Newsom responds to Oakland's crime surge by sending more attorneys after DA's leftist policies prompted prosecutors to quit

California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom's office announced Thursday that it plans to tackle Oakland's crime surge by sending more attorneys to assist Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price.

A press release from the governor's office stated that Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta "launch[ed] a new partnership" with Price "to increase the capacity to prosecute suspects involved in violent crimes, serious drug-related crimes, and property crimes — including retail theft and auto burglary — in Oakland and the East Bay."

"The partnership will result in the deployment of deputy attorneys general from the California Department of Justice and attorneys from the California National Guard — adding capacity to prosecute suspects arrested for serious and complex crimes in Alameda County," the press release added.

Newsom's office claimed that the new partnership will "boost law enforcement capacity in Oakland and the East Bay," an area recently plagued by rampant criminal activity. The additional attorneys will focus their attention on investigating and prosecuting individuals suspected of committing violent, property, and drug-related offenses.

"An arrest isn't enough. Justice demands that suspects are appropriately prosecuted. Whether it's 'bipping' or carjacking, attempted murder or fentanyl trafficking, individuals must be held accountable for their crimes using the full and appropriate weight of the law," Newsom stated. The term "bipping" refers to a method used by car burglars to break into vehicles quietly.

Price welcomed Newsom's decision to send additional attorneys to help combat "organized retail crime and the scourge of fentanyl in our community."

"I am assigning Alameda County career prosecutor Assistant DA Michael Nieto to represent my office in this collaborative effort," Price said.

The leftist DA is currently facing a recall effort over her soft-on-crime policies that have prompted several prosecutors to resign. According to a recent report from the Oaklandside, the recall campaign has spent $2.2 million since its launch and is backed mainly by financiers and real estate interests. Price's critics must obtain at least 73,195 signatures by mid-March to get the recall on the ballot.

Price has been blasted by local residents and Oakland's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People for her "progressive policies and failed leadership." Despite the criticism, Price continues to tout her "restorative justice" policies, which she claims have closed the gap on racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

During a July interview with KPIX-TV, the controversial DA responded to her critics by stating that her position "has really no impact on crime." Yet despite Price's baffling statement, Newsom now claims his administration is combatting crime by sending the DA additional attorneys.

On Tuesday, the governor announced that he would send 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland and East Bay "to crack down" on the "alarming and unacceptable" crime wave, Blaze News previously reported. State officers will work with local law enforcement agencies to curb violent crime, auto theft, cargo theft, and retail theft. The additional units will also allow for "high-visibility traffic enforcement."

In 2023, the city's violent crime increased by 21%, robberies by 38%, and vehicle thefts by 45%.

Several businesses, including Denny's, In-N-Out, Black Bear Diner, Subway, and Starbucks have decided to close up shop due to the area's crime surge. Other large companies, including Clorox Company, Blue Shield of California, and Kaiser Permanente, that are opting to stay have beefed up their security to protect employees.

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