State-local partnerships lead to 6,700 arrests, 4,800 stolen vehicles recovered, reducing crime in key areas

Bakersfield

Following the launch of the CHP partnership in April 2024, the city of Bakersfield experienced notable changes in crime trends. The joint enforcement operation had led to 3,315 arrests, including 680 felony arrests, 1,174 stolen vehicles recovered, and 87 firearms seized. The city of Bakersfield announced that 2024 was its safest year since 2021, showing a 57% drop in homicides and 60% fewer shootings compared to previous years.

In over a year of partnership, state and local law enforcement in the area have cracked down on crime, including using their aerial suppression team to assist ground units with apprehending fleeing suspects. 

Oakland

By the end of 2024, the city of Oakland had dramatically reduced crime in all categories, with an overall reduction of 34%, compared to the previous year. Preliminary data from January 1 to December 22, 2024, indicated a 25% decrease in robbery, a nearly 50% drop in burglary, and a 33% decline in motor vehicle theft year-over-year. Since the joint efforts began in February 2024, officials have made 2,101 arrests, 1,504 of those felonies, recovered 3,578 stolen vehicles, and confiscated 192 illicit firearms. 

CHP officers have worked with local area police to keep neighborhoods safe in the past 15 months, including an arrest on multiple felony charges, an arrest with gun and cocaine following a foot chase, and a multimonth investigation to crack down on an organized retail theft ring and the recovery of stolen merchandise valued at more than $779,000.

San Bernardino

Since October 2024, when the collaborative law enforcement effort began in the area, CHP officers have helped clamp down on property theft and violent crime, including gun violence. Officials have arrested 1,311 individuals, including 249 for felony conduct, seized 90 stolen vehicles and removed 34 illicit firearms. The CHP’s operation also adds special law enforcement units on the ground and in the air — specifically targeting sideshow activities and stolen vehicles using high-tech camera technology. This advanced camera network in the region allows law enforcement agencies to identify vehicle attributes beyond license plate numbers, enabling the CHP, local law enforcement, and allied agencies to search for vehicles suspected to be linked to crimes and receive real-time alerts about their movement. Similar efforts have been used to fight crime in the Bay Area.

Through continued partnerships with the San Bernardino Police Department, CHP officers in the past 7 months have made significant improvements to community safety, including reducing theft, violent crime, and gun violence in the region.

Recent data suggests violent and property crime went down in key areas in 2024. According to an analysis of Real Time Crime Index data by the Public Policy Institute of California, property crime dropped by 8.5% and violent crime dropped by 4.6% in 2024, compared to 2023. Burglary and larceny also went down by 13.6% and 18.6%, respectively, compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

Stronger enforcement. Serious penalties. Real consequences.

In April, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the results from $267 million in grants to 55 communities to hire more police and secure more felony charges against suspects. Proposed by the Governor and distributed by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), program participants collected data on arrests, referrals, charges, convictions, and sentencing related to organized retail crime. From October 2023 to December 2024, 88% of the 373 organized retail theft convictions were felonies. 

Last year, 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 establish tough new penalties for repeat offenders, provide additional tools for felony prosecutions, and crack down on serial shoplifters, retail thieves, and auto burglars.

California has invested $1.1 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.