Newsom announces extension of CHP surge operation to combat Oakland crime, urges change to police pursuit policy
The California Highway Patrol will continue surge operations for another month to combat crime in Oakland and other Bay Area locations, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday morning while urging a change to a controversial police policy.
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.
Oakland's police pursuit policy came under fire during the press conference, with Newsom and other speakers railing against a policy that limits the ability of officers to chase crime suspects. The Oakland Police Department only allows for pursuits involving "violent forcible crimes" and crimes involving firearms. It means that police can't chase people suspected of committing felonies such as reckless driving, sideshow activity, driving under the influence, and retail theft.
Newsom said the future of CHP support for law enforcement in Oakland will depend on changes to Oakland police policies.
"We specifically are going to need to see changes in the pursuit policy here in Oakland," Newsom said. "This has been called out over the course of many months. The [CHP] Deputy Commissioner just highlighted a remarkable story that has been shared on multiple occasions to me and others of suspects that have been pursued that were shocked that they were actually pulled over because in the past, presumably, they had not been."
CHP officers are not under the same pursuit restriction as Oakland police, allowing CHP to give chase.
"You could be drunk, you could run a red light, you can come close to side-swiping a school bus right during the morning hours right in front of a police officer and the pursuit policy in Oakland says we cannot pursue that suspect, we cannot engage that suspect," Newsom continued. "Reckless driving, someone who literally puts people's lives at risk, that occurs right in front of an officer in a vehicle, that officer cannot under this extreme pursuit policy here in Oakland pursue that suspect."
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. At its September meeting, the commission chose not to change the policy which supporters say is needed to curb pursuits that put the public at risk. Newsom said the danger of police chases can be mitigated by incorporating best practices from law enforcement agencies across the U.S. to cut down on risks.
Many Oakland business owners supported the governor's request, including barber Donald Smith, better known as Mr. Krispy.
"The criminals, they're taking advantage of [the pursuit policy]," said Smith.
On Saturday morning, a group of thieves drove a stolen car into Smith's East Oakland barber shop to steal an ATM.
"It was unbelievable. It seemed like some type of a movie scene from 'The Purge,'" said Smith.
Smith estimated it could cost him $30,000 to repair the damage. He has since set up an online fundraiser to raise money for the repairs.
"I feel disrespected. All of that to just come to get an ATM that just had about $500 to $600 in it," said Smith.
Investigators linked those burglars to other similar thefts that weekend. Smith wasn't surprised, saying Oakland makes it inviting for the criminals with the no chase policy.
Interim Mayor Nikki Fortunato Bas, who stepped into the office after Thao's recall, said in a prepared statement that she applauded Newsom's effort to extend the partnership with the Police Department and the CHP and welcomed the advice from the governor's team.
"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 in
2025."
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.
Oakland Police Officers Association President Huy Nguyen on Friday welcomed the extension of the CHP deployments to address what he called "surging crime in Oakland."
"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.
Police Commission Chair Ricardo Garcia-Acosta told CBS News San Francisco the commission thanks Newsom for the support, resources, and commitment to public safety in the city.
"We have seen the significant and positive impacts that have resulted in Oakland Police Department's coordination with CHP and understand that there is still significant work to be done in regards to OPD's pursuit policy and practices," said Garcia-Acosta in a prepared statement. "We give our commitment to respond to the call for action and to do our part to work with City Leadership to make Oakland a safer place to work, live, and visit- by implementing smart policy and best practices to deter reckless behavior in our city streets."
The CHP began its surge support in Oakland in February and in July, Newsom quadrupled the number of shifts CHP officers worked in the region, while also calling out former District Attorney Pamela Price, who has also since been recalled. The state has also installed 290 Flock security cameras in the city of Oakland and 190 cameras on East Bay freeways which have helped law enforcement in dozens of investigations, the Governor's Office said.
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.
In 2024, the CHP reports its surge operations in the Bay Area have allowed it to recover $13 million in stolen goods and arrest more than 1,400 suspects. The operations throughout the state targeted organized criminal behavior, gun violence, fentanyl distribution, and sideshows and street racing in Oakland, San Francisco, Bakersfield, and San Bernardino.
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.
