Crime & Safety
San Jose PD Allocates Retail Theft Prevention Money
San Jose was approved for $8.4 million in new state grants to support operations against retail theft.
SAN JOSE, CA — The San Jose Police Department will use millions in new state funds to support retail theft operations, including about half on officer salaries and overtime and $3 million to purchase more automatic license plate readers.
According to The Mercury News, San Jose will receive $8.4 million of the $267 million in state funds earmarked to combat retail crime in the Golden State. Officials plan to use nearly $4.3 million on staffing costs, $3.1 million in automatic license plate readers and roughly $500,000 to measure their effectiveness.
Palo Alto, Fremont and San Francisco received similar grants.
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Organizations like the California Retailers Association welcomed new investments designed to combat organized theft rings and smash-and-grabs, but others have questioned whether spending more money on policing will make a meaningful difference in outcomes.
A police spokesperson said the department allocated the new funds using "realistic staffing numbers," and will target efforts based on the latest crime trends.
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