What is
preventing us
from reaching this
goal?
1. Emergency Response. Lean staffing and high call volumes strain the capacity of police and fire response. Problem Goals Metrics What achievable,
near-term goals
can help address
these problems?
What metrics help
us learn whether
our approach is
working?
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads.
Long-Term
Goal Indicators
How do we know
whether we’re
achieving our
long-term goal?
2. Crisis Response. Missed opportunities to connect crisis calls with a more appropriate response that does not drain emergency response capacity.
Problem Goals Metrics
3. Crime Reduction. Though crime rates are trending downward, a few crime categories remain stagnant across California. Problem Goals Metrics Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
4. Traffic Safety. Traffic engineering practices initially prioritized speed and volume, often at the expense of safety. Speeding is the primary cause of fatalities and serious injuries in San José.
Problem Goals Metrics
1 Attachment
What’s going well. San José is proud to be recognized as the nation’s safest major city, thanks to low crime rates, strong public safety services, and connected neighborhoods. As of June 2025, more than 80% of residents said they feel safe in their neighborhood—an increase of 10% since September
2023.
Main Challenges Moving Forward. While overall crime rates continue to decline and remain lower than in peer cities, ongoing efforts are needed to keep this progress moving forward. Lean staffing and high 911 call volumes continue to put pressure on police and fire response times. On our streets, speeding is the primary cause of fatalities and serious injuries.
The City is advancing a safety-first approach to transportation to make our streets safer for everyone.
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads..
Long-Term
Goal
Context Indicators
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
City Overall
Your Neighborhood
Downtown
Resident Safety Perception
Police
Response
Times
Fire
Response
Times
Crime
Rates
Traffic
Fatalities
FY 2023-2024 FY 2024-2025
2 Q – Quarter
FY – Fiscal Year
Problem 1. Emergency Response.
Goal 1.1 Police Marketing and Recruitment: Increase Police Academy class size to 40 police officers enrolled per academy class in FY 2025-2026 (SJ54, SJ55, SJ56), including lateral police officers hired.
Goal 1.2 Police Report Transcription Pilot: Implement a report transcription technology pilot and assess the impact on police officer report-writing time by December 2025.
Goal 1.3 Police Patrol Deployment Projects: Evaluate the impact of improving police response times by completing three patrol deployment projects by June 2026.
Goal 1.4 Fire Station 32: Open Fire Station 32 with a single company by June 2026.
Goal 1.5 Fire Closest Unit Dispatch: Implement Closest Unit Dispatch for medical only calls for service by June 2026 to dispatch resources based upon apparatus proximity to the incident rather than to station location.
The policing profession faces a
workforce crisis nationwide, making it
harder than ever to recruit and retain
qualified officers. Fire station demands
challenge existing capacity, especially
near the City’s central core.
The San José Police and Fire Departments
are among the most respected public
safety agencies in the industry. The City is
also a leader in developing innovative
emergency response solutions.
The City is increasing academy
recruitment efforts and implementing
new opportunities to improve emergency
response deployment capacity.
Context
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads.
Long-Term
Goal
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
3 What is the City doing next? The Police Department is investing in attracting new talent through marketing,
recruitment, and backgrounding efforts as well as
implementing lateral hiring bonuses and cadet stipends.
What do we think might happen as a result? If successful, the City expects to see increased enrollment in police
academy classes and additional lateral hires.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of recruits enrolled in police academy per class
• # of police laterals hired
• # of street ready officers
• Operational Measures
• # of academy applications
• % academy graduation
• % enrollee demographics (by gender, by ethnicity)
How might
we increase
police
academy
enrollment
over the next
year?
1. Emergency Response.
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 1.1 Increase Police Academy class size to 40 police officers enrolled per academy class in FY 2025-2026 (SJ54, SJ55, SJ56), including lateral police officers hired.
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 Police Academy Recruits
4 What is the City doing next? The City is testing an artificial intelligence-based police report transcription technology to help officers spend less time on paperwork.
What do we think might happen as a result? Less time on writing police reports will mean that officers can spend more time in the beat structure responding to calls for service.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of hours spent per report
• Officer experience and feedback on report quality
• Operational Measures
• # of officers in pilot program
• # of districts in pilot program
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 1.2 Implement a report transcription technology pilot and assess the impact on police officer report-writing time by December 2025.
How might
we decrease
police report
writing time
over the next
year?
1. Emergency Response.
5 What is the City doing next? The Police Department is implementing three patrol capacity deployment projects to understand opportunities to improve response times: 1) Custody Officer Unit (new program), 2) District-Based Deployment (pilot), and 3) Two-Officer Patrol Car Deployment (pilot).
What do we think might happen as a result?
1) Implementing a Custody Officer Unit will free up officers in patrol from having to spend time booking offenders at the jail, allowing them to respond to more calls.
2) Eliminating beats as the lowest level of geography will improve response times by allowing all officers to respond to any call in a district.
3) Two-person units will improve officer safety and response times by eliminating the delay waiting for a second arriving unit.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of transports provided by Custody Officer Unit
• % response times in pilot districts
• % of cars deployed as two-person units
• Operational Measures
• # of officers in pilot program
• # of districts in pilot program
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 1.3 Evaluate the impact of improving police response times by completing three patrol deployment projects by June 2026.
1. Emergency Response.
How might
we increase
police
response
capacity over
the next
year?
6 What is the City doing next? Through Measure T funds, the City is expanding the number of fire stations in the community, especially in the areas of most critical need based on call demand.
What do we think might happen as a result? Opening a
new fire station will increase capacity to meet service demands and reduce response times in the surrounding area.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % Fire response times in immediate area
• Operational Measures
• # of calls for service support by Fire Station 32
• % call volume change from surrounding stations
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 1.4 Open Fire Station 32 with a single company by June 2026.
How might
we increase
number of fire
responses
hitting time
targets over
the next
year?
1. Emergency Response.
7 What is the City doing next? The Fire Department is testing whether proximity-based dispatch leads to faster response times for medical only calls for service.
What do we think might happen as a result? Allowing
dispatch of the closest apparatus, versus a given fire station territory, will improve fire response times.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % Fire response times
• Operational Measures
• # of apparatus equipped with network router
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 1.5 Implement Closest Unit Dispatch for medical only calls for service by June 2026 to dispatch resources based upon apparatus proximity to the incident rather than to station location.
How might
we increase
number of fire
responses
hitting time
targets over
the next
year?
1. Emergency Response.
8 Problem 2. Crisis Response.
Goal 2.1 911-988 Call Transfer Program: Increase call transfer volume from less than 10 calls per month to 75 calls per month by June 2026 to better integrate the emergency response system (911) and crisis response system (988).
Goal 2.2 988 Community Education: Increase community awareness of 988 from 25% to 30% by June 2026.
Goal 2.3 First Responder Fee Program: Implement the First Responder Fee program by January 2026 to help recover costs related to emergency medical care.
Behavioral health calls are hard to
triage effectively, and not enough
people call 988 directly.
The City has early processes
established to integrate with the
County’s robust mobile crisis
response network available through
988.
The City is pursuing strategies to
improve integration with the crisis
response system.
Context
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads.
Long-Term
Goal
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
9 What is the City doing next? The Police Department is implementing 911-988 transfer protocols to more clearly identify to 911 call takers the types of calls that should be triaged as crisis calls to 988. The City is also partnering with the County to create a curriculum to improve staffing training and continue conversations around embedding a behavioral health professional in 911 Communications.
What do we think might happen as a result? If successful, 911 Communications will increase call transfer volume to 988, freeing up officers to respond to other calls for service and improving response times.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of calls transferred from 911 to 988 per month
• Operational Measures
• % of transferred calls that are returned to 911
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 2.1 Increase call transfer volume from less than 10 calls per month to 75 calls per month by June 2026 to better integrate the emergency response system (911) and crisis response system (988).
How might
we increase
number of
911 calls
transferred to
988 over the
next year?
911-988 Call Transfer Volume
Placeholder for future data
2. Crisis Response.
10 What is the City doing next? The City is supporting County efforts to increase community awareness of 988, so that residents better understand available services and are more likely to self-identify when to call 988 instead of 911.
What do we think might happen as a result? Greater
community awareness of behavioral health services offered through 988 will lead to a better resource match and a
decrease in the number of behavioral health calls that go to 911.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of residents who are aware of 988 services per
quarter
• Operational Measures
• # of calls to County 988 Call Center
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 2.2 Increase community awareness of 988 from 25% to 30% by June 2026.
How might
we increase
community
awareness of
988 over the
next year?
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Q1 FY25 Q2 FY25 Q3 FY25 Q4 FY25
988 Community Awareness by
Services Available
Mental Health Crisis
Suicidal Thoughts
Substance Abuse
2. Crisis Response.
11 What is the City doing next? The Fire Department is implementing a First Responder Fee program starting January 2026. The fee is applied to medical 911 calls and is primarily billed to a patient’s insurance rather than directly to the patient. Compassionate billing and forgiveness policies may cover uninsured individuals and those with hardships.
What do we think might happen as a result? Shifting funding models can help the City recover a portion of the rising costs associated with providing emergency medical services.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of collection rate per payer segment
• Operational Measures
• # of calls for service where the first responder fee is applied • $ of fees qualified for forgiveness
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 2.3 Implement the First Responder Fee program by January 2026 to help recover costs related to emergency medical care.
How might
we increase
First
Responder
Fee collection
rates over the
next year?
2. Crisis Response.
12 Problem 3. Crime Reduction.
Goal 3.1 Real-Time Intelligence Center: Operationalize 1,020 public safety cameras, 1,000 private network cameras, and 490 ALPRs in the Real Time Intelligence Center by June 2026 to increase the City’s ability to hold offenders accountable.
Goal 3.2 Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Detail: Increase efforts to combat organized retail theft by increasing the number of retail theft cases submitted to the District Attorney’s Office from around 1,000 in FY 2022-2023(prior to establishing ORT Detail) to 2,000 in FY 2025-2026.
Goal 3.3 Mission Street Recovery Station: Expand the types of referrals made to the Mission Street Recovery Station by June 2026 and evaluate effectiveness.
Some crime types across California
remain stagnant.
Compared to other large cities, the
City stands out for having lower rates
of both violent crime and property
crime.
The City is pursuing targeted crime
reduction strategies.
Context
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads.
Long-Term
Goal
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.4 Proposition 36: Monitor implementation of Proposition 36 during the fiscal year and identify areas of advocacy.
Goal 3.5 SJ Youth Empowerment Alliance: Implement one new school site with intervention programs and launch two new demonstration sites for system of care neighborhood programs by June 2026 as part of the City’s strategic plan to prevent youth violence. 13 ALPR - Automated License Plate Recognition
What is the City doing next? The Police Department is
expanding its Real Time Intelligence Center network to better support patrol and investigations with insights and evidence.
What do we think might happen as a result? Centralizing the collection of live data can help achieve better on-scene situational awareness and reduce the amount of time it takes to conduct investigations that lead to successful outcomes.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of public safety cameras integrated and online
through Fusus
• % of private cameras registered through SJ Connect
• % of ALPRs integrated and online
• Operational Measures
• # of ALPR hits that lead to arrest or property
recovery
• $ of stolen vehicles recovered
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.1 Operationalize 1,020 public safety cameras, 1,000 private network cameras, and 490 ALPRs in the Real Time Intelligence Center by June 2026 to increase the City’s ability to hold offenders accountable.
How might
we increase
the Real Time
Intelligence
Center
network over
the next
year?
3. Crime Reduction.
% of Goal for 1,020 Public
Safety Cameras
Placeholder for future data
% of Goal for 1,000 Private
Cameras Registered
Placeholder for future data
% of Goal for 490 ALPRs
Placeholder for future data
14 What is the City doing next? The Police Department has implemented an Organized Retail Theft Detail to combat a significant rise in retail theft seen across cities in California.
The initiative is supported by an $8.5 million state grant and involves specialized overtime patrols, dedicated investigator capacity, and technology.
What do we think might happen as a result? Adding
investigation and proactive capacity will deter and decrease retail theft crimes over time.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of overall retail theft cases submitted to the District Attorney’s Office
• Operational Measures
• # of ALPR hits that lead to arrest or property recovery • # of overall organized retail theft reports
• # of online reports submitted
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.2 Increase efforts to combat organized retail theft by increasing the number of retail theft cases submitted to the District Attorney’s Office from around 1,000 in FY 2022-2023 (prior to establishing ORT Detail) to 2,000 in FY 2025-2026.
How might
we increase
retail theft
case
investigations
over the next
year?
# of overall retail theft reports that have cases filed to the DA’s Office
Placeholder for future data
3. Crime Reduction.
15 What is the City doing next? The Police Department is expanding the types of referrals made to the County’s Mission Street Recovery Station to include all non-violent misdemeanors. Currently, officers have the discretion, with some specific exclusions, to divert individuals to sobering and other services. The Department is updating its agreements with the County to expand the types of referrals that officers can make for recovery services.
What do we think might happen as a result? Expanding the types of diversions referred to include non-violent misdemeanors will minimize incarceration while allowing officers to return to the beat structure more quickly to respond to more calls.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• # of referrals to the MSRS
• Operational Measures
• % of clients that stay for six hours or longer
• % of clients that are referred to services upon discharge • # of total distinct clients, # of total visits
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.3 Expand the types of referrals made to the Mission Street Recovery Station (MSRS) by June 2026 and evaluate effectiveness.
How might
we increase
alternative
destinations
over the next
year?
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
Oct-23
Nov-23Dec-23
Jan-24
Feb-24Mar-24
Apr-24
May-24
Jun-24
Jul-24
Aug-24Sep-24
Oct-24
Nov-24Dec-24
Jan-25
Feb-25
SJPD Referrals to Mission Street
Recovery Station
DUI Cite and Release Public Intoxication
Mental Health / Drug Triage Narcotics
3. Crime Reduction.
16 What is the City doing next? In November 2024, California voters passed Proposition 36, allowing felony charges and increased sentences for certain drug and theft crimes. While the Police Department has implemented the new law, it is necessary to monitor across partners to increase coordination, understand impact, and overcome early hurdles.
What do we think might happen as a result? Monitoring the implementation of Proposition 36 at the City, County, and State levels will increase coordination between partners and help address challenges.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of Prop 36 drug cases that are referred by the
County to treatment-mandated felony process
• Operational Measures
• # of theft arrests made with a Prop 36 charge
• # of drug arrests made with a Prop 36 charge
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.4 Monitor implementation of Proposition 36 during the fiscal year and identify areas of advocacy.
How might
we increase
treatment
pathways
over the next
year?
Placeholder for future data
% of County drug cases referred for treatment
3. Crime Reduction.
17 What is the City doing next? The Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services is launching one new school site to better understand program impact on chronic absenteeism among justice-involved youth. They have also launched two system of care demonstration sites in Poco Way/Mayfair and Seven Trees/Santee communities. The
programs will allow the City to support increased access for youth and families to prevention and intervention services.
What do we think might happen as a result? System of care strategies will increase referrals for youth and families to prevention and intervention services, thereby reducing youth involvement in the justice system.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % chronic absenteeism rates in partner schools
• Operational Measures
• # of youth participating in system of care programs
• # of referrals made through system of care programs
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 3.5 Implement one new school site with intervention programs and launch two new demonstration sites for system of care neighborhood programs by June 2026 as part of the City’s strategic plan to prevent youth violence.
How might
we decrease
chronic
absenteeism
and youth
violence over
the next
year?
SJ Youth Empowerment Alliance Strategic Objectives
3. Crime Reduction.
18 Problem 4. Traffic Safety.
Goal 4.1 Traffic Safety Projects: Build safer streets by completing 100% of planned traffic safety projects (capital safety improvement, quick build, and pedestrian safety and traffic calming) by June 2026.
Goal 4.2 Automated Traffic Enforcement: Improve safe driving behaviors through technology by operationalizing 4 red light running camera intersections and 33* automated speed enforcement cameras along key corridors by June 2026. Changing driving behavior and building safer streets in a large City
takes time.
The City has made important strides
towards Vision Zero over the past
decade.
The City is investing in
infrastructure improvements and
new roadway technologies to
increase safety.
Context
San José residents live in a community with responsive emergency services and safe streets and roads.
Long-Term
Goal
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
* Progress is dependent on the federal government providing previously committed grant funding 19 What is the City doing next? Under the Vision Zero Action Plan, the Department of Transportation is furthering its commitment to eliminating traffic collisions that result in roadway users being killed or severely injured through data-driven strategies. Part of this plan involves engineering for safety through infrastructure improvements.
These engineering improvements are essential to creating safer, more accessible streets for all users.
What do we think might happen as a result? Quick
implementation, continuous evaluation, and strategic investments in engineering solutions will help protect all road users, from pedestrians to drivers.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of planned traffic safety projects constructed per quarter • Operational Measures
• # of planned traffic safety projects constructed by type Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 4.1 Build safer streets by completing 100% of planned traffic safety projects (capital safety improvement, quick build, and pedestrian safety and traffic calming) by June 2026.
How might
we increase
safe
transportation
infrastructure
over the next
year?
4. Traffic Safety.
% completion of planned traffic safety projects by type Placeholder for future data
20 What is the City doing next? The Department of
Transportation is targeting the most dangerous driving
behaviors—like speeding and running red lights—that are linked to serious and fatal crashes. Thanks to Assembly Bill 645, San José will launch a Speed Safety System Pilot that includes cameras at four high-risk intersections and 33 automated speed enforcement cameras along priority corridors.
What do we think might happen as a result? By using
technology to deter unsafe driving, the City aims to reduce the severity of crashes and improve compliance with traffic laws.
How will we know if this is working? We will report quarterly on the insights gathered by following measures:
• Success Measures
• % of red light running cameras operational
• % of automated speed enforcement
cameras operational
• Operational Measures
• # of citations issued
Increasing Community Safety Focus Area
Goal 4.2 Improve safe driving behaviors through technology by operationalizing 4 red light running camera intersections and 33* automated speed enforcement cameras along key corridors by June 2026.
How might
we increase
safe driving
behaviors
over the next
year? Red Light Running
Cameras Operational
% progress towards goal
Automated Speed
Enforcement Cameras
Operational
* Progress is dependent on the federal government providing previously committed grant funding
4. Traffic Safety.
21