California Gov. Gavin Newsom is pushing out mixed messaging on the state of Crime in California, announcing Thursday that he is deploying law enforcement to fight crime across major cities.
The mobilization of law enforcement comes as President Donald Trump has cracked down on crime in Washington D.C.
The big picture: Newsom announced that new California Highway Patrol crime suppression teams will work with local law enforcement in San Diego, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, Sacramento and the Bay Area.
- CHP officers have already been on the ground in Oakland, Bakersfield and San Bernardino to target crime.
- The governor said the CHP Crime Suppression Teams will saturate high-crime areas, target repeat offenders and seize illicit weapons and narcotics.
By the numbers: Newsom cited crime statistics in the three cities that already have CHP units targeting crime, with officers making over 9,000 arrests, recovering nearly 5,800 stolen vehicles and confiscating over 400 firearms.
- The CHP partnership in Bakersfield has led to 859 felony arrests, 721 misdemeanor arrests, 2,654 DUI arrests, 1,386 stolen vehicles recovered and 114 firearms seized. Bakersfield has had a 57% drop in homicides and 60% fewer shootings last year.
What they’re saying: When the state and local communities work together strategically, public safety improves,” Newsom said. “While the Trump Administration undermines cities, California is partnering with them – and delivering real results. With these new deployments, we’re doubling down on these partnerships to build on progress and keep driving crime down.”
- CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee added, “These crime suppression teams will provide critical support to our local partners by focusing on crime where it happens most. By combining resources, intelligence, and personnel, we can better disrupt criminal activity and strengthen the safety and security of communities across California.”
Zoom out: Trump recently deployed the National Guard in Washington D.C. to crack down on crime.
- The president also said he is considering sending the National Guard to other cities, including San Francisco.
- While Newsom has spoken out against Trump’s actions, he has followed suit by increasing CHP presence throughout the state on Thursday.
Villaraigosa weighs in: Former Los Angeles Mayor and current gubernatorial candidate Antonio Villaraigosa took to social media on Thursday to say the streets of California need to be cleaned up.
- “We have chaos on the streets of California,” Villaraigosa wrote on X. “We need a proven problem solver to fix it. As Mayor of LA, I lowered violent crime by 48% – and I’ll do it again as Governor.”
