Since Joaquin's election to City Council in 2020, community relationships with law enforcement have drastically improved, creating a stronger presence on the Coastside, with more ability to screen for crime. The 2-year license plate reader pilot program is a strong example of safety enhancement with wide-reaching impact.
Violent crimes, property crimes, moving traffic violations and fatal and nonfatal collisions are all on the decline in Half Moon Bay since last year, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Capt. Richard Cheechov informed the City Council at its meeting Sept. 17.
The Sheriff’s Office, which has provided law enforcement services to Half Moon Bay since 2011, has had a positive impact on the community in recent years, Councilmember Debbie Ruddock said.
“I think things have vastly improved over the past three, four years in terms of the level of activity, but also the culture and the attitude the Sheriff’s Office has brought to our community and increased attention to the beach,” she said. “I’m hearing more and more positive things.”
Reported violent crime experienced a 27% decrease from 2022-23 to 2023-24, Cheechov said, from 58 to 42 reports. Arrests decreased in tandem, from 31 to 26. Aggravated assaults were the most common violent crime in 2022-23 and domestic violence was most common in 2023-24.
Reported property crimes were also down, from 143 in 2022-23 to 89 in 2023-24, marking a 37% decrease. In 2022-23, 18 arrests were made in the property crime category, whereas 2022-23 saw 13.
Moving traffic violations decreased 11%, from 636 to 568, and there was a 50% decrease in fatal collisions — from two to one — as well as a 15% decrease in noninjury and minor injury collisions, Cheechov said.
Driving under the influence arrests are up 4%, however, from 62 to 65 from last year.
Due to increased enforcement, parking violations also increased sharply, from 553 to 2,253, Cheechov said.
He presented a variety of other programs undertaken by the Sheriff’s Office, including a pilot Automated License Plate Reader program that has already helped with the arrest of a suspect in a gang assault case, identify a stolen vehicle and locate an at-risk female subject, he said.
The Sheriff’s Office employs community-based policing options, including a countywide psychiatric emergency response team to respond to mental health crises and homelessness. The city launched a Half Moon Bay-specific Crisis Assistance Response and Evaluation program that offers welfare checks and responds in mental health and substance abuse situations, among others, Cheechov said.
The expansion of the Therapy K-9 program also saw Maverick, a canine therapy dog, welcomed to the coastside to attend public events, respond to calls for service, and be a supportive presence for victims of traumatic crime.
“The real value is for victims of sex assault, domestic violence and child victims. He offers a level of support you can’t really get anyplace else. He is specially trained to be calm and supportive,” Cheechov said.
The Sheriff’s Office is committed to provide high-quality service to Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County Sheriff Christina Corpus said, highlighting upcoming plans to move into an office on Main Street and set up a nearby emergency services bureau to assist residents in case of natural disaster.
That emergency services bureau will better prepare police and emergency response to handle storms, flooding and road closures and be equipped with a kitchen and charging ports for residents whose power has potentially gone out, Corpus said.
“We want to make sure we can fill those voids, be here, be present and let the community know we care deeply about them,” she said. “We are a part of them.”
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