CHP surge will add law enforcement muscle in crime-plagued San Bernardino

The California Highway Patrol is stepping in to help combat property theft, shootings and more in the city of San Bernardino, where rates of violent crime are around double the state average.

The CHP surge operation will add law enforcement units on the ground and in the air to help the San Bernardino Police Department target sideshows, stolen vehicles, ghost guns and street gangs, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday in announcing the launch of the program. The partnership aims to bolster public safety in one of the most crime-ridden cities in California.

The city of San Bernardino had an estimated violent-crime rate of 1,059 crimes per 100,000 residents in 2023, around double the California average of 511 crimes per 100,000 residents, according to data from the San Bernardino Police Department, U.S. Census and state Department of Justice.

The city’s 2023 estimated homicide rate was 16.2 per 100,000 residents — more than triple the California average of 4.8 per 100,000 residents.

And although those numbers are dire, they mark a notable improvement from 2022.

San Bernardino, sans the CHP, has already made a dent in year-on-year violent crime and homicide rates, which decreased by 11% and 50%, respectively, in 2023, according to SBPD data. Still, city officials say they welcome the law enforcement boost, and CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee said the partnership would strengthen ongoing efforts to improve public safety.

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“This collaboration allows us to share resources, intelligence, and expertise, enhancing our ability to reduce crime and create a safer environment for all members of the community,� said Duryee in a statement. No information was available on the number of CHP officers that would be deployed to San Bernardino.

Newsom has already launched CHP surge operations in several other crime hot spots including Oakland, San Francisco and Bakersfield. These operations have cumulatively resulted in more than 3,200 arrests, the recovery of nearly 3,000 stolen vehicles and the seizure of over 170 illegal firearms.

In San Bernardino, the operation will help combat ghost guns, illegal firearms that have no serial numbers and are difficult for law enforcement agencies to connect to crimes or owners.

Last year, San Bernardino County seized over 4,700 ghost guns, more than any other county in California except for Los Angeles.

San Bernardino Mayor Helen Tran said she was grateful for the support of the CHP to help the city continue decreasing crime rates and apprehending criminal enterprises targeting neighborhoods and businesses.