OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- Oakland police say the latest crime statistics show the city is continuing to make progress in reducing crime.
At a news conference Thursday, Oakland Police Chief James Beere announced that third-quarter statistics show violent crime is down 17% and overall crime is down 9% when comparing the first nine months of 2026 with the same period last year.
“The big things that have gotten us to where we are right now is our ceasefire strategy (and) our partnership with the community,” Beere said, also crediting officers on the ground.
Among the numbers, homicides are down 28% compared with the same period last year. Aggravated assaults are down 10%, robberies are down 27% and burglaries are down 24%.
“Ceasefire is so effective that now we're utilizing it throughout all the city departments to bring the best possible service we can to our residents,” Beere said.
He also credited technology for helping reduce crime.
“If we did not have technology, we'd be hurting right now,” he said.
Beere warned that maintaining the positive momentum will be difficult without adding more police officers. He cited a new study by the Office of the Inspector General that found the department would need 877 officers to maintain its current efforts.
“They said that we would need 877 officers just to maintain what we're doing right now. Currently, we have 601 officers on the books,” Beere said.
Beere said the number of officers on the books does not necessarily reflect how many are actively working, meaning the actual number is lower.
He said two police academy classes could yield an additional 61 officers. Eight officers who previously left the Oakland Police Department have returned, and several retired officers are also coming back.
However, Beere said the department currently relies on officers working overtime and assistance from outside agencies to meet its staffing needs. He said that approach is not sustainable in the long term.
“If we want to continue to improve and draw businesses and bring them in, we need people to feel safe. And without police officers … we're not going to be able to maintain these numbers, and people are not going to feel safe,” Beere said.
