Oakland leaders announce drop in homicides and crime rate

article

Crosses outside the Catholic Church of St. Columba Oakland

OAKLAND, California – Oakland police and politicians speak Friday morning at St. Columba to discuss the nearly 30 percent drop in homicides this year compared to 2023.

The site of the press conference is significant.

Every year, Father Aidan McAleenan places a cross outside his church on San Pablo Avenue to mark each person killed by homicide in the city.

This year, Oakland officials said it is on track to do fewer than 100 crossings for the first time since 2019.

Oakland leaders said the cease-fire strategy was devised at St. Columbus in 2012.

In a press release from the mayor’s office, Oakland has a 33 percent reduction in homicides this year and a 37 percent decrease in overall crime.

Ceasefire has now become a national model that uses human street intelligence and data to focus on the small group of people most likely to commit or fall victim to gun violence.

The program has three main goals: reduce gang shootings and homicides by focusing on the small group of people who commit these crimes; reducing recidivism and incarceration rates by providing at-risk groups with real alternatives such as jobs, social services and life coaching; and strengthening police-community relations.

The press conference will be broadcast live at 9:30. It will be attended by McAleenan, Mayor Sheng Thao, James Beere, Assistant Police Chief James Beere and Department of Violence Prevention Chief Holly Joshi.