Cops talk reform after undercover officer killed

"These officers discharged their weapons in a manner that they were trained to do," Berlin said. "These officers are good officers."

The partners fired after mistakenly concluding that Wilkins, who they did not know was a fellow officer, was about to shoot a suspected car thief he held at gunpoint.

Both Scarrott and Koponen served on Oakland's force a little more than a year. Berlin said Wilkins, a popular seven-year veteran, might have assumed they knew him by sight, which would explain why he never identified himself as an officer.

The incident could prompt the department to reform protocol for undercover operations, Berlin said.

Wilkins had chased an alleged car thief and was standing with a gun over the man when uniformed officers arrived. The two officers ordered Wilkins to drop his gun, Berlin said, but instead Wilkins stepped toward the suspected thief.

"The officers felt in their minds that the individual on the ground would be shot," Berlin said. "There was no recognition that they received whatsoever that (Wilkins) was an officer."

Wilkins did not appear to fire back, Berlin said.

Scarrott and Koponen are on indefinite paid administrative leave, Berlin said.

"They're heartbroken over what happened," Berlin said.

He said Oakland police will formally report their findings to Alameda County's district attorney within three weeks. That office would decide whether to file criminal charges against the officers. No one in the prosecutor's office could be reached Monday.

Berlin revealed an unfortunate series of miscommunications that led to last week's incident:

-- Wilkins was staking out a drug scene when he saw a car speeding by. He radioed that he was breaking off to chase the car, but other radio traffic cut off part of his transmission, meaning other officers didn't know of his pursuit.

-- Wilkins wielded a chrome-colored pistol, not the department issued black 9mm handgun. His badge should have been visible but had apparently gotten stuck under his coat.

-- An officer who recognized Wilkins before shots were fired yelled, "That's officer Wilkins, that's Willie." But the officer was about 30 feet away and Scarrott and Koponen did not hear him.

"There's no direct policy but you're drilled from the first day you step into the academy ... to identify yourself," Berlin said. "It's more than common sense."

Wilkins was the first Oakland police officer killed on duty by a fellow officer.<