Richmond Police Department
Crime Report
Council Report April 2026
Mayor Martinez, City Council, and Community:
The Richmond Police Department's(RPD) crime statistics for April 2026 show a decrease in both violent and property crime totals compared to March 2026.
Violent Crime
In the month of April, there has been an increase in the number of homicides, from zero to 2. Aggravated assaults decreased by 37 percent (%), from 83 to 52 incidents. There was a 30 percent decrease in the number of robberies, from 23 to 16 incidents. Sexual assaults have decreased by 20 percent, from 15 to 12 incidents. Overall, the total number of violent crimes decreased by 32 percent, from 121 to 82 incidents.
Property Crime
There was a slight decrease in burglaries (excluding auto burglaries), by 27 percent from 33 to 24 incidents. Thefts, including auto burglaries, decreased by 54 percent, from 272 to 125 incidents. Vehicle thefts decreased by 11 percent, from 110 to 98 incidents.
Arson remained unchanged, with 5 incidents. Overall, the total number of property crimes decreased by 40 percent, from 420 to 252 incidents.
*Reports submitted online in February and March were imported into our records management system in the month of March, contributing to a notable increase in theft related offenses for the month of March and does not necessarily reflect an increase in actual criminal activity.
Reports / Calls for Service
There was an 8 percent decrease in vehicle impounds, from 262 to 242. Collision- related calls for service decreased by 21 percent, from 182 to 144 incidents. DUI-related traffic collisions decreased 17 percent, from 6 to 5 incidents. DUI reports decreased by 33 percent, from 42 to 28 incidents. Sideshow-related calls for service increased from 0 to 1 incident. The total number of firearms recovered decreased by 4 percent, from 23 to 22.
Parking Enforcement
The Parking Enforcement Unit towed 125 vehicles for being abandoned, overparked, or having expired registration, up from 111 in March, a 13 percent increase. They issued 5,239 parking citations, compared to 5,474 in March, a 4 percent decrease. The Parking Unit responded to 365 citizen complaints regarding abandoned vehicles, compared to 314 in March. In April, 214 of these vehicles were cited or tagged with 72-hour notices, and 90 vehicles were eventually towed.
Traffic Enforcement
Officers issued approximately 102 misdemeanor and infraction traffic-related citations.
The number of citations reported for this month-long period may be lower than the actual number issued. This is due to processing and data-entry timelines, as citations are not always immediately entered into the system. Accordingly, the figures provided should be considered an estimate.
Illegal Dumping Citations
Three citations were issued for Richmond Municipal Code (RMC) Illegal Dumping violations.
Tobacco Enforcement Citations
Richmond PD, Code Enforcement, Planning, and Richmond Fire conducted two tobacco inspections, resulting in the seizure of contraband and citations at both locations for RMC and Health and Safety Code violations.
Staffing
The month of April brought a reallocation of personnel as patrol staffing continues to improve. RPD assigned a detective to the Contra Costa County Major Crimes Task Force and a detective to the General Crimes Unit with primary responsibilities supporting Code Enforcement's Flavored Tobacco Enforcement Operations. The Special Victims Unit received an additional detective, and a weekend swing shift patrol team was established with one supervisor and four patrol officers. The RPD continues to work toward bolstering patrol numbers and restoring the Community Violence Reduction Team, Bravo Unit, Traffic Unit, and other specialty assignments.
Authorized sworn positions: 147
Current sworn staff: 129 (including nine trainees in the academy)
Authorized full-time professional staff: 71
Current professional staff: 58
Council District Statistics
District 1 experienced a 21% decrease in total calls for service, from 1,633 to 1,283 District 2 experienced a 7% decrease in total calls for service, from 1,304 to 1,208 District 3 experienced a 6% decrease in total calls for service, from 1,687 to 1,578 District 4 experienced a 10% decrease in total calls for service, from 695 to 627 District 5 experienced a 5% decrease in total calls for service, from 1,445 to 1,367 District 6 experienced a 13% decrease in total calls for service, from 1,171 to 1,016
These statistics offer a snapshot of crime trends in Richmond for April 2026, highlighting areas of concern and notable improvements. Additional statistical data and historical data can be found on our website under the Crime Analysis page.
https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/1023/Crime-Analysis
Police District Summary
Central District Crime and Community Issues
At the intersection of 22nd Street and Carlson Boulevard, unhoused individuals have established a persistent encampment in a multi-jurisdictional area shared by Pacific Railroad, BNSF, BART, Amtrak, and RPD. Despite multiple abatement efforts, the encampment has continued to return, presenting an ongoing challenge that requires a multi-agency response.
A small encampment was recently discovered beneath the Castro underpass at Richmond Parkway and Hensley. Safe Organized Spaces (SOS) and Coordinated Outreach Referral Engagement (CORE) have been notified and are engaged.
Parking Enforcement continues to conduct time-restriction enforcement on 23rd Street, with an emphasis on weekend operations. Officers are also supporting 4Leaf's weekend vendor enforcement activities by addressing parking violations where carts, grills, and vehicles obstruct sidewalks, bus stops, and intersections. Saint Cornelius Church has been identified as a recurring area of concern, particularly on Sundays.
The 23rd Street Merchants Association has formally requested increased patrol presence during morning school hours to ensure the safety of children traveling through the area. This request follows a recent attempted kidnapping and assault.
Northern District Crime and Community Issues
Officers have been conducting high visibility patrols to deter prostitution activity in the area of 23rd and 24th Streets. Coordinated use of the Drone as First Responder (DFR) program has assisted patrol officers in locating offenders and gathering evidence, resulting in multiple arrests of both prostitutes and “johns”. Northern District sergeants also coordinated with Code Enforcement, CORE, SOS, Reach Out with Compassion and Kindness (ROCK), and Target management to clear recreational vehicles (RV) and unhoused individuals from the Target parking lot.
Northern District Sergeants addressed crime and blight at the West Ridge Apartments by coordinating with apartment management, Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, ROCK, and Crime Prevention to address squatters and trespassers responsible for a significant portion of criminal activity and deteriorating conditions at the complex.
Through these combined efforts, officers arrested several subjects and recovered firearms, while management was able to remediate problem units that had been taken over by squatters. As a result, the number of vacant units at the complex dropped from over 100 to approximately 30 within the past two months.
Northern District Sergeants coordinated with RPD Traffic units to address resident complaints of speeding vehicles in the Carriage Hills area.
Southern District Crime and Community Issues
Officers met with Home Depot management, security, and City Code Enforcement to address illegal dumping and loitering in the parking lot. A coordinated response plan is being developed, and the department is working to install a police substation trailer on site to deter future criminal activity.
Officers continued to engage with the unhoused population in the Southern District, coordinating with ROCK and CORE to offer services along Meade and Hall Streets.
Additional Significant Incidents from April 2026:
April 4, 2026 Booker T Anderson Community Event
The annual Easter Egg Hunt was held at Booker T. Anderson Park. Families and friends gathered to participate in a fun-filled event that included searching for the golden egg, enjoying lunch, and taking pictures with the Easter Bunny.
April 16, 2026 2400 block of Aberdeen Homicide
Officers responded to a report of shots fired inside a building with a subject down. Upon arrival, officers located one victim deceased in the stairwell from an apparent gunshot wound. A trail of blood led officers to a nearby apartment with an open front door. A protective sweep of the apartment revealed no occupants, but officers observed blood and shell casings inside. Shortly after, a subject arrived at a local hospital emergency room with a gunshot wound to the chest. The investigation revealed a mutual combat incident.
April 17, 2026 5400 block of Clinton Homicide
Officers responded to a welfare check at a residential address after a reporting party received a delayed-delivery email suggesting that two occupants were in danger. Upon arrival, officers utilized an unmanned aerial system to clear the interior prior to entry.
Inside, officers located two occupants, one deceased from an apparent self-inflicted hanging, and one deceased from apparent homicide. The incident was determined to be a murder-suicide.
April 17, 2026 Human Trafficking Operation The Special Victims Unit conducted a human trafficking operation that resulted in three adult women and one minor being safely recovered. One suspect was arrested, and detectives developed additional leads on other potential suspects.
April 18, 2026 3200 block of McBryde K9 Assist and Gun Arrest Officers responded to a hit-and-run collision involving two parked vehicles. Witnesses reported observing the suspect walking away from the area before briefly returning to the scene. Officers conducted a pat-down search of the suspect based on his behavior and located a loaded firearm magazine in his possession. Based on witness observations, a search of the surrounding area was requested to determine whether any additional evidence had been discarded.
Officers and a K9 team searched the area and located a firearm in the vicinity where the suspect had been seen walking. Video surveillance footage of the area was also
obtained. The loaded magazine matched the recovered firearm. The suspect was arrested, transported to a local hospital for medical clearance, and later booked into the Richmond Police Department jail.
April 19, 2026 400 block of 21st St. Drug and Gun Arrest Officers responded to a disturbance call. Upon arrival, officers contacted the victim, who reported that his former roommate drove up to him and began arguing. During the confrontation, the suspect threatened to shoot him and his family while brandishing a firearm. She also threatened to burn down his residence. The suspect fled the scene before officers arrived.
Officers later observed the suspect vehicle near 24th Street and Macdonald Avenue and conducted a traffic enforcement stop. The suspect complied and was taken into custody without incident. A search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm pistol in the center console. A search of the suspect’s purse revealed a white substance suspected to be powder cocaine. An in-field identification was conducted, and the victim positively identified the suspect. The suspect was booked into the Martinez Detention Facility.
April 23, 2026 Bayview / Carlson Multiple Firearm Recoveries/Arrests Officers conducted a traffic enforcement stop for vehicle code violations. During the stop, one officer recognized a suspect in the vehicle from prior contacts, during which the individual had admitted to being habitually armed. The vehicle was slow to yield, and officers observed all occupants making furtive movements until the vehicle came to a stop.
Officers developed probable cause, removed the occupants, and searched the vehicle.
The search yielded three semi-automatic pistols equipped with auto-conversion devices, one additional semi-automatic pistol reported stolen from a neighboring jurisdiction, and numerous extended capacity magazines.
The juvenile suspect was booked at the juvenile detention facility, and the three adult suspects were booked at the county detention facility.
April 25, 2026 Special Event
Police personnel conducted the prescription take back program at the Iron Triangle Substation. Approximately 20 pounds of unwanted or expired medications were collected and marked for destruction.
Tim Simmons
Chief of Police
Richmond Police Department