SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – Governor Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that California Highway Patrol (CHP) crime suppression teams have helped reduce crime across the Bay Area, making more than 275 arrests, recovering over 520 stolen vehicles, and seizing 34 illicit firearms so far this year, according to a press release from the Governor’s Office.
The release stated that the expansion of CHP’s presence has “helped reduce crime and increase public safety” by targeting stolen vehicle operations and illegal firearm possession. “California is going all in to build on the success in the Bay Area to enhance public safety,” Newsom said in the statement. “We’ve seen significant success in driving down crime when we’ve partnered CHP officers with local law enforcement officials.”
CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said that seeing these crime suppression teams “in action reminds me why our mission matters,” emphasizing that their work “is not only reducing crime but also strengthening the trust and confidence of the communities we serve.”
According to the same release, Newsom’s statewide deployment of CHP crime suppression teams has resulted in 1,200 arrests, the recovery of more than 600 stolen vehicles, and the seizure of 73 illegal firearms in 2025 across major regions, including San Diego, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, and Sacramento.
The press statement also addressed President Trump’s recent threats to send the National Guard into San Francisco, noting that he has “backed off — for now.” According to the release, community leaders, state officials, and local law enforcement “vehemently disagreed” with federal intervention, citing record-low crime rates and significant local progress. The statement added that “public safety is up and crime is down” as a result of state–local partnerships rather than federal action.
Governor Newsom’s office pointed to new state investments and collaborative efforts as key factors in lowering crime. Since 2019, California has invested $1.7 billion in public safety programs, including funding to help local governments hire more police, strengthen anti-fentanyl operations, and combat organized retail theft. “California takes care of its communities,” the release read, and emphasized the ongoing partnerships between the CHP, California Department of Justice, National Guard, San Francisco Police Department, and the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
Through these efforts, officials have seized nearly 700 pounds of fentanyl and recovered over 115 stolen vehicles since 2023. “The work these officers do together every day is all in service to their communities and to improve safety overall,” the statement said.
According to the California Department of Justice, nearly every major crime category declined in 2024. The Major Cities Chiefs Association reported that violent crime in California’s major cities fell 12.5 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, with the steepest drops in Oakland (30 percent) and San Francisco (22 percent). California’s 2024 homicide rate, the release noted, was the second-lowest since at least 1966.
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