Governor Newsom deploys dedicated teams to fight crime in Stockton, building on existing successful partnerships

On December 12, officers from the CHP’s Crime Suppression Team in Stockton recovered a stolen Hellcat engine in a Chrysler 300, following a traffic stop. The driver was released and determined to be a victim of a fraudulent purchase.

Since the program expansion, these crime suppression teams have made nearly 1,700 arrests, recovered more than 300 stolen vehicles, impounded almost 1200 vehicles, and seized nearly 70 illicit firearms statewide.

In late November, the Stockton community experienced a horrific shooting that claimed the lives of four young Californians and left more than a dozen others wounded. The Governor has continued to condemn this violence because every Californian deserves to feel safe in their communities. 

“Violence will not be tolerated in our community, and we welcome the increased law enforcement presence to help make Stockton stronger and safer,” said  San Joaquin County Board Chair Paul Canepa. “On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, I thank Governor Newsom for expanding the partnership between the California Highway Patrol and local law enforcement. These additional resources will support San Joaquin County’s efforts to prioritize public safety and combat crime.”

“We must seek new ways to work together, to collaborate and bring the best to the table in addressing the horrific manifestations of violent crime,”said Kristen Birtwhistle, President and CEO, United Way of San Joaquin County. “Through violence intervention, prevention, and partnerships like this one, we will change the trajectory of violence now and into the future. I am thankful to Governor Newsom for deploying additional resources to Stockton.”

While California leads the nation on gun safety due to its strong gun safety laws – along with one of the lowest rates of gun deaths – it’s important Californians understand the resources available to keep them safe. 

As the state continues working closely with local leaders to help with the investigation and catch those responsible for this heinous incident, the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) can help victims and their families during horrific tragedies, such as the Stockton mass shooting, with up to $70,000 in financial assistance, including funeral and burial expenses, medical bills, and mental health treatment.

CalVCB has information on its website and encourages those impacted to reach out to the San Joaquin District Attorney Victim-Witness program to receive application assistance specific to the Stockton shooting.

Violence intervention funding

The Governor has made substantial investments and validated the need for evidence-based practice of violence intervention. As a national leader in gun violence reduction, starting in FY21-22, the Governor drove a nearly eightfold increase in funding for the California Violence Intervention Program (CalVIP), turning the program into a driver of public safety.

Through the Board of State and Community Correction’s CalVIP funding alone, since 2018, the state has committed $350 million for local violence and gun violence  intervention and prevention efforts. This grant program supports eligible cities, counties, tribes, and community-based organizations in their ability to improve public health and safety through effective gun violence reduction initiatives in communities that are disproportionately impacted by violence, including homicides, shootings, and aggravated assaults.

California is proud to have supported the Stockton community with violence intervention funding. Since 2018, Stockton has received approximately $8.7 million in total grant funding from CalVIP.

New data shows violent crime is down

According to new data from the Major Cities Chiefs Association, crime is down nearly across the board in California year-over-year. 

Homicides: ↓ 18%

Robberies: ↓ 18%

Aggravated Assaults: ↓ 9%

Violent crime: Down in every major city reporting data

Largest drops: Oakland (↓25%) and San Francisco (↓21%)

According to the independent data, there’s been an 18% drop in homicides, an 18% drop in robberies and a 9% drop in aggravated assaults. Overall violent crime was down in each jurisdiction reporting data, with the overall largest declines in violent crimes being reported by law enforcement officials in Oakland (25%) and San Francisco (21%). Not every major city is seeing California’s same results: violent crime increased in Atlanta (+19%) and Omaha (+4%), and homicides rose in El Paso (+26%) and Arlington (+20%).

Stockton stats

Recent city crime statistics show Stockton is trending downward across several crime areas in 2025. From January through November 2025, reported burglaries are down about 33%, robberies down about 19%, and motor vehicle theft down about 30% compared with the same year‑to‑date period in 2024. Overall, total reported incidents are down about 11% year‑over‑year.

While the Trump Administration has made cuts to public safety, including canceling more than $800 million in federal grant money that would have funded school violence programs, training for police officers, resources for domestic violence survivors and hate crime prevention, California is backing its commitment with partnerships and state investment. 

California has invested $1.7 billion since 2019 to fight crime, help local governments hire more police, and improve public safety. In 2023, as part of California’s Public Safety Plan, the Governor announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in state history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

Last year, Governor Newsom signed into law the most significant bipartisan legislation to crack down on property crime in modern California history. Building on the state’s robust laws and record public safety funding, these bipartisan bills offer new tools to bolster ongoing efforts to hold criminals accountable for smash-and-grab robberies, property crime, retail theft, and auto burglaries. While California’s crime rate remains at near-historic lows, these laws help California adapt to evolving criminal tactics to ensure perpetrators are effectively held accountable.

As part of the largest-ever state investment to fight organized retail crime, Governor Newsom announced in 2023 that the state allocated $267 million to 55 communities to help them combat this issue. These funds have allowed cities and counties to hire more police officers, make more arrests, and pursue more felony charges against suspects.