The Antioch Police Department closed out 2024 with increased crime levels compared to 2023 with 910 more group A Offenses while residents dealt with a stolen vehicle on average every 5.2 hours.
According to data going back to 2005, the city of Antioch had a two decade high in murders at 16 where the previous highs of 12 occurred in 2013 and 2021. In 2023, they had 10 murders.
Antioch saw a record high in motor vehicle theft in 2024 with a total of 1,683 which was 438 more than in 2023. (full data below chart)
Other major increases
- +129 – Assaults
- +90 – Vandalism
- +70 – Aggravated Assault
- +68 – Larceny
- +35 – Weapon Law Violations
- +25 – Drug Violations
- +20 – Kidnappings
For most of 2023 and 2024, Antioch residents were told by former Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe that crime was down, and blamed the rhetoric that local media and social media was misleading the public. However, in the end, the police department called on outside agencies to assist after a series of shootings in the Sycamore Coordinator while talks in NOvember began of a possible police sub-station in Sycamore Square.
Fed up with crime, crime in the city, in the November election, Ron Bernal was elected as mayor to replace Hernandez-Thorpe gaining 61.98% of the vote. Councilmembers Louie Rocha (57.80%) and Donald Freitas (49.19%) were also both elected to help change the direction of the city and reduce crime levels.
After the election, both Chief Brian Addington and Chief Vigil have stated they have seen an increase in applications and lateral officer applications.
In 2024, the Antioch Police Department has worked its way through a DOJ/FBI investigation which significantly reduced its police staffing levels in the low to mid-70’s–an agreement has been reached. However, at the February 3 Antioch Police Oversight Commission Meeting, Acting Chief Joe vigil announced the Antioch Police Department is now currently staffed with 80 sworn officers. He said 2 recruits graduated the academy last week and will onboard shortly bringing their total sworn officers to 82.
2024 Crime Data as shown by Antioch Police:
| Crime | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | +/- |
| Murder | 9 | 10 | 16 | +6 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 2 | 3 | 0 | -3 |
| Justifiable Homicide | 4 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| Rape | 43 | 33 | 33 | n/a |
| Robbery | 166 | 211 | 241 | +30 |
| Aggravated Assault | 513 | 436 | 506 | +70 |
| Burglary | 428 | 559 | 546 | -13 |
| Larceny | 1,480 | 1646 | 1,714 | +68 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 650 | 1,245 | 1,683 | +438 |
| Arson | 16 | 8 | 12 | +4 |
| Simple Assault | 944 | 1,029 | 1,158 | +129 |
| Intimidation | 77 | 55 | 77 | +22 |
| Bribery | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
| Counterfeiting / Forgery | 21 | 9 | 27 | +18 |
| Vandalism | 673 | 1,072 | 1,162 | +90 |
| Drug / Narcotic Violations | 78 | 61 | 75 | +14 |
| Drug Equipment Violations | 21 | 24 | 49 | +25 |
| Embezzlement | 7 | 17 | 30 | +13 |
| Extortion / Blackmail | 1 | 5 | 0 | -5 |
| Fraud | 587 | 428 | 346 | -82 |
| Gambling | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
| Kidnapping | 36 | 24 | 44 | +20 |
| Pornography | 6 | 8 | 7 | -1 |
| Prostitution | 1 | 1 | 4 | +3 |
| Sodomy | 6 | 10 | 16 | +6 |
| Sexual Assault with an Object | 7 | 1 | 8 | +7 |
| Fondling | 49 | 33 | 39 | +6 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
| Statutory Rape | 11 | 3 | 9 | +6 |
| Stolen Property | 115 | 101 | 100 | -1 |
| Weapons Law Violations | 173 | 221 | 256 | +35 |
| Human Trafficking, Commercial Sex Acts | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
| Human Trafficking, Involuntary Servitude | 2 | 0 | 0 | n/a |
| Animal Cruelty | 3 | 3 | 9 | +6 |
| Total Group A Offenses | 6,130 | 7,257 | 8,167 | +910 |
Annual data below on number of homicides and motor vehicle thefts.
Homicides (annually)
- 2025 – 2 (as of 2/13/25)
- 2024 – 16
- 2023 – 10
- 2022 – 9
- 2021 – 12
- 2020 – 10
- 2019 – 12
- 2018 – 7
- 2017 – 10
- 2016 – 9
- 2015 – 7
- 2014 – 9
- 2013 – 12
- 2012 – 10
- 2011 – 5
- 2010 – 13
- 2009 – 5
- 2008 – 8
- 2007 – 10
- 2006 – 10
- 2005 – 10
Motor Vehicle Theft Data (annually)
- 2024 – 1,683
- 2023 – 1,245
- 2022 – 650
- 2021 – 552
- 2020 – 573
- 2019 – 610
- 2018 – 602
- 2017 – 988
- 2016 – 916
- 2015 – 1,024
- 2014 – 1,023
- 2013 – 1217
- 2012 – 1,096
- 2011 – 967
- 2010 – 960
- 2009 – 747
- 2008 – 686
- 2007 – 949
- 2006 – 880
- 2005 – 918
Police Staffing Levels Timeline
- Dec. 17, 2019 – 112 officers
- May 6, 2020 – 115 officers (fully staffed)
- Nov. 2020 – Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, Tamisha Torres-Walker and Monica Wilson make up council majority, begin implementing police reforms
- Aug. 29, 2022 – 101 officers (72 full duty, 38 on patrol)
- Sept. 2022 – Antioch approves $30k bonus program for officers
- Oct 11, 2022 – 102 officers (76 full duty)
- March 2023 – Antioch Text Messaging scandal broke out, council did not wait for investigation to be completed before attacking APD. (officers charged in August)
- Sept. 25, 2023 – 95 officers (44 active, 31 on patrol)
- Feb. 2,2024 – 95 officers (44 active, 31 on patrol)
- March 8, 2024 – 85 officers (55 active sworn, 38 on patrol)
- July 1, 2024 – 76 officers (59 active, 44 on patrol)
- Feb 3, 2025 – 80 officers
Based on previous news reports, here is staffing levels of the Antioch Police Department over the past few years.
