(SACRAMENTO, CA) – Californians for Public Safety issued the following statement in response to Governor Newsom’s recent announcement highlighting new California Department of Justice data showing statewide declines across major crime categories:
“It is encouraging to see reported crime rates moving in the right direction. Any reduction in violent crime, property crime, or theft is welcome news for California’s communities, workers, and businesses. These trends underscore an important reality: investments in public safety can be effective when government, law enforcement, local stakeholders, and the private sector work together.
“However, statistics alone do not capture the full experience of California’s business community.
“For many business owners, crime remains a daily challenge that continues to affect operations, employee safety, customer confidence, and financial stability. Whether it is burglary, vandalism, cargo theft, copper wire theft, trespassing, or organized property crime, the impacts are often immediate. Many small businesses operate on thin margins, and a single criminal incident can mean the difference between staying open and permanently closing their doors.
“It is also important to recognize the limitations of crime data. Business owners across California frequently report frustration with the reporting process and skepticism that reporting incidents will lead to recovery, prosecution, or meaningful action. As a result, many incidents go unreported, particularly repeat property crimes and lower-dollar incidents that still impose significant cumulative costs.
“The results seen in organized retail crime initiatives demonstrate that targeted investment, coordination, and crime prevention strategies can deliver meaningful results. California should apply those same lessons more broadly across commercial, manufacturing, and industrial property crime.
“Sustaining recent progress will require continued investment in crime prevention and a commitment to making crime-prevention tools more accessible for businesses of all sizes.”
About Californians for Public Safety
Californians for Public Safety, a coalition of business leaders and citizens, advocates for swift action to enhance public safety. Our mission focuses on streamlining bureaucratic processes for implementing crime prevention technologies, fostering strong relationships between property owners, local government, and police, and promoting cost-effective prevention measures. By prioritizing these pillars, we aim to create a safer California where businesses thrive, communities prosper, and preventative strategies stand as key components of a secure future.