Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) issued a new directive prompting the California Highway Patrol to assist with efforts against an increase in retail crime during the holiday season.
Newsom said an increased law enforcement presence and CHP's Organized Retail Crime Task Force will be in "key retail districts" across the state as part of his Real Public Safety Plan. The Democratic governor emphasized the need for immediate arrests and incarceration for those who steal goods from stores.
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"When criminals run out of stores with stolen goods, they need to be arrested and escorted directly into jail cells. Leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars in law enforcement investments, the California Highway Patrol — working with allied agencies — is increasing enforcement efforts and conducting and supporting covert and confidential takedowns to stop these criminals in their tracks during the holiday season, and year-round," Newsom said in a press statement.
In September, Newsom pledged $267 million in grants to 55 cities and counties across California to help curb organized retail theft, the largest single investment to fight retail crime in state history. California will utilize that substantial investment to conduct and expand operations alongside allied agencies.
The CHP and its task force will increase their presence in areas with high retail crime rates, like Southern California, the Bay Area, the San Joaquin Valley, and Sacramento, and they will be working with local law enforcement, loss prevention, and other departments.
“The men and women of the California Highway Patrol are working around the clock to keep shoppers, merchants, and retail districts safe this holiday season — and year-round,” CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said in a press release.
“Much of our task force’s success can be attributed to the strong working relationships we have with our law enforcement partners throughout the state and the rapport we have cultivated with the retail industry. Working together with our partners, and utilizing the CHP’s extensive statewide resources, we are cracking down and stopping unacceptable criminal activity,” he said.
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Three large California cities are in the top 10 among the nation's cities most affected by organized retail crime, according to the National Retail Federation's 2023 report. Los Angeles ranked No. 1, the San Francisco and Oakland area ranked second, and Sacramento came in at seven.
Newsom deployed the CHP in a similar fashion this summer, tasking them with battling retail crime in Los Angeles as the city struggles to decrease large-scale burglaries. Mayor Karen Bass announced the Los Angeles Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies will form a new task force to address organized retail crime.