Oakland leaders tout declining homicide and crime rates

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Crosses outside St. Columba’s Catholic Church in Oakland

OAKLAND, California – Oakland police and politicians are speaking Friday morning at St. Columba Catholic Church to discuss reducing homicides by nearly 30 percent this year compared to 2023.

The location of the press conference is iconic.

Each year, Father Aidan McAleenan places a cross outside his church on San Pablo Avenue to commemorate each person killed in a homicide in the city.

This year, Oakland officials said he will face fewer than 100 crosses for the first time since 2019.

Oakland leaders said the cease-fire strategy was developed at St. Columba Catholic Church in 2012.

According to a press release from Oakland City Hall, homicides are down 33% this year and overall crime is down 37%.

Ceasefire has now become a national model that uses human intelligence gathered on the street and data to target a small group of people most likely to commit or be a victim of gun violence.

The program has three main goals: to reduce gang shootings and homicides by focusing on the small group of people who commit these crimes; reduce recidivism and incarceration rates by offering at-risk groups real alternatives such as work, social services and life coaching; and strengthen police-community relations.

The press conference will be broadcast live at 9:30 am. It will be attended by McAleenan, Mayor Sheng Thao, James Beer, Assistant Police Chief James Beer and Department of Violence Prevention Chair Holly Joshi.