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Full news conference: Gov. Newsom deploys CHP to more California cities to fight crime
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced he is expanding the deployment of the California Highway Patrol in more major cities to fight crime, as statistics show that crime is dropping statewide. Here is his full press conference.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday announced he is expanding the deployment of the California Highway Patrol in more major cities to fight crime, as statistics show that crime is dropping statewide.
The CHP was sent to Oakland in 2024, and Newsom said he plans to send the state police to San Diego, Inland Empire, Los Angeles, Central Valley, Sacramento, as well as the San Francisco Bay Area.
Newsom's office said the expanded deployment comes on the heels of "successful CHP efforts" already underway in Oakland, Bakersfield, and San Bernardino.
"These operations will be targeted," Newsom said at a news conference flanked by the CHP commissioner. "They'll be data-driven. They'll be focused on the basis of intelligence gathering that's coming from different law enforcement agencies. On the basis of these existing task forces and existing relationships. And these will be unannounced efforts."
These CHP officers assigned to specialized crime suppression teams will saturate what Newsom described as high-crime areas, target repeat offenders, and seize illegal weapons and drugs.
"These crime suppression teams will provide critical support to our local partners by focusing on crime where it happens most," CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a statement. "By combining resources, intelligence, and personnel, we can better disrupt criminal activity and strengthen the safety and security of communities across California."
In addition to Oakland, Newsom deployed CHP officers last year in Bakersfield and San Bernardino as well.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom sits at his desk with the California Highway Patrol. Aug. 28, 2025
So far, Newsom said officers have made over 9,000 arrests, recovered nearly 5,800 stolen vehicles, and confiscated over 400 firearms.
- Bakersfield: Since April 2024, there have been 859 felony arrests, 721 misdemeanor arrests, 2,654 DUI arrests, 1,386 stolen vehicles recovered, and 114 firearms seized. Bakersfield's 2024 crime rates were the lowest since 2021, with a 57% drop in homicides and 60% fewer shootings.
- Oakland: By late 2024, Oakland had an overall 34% crime decrease year-over-year. Preliminary 2024 data showed a 25% drop in robbery, nearly 50% in burglary, and 33% in vehicle theft. Since February 2024, the CHP and Oakland police have made 73 felony arrests, 420 misdemeanor arrests, 1,528 DUI arrests, recovered 4,257 stolen vehicles, and seized 247 illicit firearms.
- San Bernardino: Since October 2024, the CHP and police have made 357 felony arrests, 1,617 misdemeanor arrests, 170 DUI arrests, seized 145 stolen vehicles, and removed 82 illicit firearms.
Newsom's office said that data compiled by the eight most populous California cities for the first six months of 2025 show overall violent crime is down 12.5% compared to 2024. California’s 2024 homicide rate was the second lowest it has been since at least 1966, Newsom's office said.
According to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, there’s been a 20% drop in homicides and 19% decrease in robberies in California so far in 2025.
The largest overall declines in violent crime were reported by the police departments in Oakland (30%) and San Francisco (22%), Newsom's office said.
The overall violent crime in the Los Angeles County area dipped by 11%, according to Newsom.
Other non-California cities experienced an 11.8% decline in violent crime.