Each part of California offers stunning coastlines, iconic attractions, and entertainment facilities of global standards. However, with its large population and the numerous subcultures it embraces, the issue of safety may be a drawback for some who may want to relocate to or within California. With this guide, you will be able to identify the safest cities in California in terms of the current crime rates and reduce your search for secure environments.
What makes a city safe?
Various aspects make up the safety quotient of any city. Low violent and property crime rates are just one aspect, but other factors include positive community participation, timely emergency services, quality education, job provisions, and the safety and security of the area. The following cities are above par in these areas.
Irvine
Currently, the safest city in California is Irvine, which is one of the planned communities located in Orange County. This city has well-maintained parks, excellent schools, and favorable conditions for raising children; besides, Irvine has the smallest rate of violent crimes among all American cities with a population of over 250 thousand people in California. Such avenues include footpaths for walking/biking or events that foster unity of the residents thus ensuring that there is order in the community. Furthermore, there is advanced policing in the Irvine Police Department such as the license plate readers to prevent and solve any crime.
Murrieta
Murrieta is situated in Riverside County, and it has below 118,000 residents, but the community is safe due to its small-town nature. Murrieta recorded a total of 90 incidences of violent crimes in 2021 and ranked second least in the state when compared to other cities with a population of over 100000. For outdoor leisure, the community enjoys the natural area through the Santa Rosa Plateau and the nearby Santa Ana Mountains enabling them to indulge in outdoor activities to promote the health and wellness of their bodies. Through the use of license plate readers, security cameras, and community engagements, the police work hard to prevent, investigate, and solve crimes within the community.
Simi Valley
Nestled in the vicinity of some of the country’s most picturesque hills, Simi Valley is a city with less than a hundred violent crimes per year. The relationship between the citizens and the police force is closely knit which is evidenced by area councils, neighborhood watch, and the VOLUNTEER patrol. Simi Valley is among those suburbs that have a balance between the suburban feel and the recreational facilities offered by the Simi Hills and Mount McCoy, thus offering families enough space to breathe. The powerful Simi Valley Police Department works with technologies such as surveillance drones and the option to report incidents online for fast reaction.
Westlake Village
Located in Los Angeles County, adjacent to Simi Valley, Westlake Village shares similar crime trends with the latter: no more than 15 violent crimes took place in the city in 2021. Highly privileged and regarded for its beauty, Westlake Village is seen as the home of entertainment executives and celebrities such as Adam Sandler, but the small-town feeling is maintained through the support for community activities and the residents’ cautiousness in the neighborhood watches. It has restricted accesses and thus can be easily secured and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department constantly offers security.
Danville
Located in the San Francisco Bay area, Danville was able to go an entire year without a reported homicide while the total incidences of violent crimes remained below 100. With the availability of numerous parks and nature areas, it also has a large family-oriented neighborhood—both of which are appealing to safety-conscious individuals. The concept of community policing persists in the DV Police force where the officers interact with the residents in their events and meetings for them to be in a position to understand the priorities of residents.
Safety Starts with You
As seen from the above cities, security is generally good, but being cautious, developing a relationship with people in those places, and being informed of what may pose a risk to one’s life will ensure one stays safe in those cities and other cities as well. Reflect on neighborhood interactions, try to get in touch with the locals before moving in, browse the articles and forums to learn more about crime rates in your chosen area, and read the guidelines on safety procedures in your new location. It is also good to meet neighbors and the first responders in a community to ascertain goodwill.
Stay Vigilant
Even if ever possible to implement almost impenetrable security measures, threats such as theft and violence are inevitable. Always lock doors and windows properly, hide your valuable commodities, promptly report anything suspicious to the security personnel, and do not give out signals to anybody that you are alone or a soft target where and when possible.
Trust Your Instincts
In cases such as being cornered by someone with ill intentions or being in the middle of an attack such as a predator, one should get away safely and call the police. Shouting out ‘fire’ will draw more attention from people close by than ‘help’. As such, it will be important to remember that anything material can be bought again, and safety comes first.
The cities above may present friendly statistics; however, being cautious, avoiding increasing the risk factors that are malleable to some extent, and leading a meaningful life is the best defense. So, if you take certain precautions, you can feel quite safe, no matter where across California’s rich and colorful terrain you are.
