Governor Newsom deploys new teams to fight crime in major California cities, building on existing successful efforts

Today’s announcement builds on successful CHP efforts already underway in Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Bernardino. CHP officers assigned to Crime Suppression Teams will saturate high-crime areas, target repeat offenders, and seize illicit weapons and narcotics. Enforcement will take place in the San Diego, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Central Valley, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area regions.

“These crime suppression teams will provide critical support to our local partners by focusing on crime where it happens most,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “By combining resources, intelligence, and personnel, we can better disrupt criminal activity and strengthen the safety and security of communities across California.”

The Crime Suppression Teams will:

1. Identify and suppress criminal activity in high-crime areas through data and intelligence-led policing.
2. Conduct proactive enforcement operations designed to deter and disrupt organized crime.
3. Provide increased CHP visibility and presence in communities most impacted by crime.
4. Support local law enforcement by sharing intelligence, coordinating enforcement, and assisting with investigations.
5. Maintain strict accountability through structured leadership, clear reporting, and operational oversight.

Combined with significant financial investment from the state, these partnerships have brought positive change to Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Oakland.  

Positive results in Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Oakland

In 2024, Governor Newsom deployed officers for regional partnerships in Bakersfield, San Bernardino, and Oakland. So far, officials have made over 9,000 arrests, recovered nearly 5,800 stolen vehicles, and confiscated over 400 firearms. 

Bakersfield: Since April 2024, a CHP partnership in Bakersfield has led to 859 felony arrests, 721 misdemeanor arrests, 2,654 DUI arrests, 1,386 stolen vehicles recovered, and 114 firearms seized. Bakersfield’s 2024 crime rates were the lowest since 2021, with a 57% drop in homicides and 60% fewer shootings.

Oakland: By late 2024, Oakland significantly reduced crime, with an overall 34% decrease year-over-year. Preliminary 2024 data showed a 25% drop in robbery, nearly 50% in burglary, and 33% in vehicle theft. Since joint efforts began in February 2024, officials have made 73 felony arrests, 420 misdemeanor arrests, 1,528 DUI arrests, recovered 4,257 stolen vehicles, and seized 247 illicit firearms.

San Bernardino: Since October 2024, a collaborative law enforcement effort in the area has significantly reduced property theft and violent crime, including gun violence. Officials have made 357 felony arrests, 1,617 misdemeanor arrests, 170 DUI arrests, seized 145 stolen vehicles, and removed 82 illicit firearms. 

Reducing crime in California

Due to thoughtful investments in public safety since 2019, nearly every major crime category, including violent crime and homicides, dropped in 2024, according to data released by the California Department of Justice. 

Adding to positive preliminary results of lower crime in key areas statewide, data compiled by the eight most populous California cities for the first six months of 2025 show overall violent crime is down 12.5% compared to 2024. Other non-California cities experienced an 11.8% decline in violent crime. 

According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, there’s been a 20% drop in homicides and 19% decrease in robberies in California so far in 2025. 

The largest overall declines in violent crime were reported by the police departments in Oakland (30%) and San Francisco (22%). While Los Angeles County is represented by three law enforcement agencies in this dataset, taken together, the overall violent crime declined by 11% in the region. 

Overall, California has generally seen homicide, robbery, and property crime rates at or below pre-pandemic levels. 

Comparing California to other states 

California’s 2024 homicide rate was the second lowest it has been since at least 1966. The overall number of homicides in California decreased by nearly 12% since 2023. 

When compared to other states, California’s homicide rates (5.1) have historically been lower. According to CDC data from 2023, the latest year available for all states, Louisiana (19.3) and Mississippi (19.4) homicide rates are nearly four times higher than California; Alabama (14.8), Missouri (10.4); and Tennessee (11.4), Arkansas (11.3), South Carolina (11.3) are all more than double California’s rate. 

Significant public safety investments 

While Republicans in Congress pushed their “big beautiful betrayal” bill that cut law enforcement funding, California has shown what real public safety looks like: serious investments, strong enforcement, and real results.

California has invested $1.7 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

Last August, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains at near-historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

As part of the state’s largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced last year that the state distributed $267 million to 55 communities to help local communities combat organized retail crime. These funds have enabled cities and counties to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects.