SACRAMENTO –– Today Governor Gavin Newsom announced the state is poised to make the largest-ever single investment to combat organized retail crime — $267,118,293. As part of a competitive grant process, staff are recommending the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) award funding to 55 local law enforcement agencies across California. If approved by the Board, the funding, part of the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan, is slated to be dispersed on October 1, 2023, to police departments, sheriffs’ departments, and district attorney offices in every region of the state to prevent and investigate cases of organized retail theft and arrest and prosecute more suspects.

This week’s funding is poised to significantly aid local law enforcement in cracking down on organized retail theft and other types of property crime — including vehicle and catalytic converter theft. Local efforts are supported by the California Highway Patrol’s (CHP) Organized Retail Theft Task Force (ORCTF), which successfully dismantles large-scale statewide organized crime operations. Established by Governor Newsom in 2019, the ORCTF has recovered $30.7 million in stolen merchandise, conducted more than 1,850 investigations, and arrested over 1,250 individuals statewide.