The California Highway Patrol's so-called surge operations in Oakland have netted nearly 400 arrests so far this year, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said Thursday.
In addition to the arrests, CHP officers recovered 614 stolen cars and seized 30 guns during that time period.
Newsom announced he was providing Oakland and other parts of Alameda County with additional enforcement resources in February 2024 and since then, his office says CHP officers have made 1,823 arrests and recovered 3,217 stolen vehicles.
In July 2024, Newsom said he quadrupled the number of CHP shifts dedicated to Oakland operations and added 480 "high-tech cameras" in the East Bay, including 190 on state highways and 290 on Oakland streets.
A month later, the governor announced a plan to allow California National Guard lawyers to prosecute crimes in Alameda County.
He did so after negotiations to provide extra prosecutors in coordination with then-Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price apparently never got off the ground. Price, who has since been recalled from office by voters, said Newsom never contacted her directly before announcing the change of plans and that the highly touted surge had resulted in very few criminal cases being referred to her office.
It's unclear how many of the surge arrests have been referred to local prosecutors and how many have been sent to the National Guard.
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In January, Newsom hinted that such surge operations in the future could hinge on whether Oakland loosens its pursuit policy for Oakland police officers, something that the city's police commission and chief of police are considering.
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