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Riverside County sheriff reports rise in juvenile incidents in Temecula; council urged partnerships with schools and nonprofits

Temecula City Council · February 10, 2026

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Summary

Chief Mark Regali told the council Jan. 2026 calls for service exceeded 5,200 and that juvenile-related incidents rose year-over-year from 2023–2025, with an overall increase of about 193%; the sheriff recommended education and school-based programs to reduce enforcement needs.

Chief Mark Regali presented the Riverside County Sheriff's Office monthly public safety report and highlighted juvenile-related trends during the Feb. 10 Temecula City Council meeting.

Regali said total calls for service in January 2026 were just over 5,200 and that response times improved across priority levels. He reported the city's juvenile-related incidents increased each year since 2023: an 88% increase from 2023 to 2024, a 55% increase from 2024 to 2025 and an overall increase of roughly 193% from 2023 through 2025. Regali said the 14–15 age group accounted for more than half of arrests and citations for juveniles in the cited period and that many of the incidents classified as "miscellaneous" involved smoking violations, vehicle code violations, possession of marijuana and loitering.

Regali urged prevention and education, citing partnerships with schools and nonprofits as key strategies to reduce enforcement. Several council members echoed that sentiment during discussion, noting recent nonprofit presentations (including Jacob's House and others) and suggesting expanded mentorship and school-based programming to address risky behavior and substance use among teens.

Regali also introduced Lieutenant Richard Francik, the new contract lieutenant for the Southwest Station, and summarized his experience. No formal action resulted directly from the report; council members thanked the sheriff's office and asked staff to follow up on potential collaborative steps with schools.

What happens next: Council directed staff and public safety to consider outreach and programmatic options with the school district and local nonprofits to address the demographic and offense types identified by the sheriff.