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Sheriff's sergeant reports sharp May arrest rise in Commerce; council asks for crime breakdown
Summary
A Sheriff's Department presentation showed 149 arrests in May 2026—up from 50 in May 2025—prompting council requests for a breakdown of crime types and a proposed victim follow‑up card to improve case updates.
Sergeant Ozzie Cortez told the City Council that total arrests in Commerce rose to 149 in May 2026 from 50 in May 2025, an increase the sergeant described as about 198 percent. Of the cases reported in May, the district attorney accepted 74 cases compared with 14 in May 2025; Cortez said 21 were felonies and 53 were misdemeanors.
Cortez described reasons why some cases are not submitted to the DA—ongoing investigations or lack of evidence or cooperation—and noted juvenile cases rose to 10 in May 2026 versus 0 the year before. He also introduced a draft "follow‑up request" card that victims, witnesses or informants can submit to receive investigator contact information and case status updates.
Councilmembers thanked Cortez for the work and asked staff to provide a follow‑up report dividing arrests by crime type and neighborhood so the council can better understand patterns such as vehicle thefts and graffiti. Cortez said he would consult his team and consider outreach options for juvenile cases.
No formal action was taken; council direction focused on obtaining a more detailed breakdown of calls for service and arrest types.
