Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Santa Paula police report: overall Group A crimes down 15% in 2025
Loading...
Summary
Police Chief Don Agler told the City Council that Group A offenses fell 15% in 2025, crimes against persons were down 1.4%, crimes against property fell from 500 to 381, and the department plans recruitments and expanded volunteer and animal-services support.
Santa Paula's police chief told the City Council on March 18 that several crime categories declined in 2025 and outlined staffing, training and community-engagement efforts.
Chief Don Agler reported that "total Group A offenses... overall are down 15%" for 2025 compared with 2024. He said crimes against persons decreased by 1.4% and nonconsensual sexual offenses were down 8%. Agler also said crimes against property dropped from 500 in 2024 to 381 in 2025 and the department answered about 3,000 fewer calls for service than the previous year.
Agler described staffing needs and recruitments: four officer vacancies exist (with some candidates in field training and background), a property-room technician start date in April, and planned sergeant and police-officer recruitments later in the year. He said the department added volunteers, expanded homeless-liaison coverage and increased community outreach, citing neighborhood-watch meetings and a parent-student forum.
During questions, councilmembers asked about a Chief's Advisory Committee (applications launching this week), training tied to audit recommendations, the regional point-in-time homeless count (preliminary numbers expected soon), and prospects for a motor/traffic officer; Agler said the city has applied for an Office of Traffic Safety grant to help fund a motorcycle program.
The chief said the department will continue community engagement work and recruitments; councilmembers requested follow-up reports on the advisory committee application and the regional homeless count when released.
