Oakland police on Thursday said crime is down across all major categories, but the chief acknowledged there’s still work to do.
Chief James Beere said homicides this year are down more than 20% compared to the same period last year. Robberies and burglaries are down 26%.
Beere said more needs to be done to address increases in larceny and robberies involving weapons.
“I want to acknowledge something that’s very important. For those of us who have been victims of crime, these statistics may not reflect how you feel and how safe you feel,” Beere said. “We understand that and we take these concerns very seriously. At the same time, many of our residents have told us that they feel much safer.”
Beere credited the decline in crime to collaboration between the community, city leadership and law enforcement partners.
Beere acknowledged staffing remains a challenge. The police department currently has 601 officers. Beere pointed to a recent audit that found the department needs at least 877 officers to maintain its current level of service.
