Gov. Gavin Newsom introduced he might be quadrupling the variety of shifts of California Freeway Patrol officers to Oakland and can deploy prosecutors from the California Nationwide Guard beginning on Monday to focus on organized crime, carjackings and sideshows.
The announcement comes 5 months after initially sending 120 Freeway Patrol officers to Oakland as a part of a brand new legislation enforcement marketing campaign to bolster police presence in a metropolis the place final yr’s crime knowledge revealed that violent crime elevated by 21%, theft rose by 38% and automobile theft went up by 43%.
Because the begin of the yr, general crime has reportedly gone down by 33%.
“Whereas we’re inspired by some optimistic tendencies, the lawlessness we’re seeing on the streets of Oakland is unacceptable,” Newsom mentioned in an announcement Thursday. “Constructing on our partnership with native legislation enforcement, I’m deploying a brand new surge of CHP officers to assist present the individuals of Oakland and the East Bay the protection and safety they deserve.”
It isn’t unusual for a governor to deploy state officers as reinforcement, particularly if native companies are strapped.
Within the East Bay, the Freeway Patrol has already recovered 1,142 stolen vehicles, seized 55 weapons that have been linked to crimes and made 562 arrests since February, Newsom’s workplace introduced.
Newsom in April deployed one other batch of officers to Bakersfield, which is positioned in Kern County and the place crime knowledge signifies violent and property crimes are increased than the state common.
A month later, he mentioned the seizures of fentanyl going down throughout these cities have been “unprecedented.”
