OPC serve three-year terms and can be selected for up to two consecutive terms.