California Highway Patrol officers are being deployed by the governor to help Oakland and the East Bay region crack down on crime.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced 120 CHP officers will participate in the law enforcement surge operation. The strategy is to saturate the area with officers and investigators who will work with other law enforcement agencies within Alameda County.
"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," Newsom said in a statement. "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."
CHP's surge operation focuses on targeting auto theft, cargo theft, retail crime, violent crime, and high-visibility traffic enforcement. License plate reader technology and specialized CHP units, including K9s and air support, will also be used during the operation, the governor's office said.
The move follows calls for state help from local organizations and politicians including the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. In January, a group of Oakland community leaders traveled to Sacramento and met with the governor in person.
According to a recent Oakland Police Department crime report, between 2021 and 2023 there was a 21 percent increase in violent crime, a 38 percent increase in robberies and a 45 percent increase in vehicle thefts.
In September, the Newsom administration approved the distribution of over $267 million to local police and sheriff's departments and district attorney's offices throughout California to fight organized retail theft. The money went to create task forces, hire and train staff and purchase new technologies. There were 55 awardees, but Oakland received no funds because it missed the application deadline.
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In the governor's Tuesday statement about the surge, Mayor Sheng Thao expressed gratitude.
"The surge of crime and violence that we are seeing in our streets is completely unacceptable," Thao said. "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."
Bay City News contributed to this report.
