Four members of the scandal-ridden Oakland Police Department will be terminated and seven others are slated to be suspended without pay stemming from a sexual misconduct investigation that has rocked the department and sparked national criticism.

Mayor Libby Schaaf recently made the announcement, adding that the officers have been found guilty of a slew of charges ranging from attempted sexual assault, engaging in lewd conduct, assisting in the crime of prostitution and accessing law enforcement databases for personal gain.

Eighth Officer Disciplined

The seven suspended officers are alleged to have remained quiet about the colleagues' wrongdoing. An eighth officer was also assigned to undergo counseling and training for "bringing disrepute" to the department.

"I want to send a clear message to the victims of sexual abuse and exploitation living in our city. We see you. We hear you, and we are here to help you," Schaaf said at a news conference. "And to those who exploit these victims and profit or take pleasure in their pain, we see you too."

The lengthy probe kicked last June after a self-described teenage prostitute publicly claimed she had sexual contact with several officers. The woman later told authorities she first came in contact with officers after meeting one of them along a stretch of International Boulevard known for the sex trafficking of underage girls.

According to the victim, some of the intercourse took place while she was still a minor. She added some of the sexual interaction took place in exchange for information about prostitution raids the department was in the midst of planning.

Since then, the scandal has expanded to include several members of at least four other East Bay law enforcement agencies, all of whom are also accused of engaging in inappropriate contact with the victim.

While declining to identify any of the officers she was taking action against, Schaaf indicated the Alameda County district attorney's office is expected to soon complete a criminal investigation into the matter.

"It looks to me like there's been a wide-ranging investigation, the kind that I was hopeful for," said civil rights attorney John Burris, who negotiated the settlement that placed the department under federal oversight more than a decade ago. "It's the first step, a major step, to restoring the department."

New Leadership

Meanwhile, fallout from the scandal has resulted in a major shake-up for the department, commencing with the resignation of former chief Sean Whent in the same week that the woman went public.

Whent's resignation was followed by the abrupt dismissals of two acting chiefs within in a span of less than two weeks. Ultimately, Schaff placed the department under the authority of civilian City Administrator Sabrina Landreth.

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