By Redacción
redaccion@latinocc.com
Ventura County has once again been named the safest large county in California, according to the State of the Region Report 2025 released by the Ventura County Civic Alliance. Law enforcement agencies across the county highlighted the findings this week, noting that the region continues a years-long trend of leading the state in public safety.
The report shows Ventura County recorded 16.67 crimes per 1,000 residents in 2024 — the lowest crime rate among California’s 16 largest counties. While overall crime rose slightly from the record lows of 2022, the county continues to outperform every large county statewide.
“These numbers reflect the positive outcomes of community-partnered policing,” Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said. “We are fortunate to live in a county where public safety is a priority and where communities can rely on consistently low crime rates supported by our dedicated men and women in law enforcement.”
Crime Trends Remain Exceptionally Low
The report notes that while many parts of the country saw crime spike in the early 2020s, Ventura County did not experience the same surge. Crime reached its lowest point in recent history in 2022. Although some cities reported a slight increase in violent crime in 2023 and 2024, overall safety levels remain far above state and national norms.
Long-term data shows that Ventura County’s 2024 crime rate was slightly lower than San Diego County’s. The county also recorded the third-lowest violent crime rate and the second-lowest property crime rate among large counties in California. Crime today is less than half of what it was 30 years ago and remains significantly below levels reported a decade earlier. Cities such as Moorpark and Thousand Oaks continue to rank among the safest communities of their size statewide.
“These data points reflect years of strong collaboration among law enforcement agencies and a shared commitment to proactive, community-focused policing,” District Attorney Erik Nasarenko said. “The long-term trend is clear: Ventura County remains one of the safest places to live, work, and raise a family.”
Police Chiefs Cite Community Partnerships
The State of the Region Report uses crime data from the California Department of Justice, analyzing violent and property crimes per 1,000 residents across large counties and individual jurisdictions.
Ventura Police Chief David Dickey noted an 8% decline in vagrancy-related complaints and highlighted the department’s participation in more than 150 community events last year. “Our long-term crime trends reflect years of strong partnership between our officers and the community,” he said. “Even as we continue to address theft, reckless e-bike behavior, and quality-of-life issues, our crime rates remain far below where they were a decade ago.”
Oxnard Police Chief Jason Benites praised the countywide results. “It is good to pause and celebrate that Ventura County had the lowest rates of reported crime among California’s largest counties,” he said. “We are proud and thankful. A lot of work goes into this, and we must continue that work to ensure the trend continues.”
Simi Valley Police Chief Steve Shorts emphasized the importance of resident engagement. “Low crime rates reflect the strong partnership between our police department and the community,” he said. “We encourage residents to continue practicing crime-prevention strategies and to promptly report suspicious activity.”
In Santa Paula, Police Chief Don Aguilar said the city’s collaboration with regional law enforcement agencies remains key to maintaining safe communities.
More information about Ventura County’s crime rates is available in the State of the Region Report 2025 published by the Ventura County Civic Alliance.
