Newsom joined the CHP and Oakland leaders at a press conference at the CHP office in Oakland Friday to announce a continuation of the CHP support for law enforcement in the East Bay as well as the Solano County city of Vallejo.
Newsom said the future of CHP support for law enforcement in Oakland will depend on changes to Oakland police policies.
CHP officers are not under the same pursuit restriction as Oakland police, allowing CHP to give chase.
In July, Newsom sent a letter to then-Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, the City Council, and the Police Commission urging them to reconsider the policy. City Councilmember Kevin Jenkins told reporters at the press conference that with four new councilmembers beginning their terms in January, there is now overwhelming support to change the policy, which Newsom called an outlier not only in California but in the U.S. as well.
"Over the past year, Oakland has dramatically reduced crime in all categories with an overall reduction of 34%. CHP's sustained presence in Oakland allows OPD to focus resources on responding to calls for service and addressing violent crime through our intelligence-based Ceasefire strategy," said Fortunato Bas. "We greatly appreciate the CHP's targeted enforcement of traffic violations, auto-theft, sideshows, and seizure of illegal guns and look forward to continuing this important partnership in2025."
"We look forward to Oakland elected and appointed leaders seeing what outsiders--such as the governor and visitors—see we need to fight crime and criminals," said Nguyen in a prepared statement.
Newsom also said he has directed the CHP to expand its efforts working with the Vallejo Police Department, where current staffing shortages are affecting public safety. In August, VPD said out of 137 sworn officer positions in Vallejo, only 73 were filled, and the department is also without a permanent police chief.
Newsom pointed to new laws taking effect in 2025 that enhance penalties for retail theft, vehicle theft and sideshows that indicate the state is doubling down on its public safety and crime prevention strategies.
The CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force, established in 2019 and expanded by Newsom in 2021, has recovered more than $51.3 million in stolen property since its inception, the Governor's Office said
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