California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced that he would be deploying additional law enforcement resources to Oakland as the area faces a surge in criminal activity. Reportedly, the initiative will allocate approximately 120 California Highway Patrol officers to the Oakland and East Bay areas to crack down on violence, theft, and other violations of the law.
“Governor Gavin Newsom announced today that he is increasing state law enforcement personnel in Oakland and the East Bay — temporarily deploying California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers, including specialized units, and advanced investigative technology to crack down on crime and improve public safety. As part of the announcement, the CHP will begin a law enforcement surge operation in Oakland and the East Bay — deploying 120 officers who will work in partnership with local law enforcement agencies on a targeted crackdown on criminal activity, including vehicle theft, retail theft, and violent crime,” according to a report from the office of Governor Gavin Newsom.
Gov. Newsom explained that while crime overall is on the decline in his state, Oakland and East Bay have endured persistent increases. In an effort to curb this “alarming” and “unacceptable” trend, Newsom is increasing law enforcement personnel by nearly 900% in the areas to restore law and order.
“As crime rates across California decrease — including right across the Bay in San Francisco — Oakland is seeing the opposite trend. What’s happening in this beautiful city and surrounding area is alarming and unacceptable. I’m sending the California Highway Patrol to assist local efforts to restore a sense of safety that the hardworking people of Oakland and the East Bay demand and deserve,” Newsom said.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao echoed a sentiment similar to Newsom’s, calling out the “unacceptable” level of crime her locality is experiencing. Thao explained that her city is taking a seemingly tough-on-crime stance to end the surge of criminal activity, expressing gratitude for Gov. Newsom’s efforts to increase law enforcement presence in Oakland.
“The surge of crime and violence that we are seeing in our streets is completely unacceptable,” said Thao. “The City of Oakland is hard at work turning the tide — increasing law enforcement investigations, increasing police recruitment, and investing in community and violence intervention efforts. As we work to improve public safety, I’m grateful for Governor Newsom for providing these critical law enforcement resources that are a game-changer in helping us hold more criminals accountable and make Oakland safer.”
The statement from Gov. Newsom’s office cites statistics that illustrate the disturbing trend in crime, where notable increases in violent crime and theft occurred last year. Simultaneously, other cities in California, including San Francisco, which has not had a reputation for law and order over the past several years, have seen purported declines in similar activity.
“Preliminary reports from Oakland indicate that in 2023, violent crime rose 21%, robbery increased 38%, and vehicle theft increased 45%. Outside of Oakland, preliminary 2023 data from across the state indicates the opposite trend: crime, including homicides, violent crime, and property crime is down in many jurisdictions,” the announcement read. “For example, violent crime and homicides are significantly down in Los Angeles, and early data from San Francisco indicate overall crime in 2023 was at its lowest point in the last ten years — other than the year 2020 when daily life and routines were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Watch Newsom complain about being blamed for the California crime situation here:
"*" indicates required fields