Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter Friday to Oakland officials urging them to allow police to engage in more vehicle pursuits, arguing that restrictions placed on officers are contributing to public safety challenges in the city.

The governor's letter was prompted by the California Highway Patrol's “observation of criminals escaping with impunity” during his campaign to increase law enforcement and reduce crime in what has historically been one of the most dangerous cities in the state.

In a policy that Governor Newsom described as “exceptional,” Oakland only allows police pursuits if the suspect is carrying a gun or involved in a violent crime. The governor noted that unlike other cities, Oakland police cannot pursue people suspected of committing a number of felonies and misdemeanors, including reckless driving, sideshow conduct, or driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

“To improve public safety in our city, I urge you to reconsider whether OPD should be permitted to pursue suspects in more situations and to establish a process to evaluate whether OPD is fully utilizing its authority, including the authority granted in the existing pursuit policy, to protect public safety and enforce the law,” Newsom wrote.

In a letter to Oakland Mayor Shen Tao, the Oakland City Council and the Oakland Police Commission, the governor expressed support for the City Council's recent decision to review the policy.

Crime is a major political theme in the 2024 election, creating pressure on Governor Newsom and other public officials and increasing criticism of California's criminal justice policies.

In February, Governor Newsom deployed 120 California Highway Patrol officers to Oakland to increase police presence in the city as part of a state law enforcement campaign aimed at combating rising violent crime and property theft.

At the time, reports of crime-related closures of Oakland's In-N-Out Burger and other popular restaurants were making headlines across the country, raising questions about California's policies and the need for criminal justice reform. In his letter, Newsom cited videos and news reports “regularly witnessed by the public” that show the dangers of allowing criminal activity, such as reckless driving, to go unchecked.

The governor also acknowledged the risks involved in pursuits, saying they can be “dangerous to police, suspects and innocent bystanders.”

Governor Newsom has quadrupled the number of shifts that California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers implemented in Oakland two weeks ago, with the goal of targeting organized crime, freak shows, carjackings and other criminal activity over the next four months.

The governor wrote in his letter that the CHP had “observed suspects attempting to evade arrest using the same routes and concluded that their pursuit policy would allow OPD to know where to terminate the pursuit.” In contrast, CHP aerial-assisted pursuits of suspects have captured suspects in all six pursuits initiated by state authorities.

According to the governor's office, increased deployment of California Highway Patrol troopers in the East Bay has led to the recovery of more than 1,142 stolen vehicles, the seizure of 55 firearms and the arrest of 562 suspects.