Newsom Faces Mounting Public Safety Scrutiny as 42% Disapprove of Crime Handling

California Governor Gavin Newsom is facing sharp criticism regarding his administration's approach to public safety, with political commentator Kevin Dalton asserting that Newsom's actions in Los Angeles and across California are "cruel" and "un-American," driven by presidential aspirations rather than genuine concern for safety. Dalton stated in a recent tweet, > "What Gavin Newsom is doing in Los Angeles and across California isn’t just cruel — it’s un-American. He’s not concerned with safety, he’s running for President."

Concerns over crime have been a growing issue for Californians. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll indicated that 42% of those surveyed believed Governor Newsom was doing a poor job addressing crime in the state. This sentiment comes amidst a complex landscape of crime statistics, including a 31% rise in homicides in California from 2019 to 2020, although researchers note broader national trends and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Property crime rates, particularly shoplifting and commercial burglaries, have also seen increases since the pandemic.

In response to public pressure and rising concerns, Governor Newsom has notably shifted towards a tougher stance on crime. This includes deploying California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers to cities like Oakland and San Francisco to combat retail theft and other offenses. He has also signed a package of bills aimed at making it easier to prosecute retail and vehicle theft, marking a departure from his previous support for criminal justice reforms such as Proposition 47.

Newsom's increased focus on prosecution and policing has been widely interpreted by critics and political analysts as a strategic move to position himself for a potential future presidential campaign. This perception is fueled by his more aggressive interventions in local policing matters, such as pressuring Oakland to revise its police pursuit policies, which some local officials have characterized as a "hostile takeover from Sacramento." Despite these criticisms, Newsom's administration maintains that these actions are necessary to ensure the safety of Californians.