Officers Down - Oakland

Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation between Assistant Chief Howard Jordan, Oakland Police Department (OPD)and Detective Jamie Duigan, Chicago Police Department, about the murder of four Oakland Police Officers on March 21, 2009. On that day, the suspect, who was recently released from prison, murdered four Oakland Police Department veteran personnel. This was the deadliest occurrence in the history of OPD and one of the most significant law enforcement losses in California as well as the nation. Acting Chief of Police Howard Jordan ordered that an independent review be conducted to understand how this happened and what can be done to prevent a future recurrence. Assistant Chief Howard A. Jordan is a veteran of the OPD, having served for more than 20 years in a range of assignments including patrol, investigations, internal affairs and administration. Managing a staff of more than 800 police officers and 370 non-sworn personnel, Chief Jordan is a consensus builder who motivates others towards better performance. He considers all possible solutions while making decisions and stays calm in crisis. Chief Jordan saw the Department through the difficult hours of March 21, 2009, when four officers were gunned down in less than 3 hours. Jamie Duignan is a detective with the Chicago Police Department, and is proud to be approaching her 10th anniversary as in law enforcement. Detective Duignan volunteers her time, as a member of the Chicago Police Department’s Peer Support Program, to support & counsel fellow officers in the wake of traumatic incidents. Prior to beginning her career in law enforcement, Jamie was an active civilian in Chicago’s community policing initiative. She holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Chicago, & a MS in Communication from Northwestern University. Her current interests are education, leadership, morale, decision-making & supervisory communications within law enforcement.