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Oakland Mayor Quan To Rehire Some Laid Off Police Officers

OAKLAND (CBS/AP) -- 10 of the 80 Oakland police officers who were laid off in July will be rehired, according to Mayor Jean Quan.

Quan made the announcement on Monday, days after Police Chief Anthony Batts raised concerns about the city's dedication to lowering crime.

Batts had thrown his name into the running to become San Jose's new police chief, but did not get that job. He welcomed Quan's announcement, but said he is still deciding whether he will stay with the force.

Quan also said she would prioritize patrol car repairs and assign computer technicians to the police department.

The number of officers in the department has dropped to 656 from a high of 837 in 2008.

The new hires Quan announced would boost that number to 666.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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