More than 6,700 people have been arrested, almost 5,000 stolen cars have been found, and hundreds of firearms have been seized in San Bernardino, Bakersfield, and Oakland as a result of a series of coordinated law enforcement operations that California Governor Gavin Newsom started, officials said this week.
The goal of these collaborations was to lower crime and road violence in high-risk regions by 2024.
“I am proud of the CHP Officers, who continue to serve their communities, deter crime, and hold bad actors accountable,” Newsom stated. “Their partnership with local law enforcement has helped to bring a sense of safety to communities across the state and exemplifies California’s commitment to putting the public’s safety first.
3,315 arrests were made in Bakersfield, including 680 felony arrests, 1,174 recovered stolen automobiles, and 87 confiscated guns.
“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,” according to a news release.
In addition to 2,101 arrests, 1,504 of which were felonies, the recovery of 3,578 stolen vehicles, the confiscation of 192 illegal firearms, and a 34% overall decline in crime, Oakland had a 25% drop in robberies and a nearly 50% drop in burglaries.
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Officers made 1,311 arrests in San Bernardino, where operations started in October.
They used sophisticated monitoring techniques to target sideshow and auto theft, which helped to reduce violent and property crimes more generally.
According to Newsom’s administration, California has spent $1.1 billion since 2019 to fight crime and increase law enforcement capabilities.
