Technology

OPD launches anonymous tip by text service

Oakland residents now have the ability to send completely anonymous texts or E-mail tips about crimes to the city’s police department, officials announced last week.

In response to a rash of homicides, with five deaths in a span of 18 hours from Monday, October 1 through Tuesday, October 2, Oakland Police Chief Howard Jordan

Shuttle fans gather at Chabot for Endeavour’s final flight

“Space is my middle name,” said elementary school student Cameron Weignant on Friday morning at the Chabot Space and Science Center as his mother adjusted the tinted visor on his helmet.  While about a hundred people of all ages had come up to the observatory above Oakland hoping for a glimpse of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its final flyover of California, only Cameron had arrived in a full astronaut costume. “He’s been interested in space since he was 2,”…

Theft of electronics on the rise in North and West Oakland

Police said they have recorded a surge in such robberies in Rockridge, Temescal, Montclair, downtown Oakland, and around BART stations, particularly the MacArthur station. Many incidents have occurred in restaurants, like the Hudson, and cafes, police said.

Audit finds OPD lost nearly $2 million on failed technology projects

The Oakland Police Department has announced plans to adjust its operations and hire a full-time Information Technology manager after a recent audit of its technology department found that the city spent nearly $2 million on failed policing information technology projects with at least three Bay Area start-ups that have since gone out of business.

Code for Oakland challenges developers to turn public data into an app

A motley crew of 130 software developers, designers, community activists and concerned citizens converged at the Kaiser center on Saturday to compete for their share of more than $5,000 worth of prize money at the second annual Code for Oakland event. The competition challenges teams to develop a prototype application that uses public data, and gives them only a day to do it.

Hidden Genius Project comes to Oakland

On Monday afternoons, African American high school students can be seen walking to 1750 Broadway Avenue in downtown Oakland headed to a summer program. But instead of being taught remedial lessons on what was missed during the school year, the students spend their time learning technology skills and software development through a mentoring program called the Hidden Genius Project. This June, the Hidden Genius Project launched its first summer program for young black men in Oakland who range in age…