Today, Attorney General Rob Bonta, the top law enforcement cop with the California Department of Justice (DOJ), released the 2022 Crime in California report. Most notable in this report to highlight: California saw an increase in violent crime and in property crime, among other things.
“Sadly, we are not surprised to learn that California’s violent and property crime rates increased in 2022,” said Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones (R-San Diego). “Despite the crime increase, total arrest rates decreased by 2.7%. This report echoes the immediate need for California to ditch its soft-on-crime and catering to criminals approach, and prioritize real public safety by enforcing the law. It’s almost an embarrassment that the Legislature’s ‘Public Safety’ committees aren’t addressing the issue they are assigned. Instead, Democrat lawmakers are finding ways to let criminals get away with committing heinous crimes and facing minimal consequences.”
“Families across this state have very real concerns about public safety,” said Senator Brian Dahle (R-Bieber). “Today’s report indicating an increase in violent crime is one of the many reasons Senate Republicans committed to tackling crime as a priority this year. My children, and all of California’s children, deserve a bright future in this state that includes being able to safely walk to school or visit their friends without fear of violence.”
One Senate Democrat recently laid out her thoughts on public safety in California on the Senate floor, saying, “You know California, it’s so common now when we turn on the TV news to have every single news report open with a crime report. … but it seems to be something that many people have latched onto and perpetuate a myth on this big crime increase that we have. If you look at the data, whether you look at the PPIC’s reports, the LAO’s reports or any other number of reports, California’s crime and violent crime for sure has not gone up significantly at all.” To watch that Senate floor clip, click here.
Senator Dahle was quick to outline other key issues with California’s public safety crisis on the Senate Floor during that debate. Click here to view or download those excellent remarks highlighting the issue at hand.