Ventura County has snagged the title of California's safest big county, with the numbers to back it up. A recent report from the Ventura County Civic Alliance – drawing on California Department of Justice data, reveals Ventura County had the lowest crime rates among the state's 16 largest counties in 2022. Even as several counties reported a crime spike from 2020 to 2022, Ventura's rates took a nosedive, cementing its rank as not only safe but historically so. Compared to the 1994 statistic of 37.52 crimes per 1,000 population, last year's data shows a plunge to just 15.49 crimes per 1,000 population—that's a stark 59 percent downfall.
"This doesn't happen by accident," Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko, who chairs the Ventura County Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, told the Ventura County Civic Alliance. He praised the "special" nature of the county, crediting tight-knit relations between local law enforcement agencies and community partnerships. When it comes to property and violent crimes, such as theft and assault, Ventura County is leading by example. The 2022 property crime rate stood at 13.51 reported crimes per 1,000 residents, which was 17 percent less than the next-lowest county.
Cities like Camarillo and Thousand Oaks stood out with the lowest crime statistics in the county. Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff commended the hard work of his deputies and the strong community ties that contribute to keeping crime rates low. In Oxnard, Ventura County's largest city, last year marked the third lowest reported crime over three decades. Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites, in a statement shared by the Ventura County Civic Alliance, committed to maintaining a focus on public safety and community involvement.
Simi Valley outdid itself by beating its record from 1996, when it was dubbed "America’s Safest City.” Its police chief, Steve Shorts, said, "We focus on providing superior police services that address our residents’ and businesses’ needs and concerns while responding swiftly to crime trends and quality of life issues." The City of Ventura too saw its overall crime rate dip to a 30-year low, with Chief Darin Schindler attributing the achievement to strong community partnerships. Meanwhile, Santa Paula and Port Hueneme also followed the county's downward crime trend, albeit with the latter city seeing a slight uptick in property crimes linked to unlocked vehicles and shoplifting.
Law enforcement leaders across Ventura County, like Port Hueneme Police Chief Michael Federico, stressed the combined efforts of public safety professionals and collaborative county-wide teamwork as key elements in the crime reduction success story. For more details, the State of the Region Report 2023 is available on the Ventura County Civic Alliance’s website, spotlighting the figures that underpin Ventura County's status as a beacon of safety in California.
