(KRON) — In Alameda County, an effort to recall District Attorney Pamela Price is gaining momentum. Organizers of the recall say they are set to begin gathering signatures.
On Thursday, the lead organizers of Save Alameda For Everyone — or SAFE — said that they will begin collecting signatures this week. They have until March 5 to gather 73,195 signatures that will all need to be verified by the county.
The group says that since being elected, DA Pamela Price has not been aggressive in addressing crime in Oakland and across Alameda County. They also say she has not been supportive enough to those who have been the victims of crime.
“Everyone is talking about public safety,” said Community Activist Carl Chan. “Look at the businesses. The people we talk to, we go to every city, and everyone is talking about, ‘My god. We don’t feel safe.’”
“We want everybody to be safe,” said SAFE Organizer Brenda Grisham. “The current administration, that is not their main focus. That is not the priority, so we have to do something different.”
On Thursday, KRON4 reached out to DA’s office for comment but so far, we have not heard back. In recent months, Price has defended her record publicly, saying she is doing the job that she was elected to do.
“I don’t take lightly people who violate the law,” Price said. “I ran on a platform of justice with compassion and that’s what we are administering — Justice with compassion where it’s appropriate.”
Organizers of the recall effort are hoping to have the signatures collected and verified in time to hold a recall election next June.
Organizers say they plan to spend 2 million dollars on the recall effort. Money, they hope to raise through donations and fundraisers.
