Oakland’s Crime Crisis by the Numbers

Sam Singer just dropped the receipts on Oakland’s crime disaster, and the numbers are absolutely damning:

S

Sam Singer

@samsinger

How significant is Oakland crime? Here are the facts: --Highest property crime rate in the U.S. — and it’s 2x higher than SF and 3x higher than San Jose. --Fewest police officers per crime of any major city in America --Only 0.5% of property crimes get solved vs. 7.3% for the peer group. That’s just 1 out of every 200 property crimes. --One of the slowest 911 responses in California, failing to meet state standards.

Jan 5, 2026

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Let’s break this down: Oakland’s property crime rate is the worst in America. Not just California—America. It’s twice as bad as San Francisco (which has its own crime problems) and three times worse than San Jose. And here’s the kicker: only 0.5% of property crimes get solved. The peer group average? 7.3%. That means Oakland is solving property crimes at one-fourteenth the rate of comparable cities.

How did it get this bad? OPD staffing is at a historic low of just 509 sworn officers—the fewest police per crime of any major American city. When you call 911 in Oakland, you’re waiting longer than almost anywhere else in California, routinely failing to meet state response time standards.

There’s a glimmer of hope: after Oakland deployed Flock surveillance cameras in 2024, the city saw a 66% decrease in carjackings and 53% decrease in homicides. Flock now helps solve 1 in 10 crimes, and violent crime solve rates jumped 11%. The City Council wisely voted 7-1 to expand the program in December 2025.

But technology can only do so much when you’re this understaffed. Oakland needs real investment in public safety—more officers, faster response times, and leaders who actually prioritize protecting residents over ideological posturing. Until then, Oakland will keep bleeding residents and businesses to cities that take crime seriously.

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