On September 12, Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California is poised to make the largest-ever single investment to combat organized retail crime (ORC), totaling $267,118,293.
The funding provides an opportunity to hire more police, make more arrests, and secure more felony charges against suspects. As part of a competitive grant process, staff are recommending the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Award funding to fifty-five local law enforcement agencies across California.
The funding would be dispersed to police departments, sheriffs’ departments, and district attorney offices in every region of the state on October 1, if approved by the Board.
With hard, collaborative work between the California Retailers Association (CRA) and the governor’s office, securing this funding for the California Highway Patrol ORC Taskforce became possible, while it was in a position to be eliminated completely.
Governor Newsom said, “Enough with these brazen smash-and-grabs. With an unprecedented $267 million investment, Californians will soon see more takedowns, more police, more arrests, and more felony prosecutions. When shameless criminals walk out of stores with stolen goods, they’ll walk straight into jail cells.”
Across the state, forty-one sheriffs’ and police departments, as well as one probation department, will potentially be awarded up to $23,663,194 each.
Local law enforcement agencies in seven counties and thirty-four cities are being recommended for funding.