Vallejo: As Southern California deals with wildfires, folks in Vallejo are facing a crime wave that’s got everyone on edge.
This city, just 30 miles from San Francisco, has made it onto the FBI’s watchlist for small cities due to its rising crime rates.
Residents are fed up and have revived a petition from last year, asking Governor Gavin Newsom to send help to tackle the crime issue.
In 2024 alone, Vallejo recorded at least 25 murders, according to the latest crime stats.
The petition has nearly 4,000 signatures, showing just how serious people are about this. Paula Conley, who started the petition, expressed her worries about community safety.
She pointed out that the local police department is severely understaffed, making it hard to keep the city safe.
Another resident, Sharon, shared her heartbreak over the changes in Vallejo, saying she’s constantly worried about her safety after living there for 39 years.
People are calling for state and county officers to help with the crime situation.
Vallejo has had a rough history with its police department, including two high-profile shootings, but the crime rates have really shot up this year.
From January to November 2024, the city saw 23 murders, and residents believe the numbers have climbed even higher since then.
Some shocking incidents include a human limb found in construction debris on Christmas Eve and a deadly shooting on New Year’s Eve.
There were also 44 rapes reported, marking a 26% increase from the previous year.
In total, the city faced 12 fatal traffic incidents, 86 sexual assaults, and over 1,100 auto thefts in 2024.
Residents think the police department’s understaffing is a big part of the problem, even though they’ve added new officers recently.
Jason Ta has just been appointed as the permanent police chief after a national search, taking over a department under state oversight since 2020.
It’s unclear if Newsom can provide the support Vallejo needs, especially with over 7,500 firefighters and emergency responders currently battling wildfires in Los Angeles.
These fires have claimed 27 lives and destroyed more than 11,000 structures, burning through over 40,000 acres since January 7.
