Newark police report credits new technology, recruitment and grants for 2024 crime reductions

Chief Jonathan Arguello of the Newark Police Department presented the department’s 2024 annual report to the Newark City Council, highlighting expanded use of automated license plate reader (ALPR) technology, grant-funded anti‑theft programs and a stepped-up recruitment push that officials said helped reduce several crime categories.

Armed with a string of grant awards and new staff initiatives, the department reported sharper investigative capacity and notable reductions in some crimes: the department cited a 53% reduction in vehicle thefts for the January–April period compared with the same period in 2024, and said property and person crimes were down 34% overall in that comparison.

Why it matters: City leaders said the combination of data-driven policing, community engagement and investment in recruitment can reduce targeted crime problems without expanding authorized headcount. Department leaders told the council the results hinge on continued grant funding, cooperation with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office and successful hiring and retention.

Arguello opened the presentation by reiterating the department’s mission and values and saying the 2024 priorities were built around six organizational pillars including communication, accountability, discipline, leadership development and trust. “The mission of the Newark Police Department is to provide professional public safety services in partnership with our community,” Arguello said.

Key details from the presentation: - Grants and equipment: The department said it received multiple state appropriations and grants that funded program expansion. Officials cited a California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) award of about $986,000 for a multiyear vehicle and accessory theft prevention program; they also noted $750,000 in earlier state appropriations used for a 2023 ALPR deployment. The department said the BSCC grant funded vehicle‑etching programs, mobile camera trailers and other tools used in targeted enforcement and deterrence. - ALPR deployment and results: The department’s Flock Safety ALPR program grew to 26 fixed cameras at city entrances and exits and five mobile cameras that are rotated on trailers. Chief Arguello reported “over 1,200 ALPR individual activations related to felony wanted vehicles, stolen vehicles” in 2024 and said the technology has been “instrumental in over 70 cases that resulted in arrests.” Captain Jolie Macias presented more detailed ALPR metrics, saying there were 364 ALPR activations that generated a police call-for-service, 536 investigative uses of the system, 37 crime reports generated from ALPR activations and a cumulative 70 persons arrested, cited or referred to the district attorney with a direct correlation to ALPR use. Captain Macias said 21 stolen vehicles were recovered with a direct ALPR correlation. - Vehicle and accessory theft prevention program: The BSCC-funded initiative includes free catalytic converter etching and a public portal for appointments (nvatpp.com), six additional fixed ALPR cameras and multiple mobile trailers. The department said multi‑agency coordination led to arrest of a prolific vehicle‑theft suspect in November 2024. - Recruitment and staffing: The department said it hired 15 employees in 2024 across sworn and professional ranks and created a focused recruitment effort that reallocated an existing sergeant position to serve as recruiting sergeant. At the time of the presentation the department reported nine sworn vacancies and said three trainees were in academies with anticipated September graduation. The department listed incentives including increased hourly pay for recruits, lateral hire incentives, employee referral pay and modest academy tuition reimbursements. - Training and wellness: Arguello described expanded field‑training officer instruction, new wellness supports (quiet room, cardiometabolic screenings) and leadership development opportunities including regional command college programs. He said force was used in only 30 incidents in 2024—less than 0.1% of field incidents—and that there were no in‑custody deaths. - Community engagement: The department reported nearly 40 engagement events led by the new community engagement manager, a stronger explorer program (from six in 2022 to over 20), merchant and neighborhood watch growth and renewed traffic safety enforcement after a relaunch of the traffic unit. Chief Arguello also credited volunteers and staff-led community programs such as a catalytic‑converter etching program and graffiti‑abatement volunteers.

Council members and members of the public asked technical and operational questions about ALPR operations, data sharing and costs. Captain Macias explained that an ALPR “activation” sends an alert to on‑duty officers and dispatch; dispatch verifies stolen‑vehicle status before officers take enforcement action. She said some patrol and neighboring agencies operate compatible systems so a vehicle can be tracked as it leaves Newark.

On cost, Macias said grant funding covered the ALPR cameras for the grant period; fleet and in‑car camera subscriptions are on multiyear agreements; speed‑trailer assets are city property.

Chief Arguello told council that the department would continue prioritizing recruitment, employee wellness, community engagement and technology deployment in 2025. “We are committed to continuing our cooperative relationships in order to further the goals and the objectives of the city council and the city manager,” Arguello said.

Looking ahead: Council members asked the department to keep sharing collision and crime trend data with city traffic engineers and noted interest in seeing next year whether prosecutorial trends change under new Alameda County District Attorney leadership. The department said it will expand community police academy offerings (including a Spanish session) and continue to rotate camera trailers in response to analyst-identified crime trends.

Ending: The council received the report without a vote; officials said several items depend on ongoing grant funding, regional cooperation and continued recruitment results.