After years of neglect and mismanagement, conditions in one West Coast city have gotten precipitously worse.
It’s gotten so bad that political leaders are playing catch up but many are dissatisfied with the latest attempt at a quick fix.
Now Gavin Newsom is copying George Orwell’s 1984 instead of fixing his pro-criminal policies destroying this city.
Crime rates are surging in Oakland, California.
Years after the pandemic drastically altered life for Californians, the East Bay city continues to see a large increase in crime rates.
The rate of this criminal activity was already higher than most other big cities and new information suggests that the problem is getting even worse.
Oakland’s homicide rate in 2023 increased by 37% compared with 2019.
Robberies were up 30% during this time period and property crime also showed a large increase.
Vehicle thefts more than doubled with break-ins up 40%.
Conditions have gotten so dire that the local branch of the NAACP has even called on political leaders to declare a state of emergency.
In an open letter, the group wrote, “Murders, shootings, violent armed robberies, home invasions, car break-ins, sideshows, and highway shoot-outs have become a pervasive fixture of life in Oakland.”
The NAACP added that the “intolerable public safety crisis” was especially impactful to black residents in East Oakland.
Many local businesses have shuttered their doors in recent months, citing rampant criminal activity as the reason.
Given this harsh reality and perhaps sensing political peril from it in his future plans, Governor Gavin Newsom (D) announced that he is sending hundreds of high-tech surveillance cameras to be installed across the city and surrounding freeway system.
Newsom: We’re installing cameras to make the area safer
In a post on X, Newsom wrote, “480 new high-tech cameras are being installed along freeways and in Oakland to make the area safer. These will help law enforcement identify vehicles linked to crimes using real-time information and alerts. We’re building safer, stronger communities for all Californians.”
480 new high-tech cameras are being installed along freeways and in Oakland to make the area safer.
These will help law enforcement identify vehicles linked to crimes using real-time information and alerts.
We’re building safer, stronger communities for all Californians. pic.twitter.com/x6kekxUK3e
— California Governor (@CAgovernor) March 29, 2024
According to Jaime Coffee, the California Highway Patrol spokesperson, the contract with Flock Safety costs $1.6 million for the first year and nearly $1.5 million for each subsequent, optional year.
Privacy and abuse concerns
But Cat Brooks, the far-left executive director of the Anti Police-Terror Project believes the money will be spent on faulty technology and placed in poor communities to “further terrorize black, Latino and other vulnerable residents.”
Brooks added, “How many people could be housed or trained into a living wage job or sent to college and get health care, things that actually keep people safe? You’re divesting in Oakland. You are taking critical resources that this city so desperately needs to build whole, happy, safe communities and you’re putting that toward the same failed strategies.”
In the end, it’s clear that something needs to be done to combat the out-of-control crime plaguing this California city.
What’s less far clear is that a George Orwell 1984– style surveillance state is the way to do it.
The truth is that it took several years and decades of far-left, soft-on-crime policies for the city to devolve into its current sad state.
Stay tuned to Blue State Blues for any updates to this ongoing story.Â
