Aiming to help San Bernardino police reduce violent crime and theft in their city, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan Monday to have California Highway Patrol officers lend some support.
Recent statistics show San Bernardino’s violent crime rate at nearly double the statewide average, and its homicide rate more than three times the statewide average. In addition, the vehicle theft rate is among the highest in the state. Law enforcement officials also have reported increased traffic and street violations, including sideshows, according to a release from the governor’s office.
The governor’s plan will add law enforcement units on the ground and in the air, including some that target sideshow activities and stolen vehicles. The CHP will also offer police added investigative support “to disrupt organized criminal activity and violent street gangs, get illegal guns off the street and help prevent gun violence,” the release said.
Police said the number of highway patrol officers helping police would depend on CHP’s staffing levels. In the first operation over the past weekend, the highway patrol staffed between 10 and 14 officers.
“Our community deserves to feel safe and secure, and we are committed to sustaining this positive momentum,” Police Chief Darren Goodman said. “This collaboration with CHP will amplify our ongoing efforts to keep violent crime down, and we are confident that by working together, we can make a lasting impact.”
The program is ongoing and doesn’t yet have a specific end date, police said.
Similar highway patrol operations in Oakland, San Francisco and Bakersfield led to more than 3,200 arrests, the recovery of nearly 3,000 stolen vehicles and 170 illegal firearms and drugs, including fentanyl.
Last year, Gov. Newsom also gave more than $267 million to 55 local law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute organized retail theft suspects, leading to more than 10,000 arrests in nine months. The highway patrol’s Organized Retail Theft Task Force arrested an additional 3,200 suspects, recovered more than 880,000 stolen items worth over $46 million and conducted more than 3,000 investigations, the governor’s office said.
While San Bernardino has seen many crimes eclipse statewide averages, the city has seen a decline in violent crime over the past year, according to San Bernardino police. Since the same period in 2023, murders decreased 33%, aggravated assaults went down 17% and robberies reduced 15%, police said.
Originally Published:
