From the Mayor's Desk: October 24, 2025

Safety is a hallmark of many cities and, in Cerritos, we’ve continued to emphasize its value not just with our words but our actions. With autumn upon us and the holiday season approaching, we can reflect on a successful summer period of low property crime.

The numbers speak for themselves. From January through September, Cerritos has seen a 34% reduction in residential burglaries. In September alone, there were just three such burglaries. Over the past three months, a period that is traditionally prone to higher crime rates, we had approximately 60% fewer residential burglaries than this same span a year ago.

Enhance Public Safety is our City’s number one Strategic Plan Goal and directly feeds our Cerritos in Progress theme. This is why I’m incredibly pleased with our new safety initiatives, and the tremendous actions of our Community Safety Division and Cerritos Sheriff’s Station personnel. Equally important is the level of public discourse on this topic. Nearly one year ago, many residents voiced their concerns about what was, at the time, a negative trend of burglaries in their neighborhoods. We listened carefully and took swift action. New safety initiatives included reclassifying burglary response calls, adding more patrol resources, and installing multiple automated license plate reader (ALPR) cameras.

Thanks to the support of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, we’re proud to be the first city in Los Angeles County to utilize aerial drones to support patrol operations during high-risk service calls. Increasing personnel support through our partnership with Southwest Patrol has also proven valuable. On October 13, the City Council approved extending our service contract with Southwest Patrol through the end of the fiscal year.

Additionally, we’re aided by the support of our residents. They’ve helped hold the Cerritos City Council and our safety staff accountable and are doing their part to prevent and resolve crime. Earlier this month, one resident’s quick call to the Sheriff’s Station helped deputies capture an alleged burglary suspect. Remaining vigilant is ubiquitous among our Neighborhood Watch groups. We’re incredibly thankful to these volunteers and encourage more people to get involved.

Learn more about the City’s safety initiatives at cerritos.gov/burglarydefense and Neighborhood Watch at cerritos.gov/neighborhoodwatch.