San Francisco, CA – Overall crime numbers remain down in San Francisco in the first month of 2024, building on major improvements seen in 2023. These efforts are the result of increased and coordinated enforcement efforts by local, state, and federal agencies that are partnering to make San Francisco a safer place for residents, workers, businesses, and visitors.
In 2023, overall crime was at its lowest point in the last ten years, other than in 2020 when San Francisco and the region was mostly shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January 2024, San Francisco crime trends continued this positive momentum. Compared to January 2023:
- Property crime is down 32%
- Violent crime is down 11%
The January 2024 reductions in crime are broad-based, with declines in robbery, motor vehicle theft, larceny theft (including car-break-ins), assaults and more. Examples include:
- 39% reduction in larceny theft (includes car break-ins and retail theft)
- 11% reduction in robberies
- 20% reduction in burglaries
When compared to pre-pandemic levels, the trends for this January are even stronger. Compared to the three-year average across January 2018-2020:
- Property crime is down 40%
- Violent crime is down 24%
These efforts reflect the work of local law enforcement, including the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, alongside their state and federal partners at the California Highway Patrol, California National Guard, and the Drug Enforcement Agency. The San Francisco District Attorney and US Attorney’s Office continue to aggressively prosecute cases, including drug crimes.
This data is publicly available on SFPD’s Crime Data Dashboard.
“San Francisco is leading with effective efforts to make this city safer for everyone,” said Mayor London Breed. “We are committed to continuing to be aggressive in enforcing our laws while also offering people alternatives when they do cross the line. We are a city of compassion and second chances, but we also are a city that will continue to hold those who break the law accountable. I’m grateful for all of our police officers, sheriff’s deputies, assistant district attorneys, as well as our state and federal partners who are doing this work every day. Working together, we can continue to make a difference.”
Recent examples of enforcement activities include:
- SFDA secured conviction for drug dealing in the Tenderloin (2/9/14)
- SFPD Plainclothes operations lead to robbery arrests (2/10/14)
- SFPD Night operations lead to 23 arrests at drug markets (2/12/14)
- SFDA Secures conviction for commercial burglary, vandalism, attempted theft (2/14/14)
"The SFPD is continuing to build on the progress we made fighting crime last year," said Chief Bill Scott. "The hard work of our officers is paying off and we're not going to let up. We're adding additional tools and increasing our staffing to continue to hold criminals accountable and protect our City."
“My office is committed to continue working with all local law enforcement as well as federal and state partners to make San Francisco safer for all residents,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “Although we are starting to see some positive indicators, now is the time to double down and invest more resources strategically so that our residents, workers and visitors feel safer in our City.”
“This decrease in overall crime rates underscores the dedication and commitment from the Sheriff's Office and the Police Department whose work has been supported by the Mayor's Office and District Attorney's Office,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “Despite severe staffing shortages faced by both the Sheriff and SFPD, current enforcement efforts have made a difference. Imagine the potential for even greater success in crime prevention if our City remains steadfast in bringing our ranks to full staff. We remain committed to addressing our staffing needs and to the safety of our residents.”
Key priorities for building on these efforts include:
- Deploying new technologies to address crime, including installing 400 new automated license plate readers citywide to address retail theft and other crimes
- Continuing police staffing progress by graduating the next Police Academy Class in February, and filling more classes quickly
- Implementing reforms to ensure that police officers are not tied down with unnecessary and duplicative paperwork instead of being out on the street
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