Buena Park's city leaders on Tuesday offered residents a rare, public snapshot of crime so far this year and signaled a move toward regular updates at city council meetings. The interim police chief told council members most crime categories are down year to year, and a council member urged the department to keep the public informed about trends and how Measure R funds are being used.
What changes for residents
The immediate change for residents is more routine public reporting on crime statistics and follow-up on key cases. Councilwoman Joyce Ahn, who requested the briefing, asked the police department to present similar updates going forward so the public can see how sales-tax revenue from Measure R is being applied to public safety.
“As long as we have some reports available to the public during the council meeting and share and discuss some of the happenings out there, especially with follow-ups on closing some robbery cases or any difficult cases in the future, I’m sure we can share more stories with the public on how well we’re doing and how the Measure R (sales tax) money is spent,”
Buena Park Interim Police Chief Bradley Geyer told the council that overall crime has trended downward in the city and the surrounding region. He said most crimes are down roughly 15% to 20% compared with the same period last year, though he cautioned that not every category has fallen.
Numbers residents should know
The report covered the period from Jan. 1 through June 30. Reported incidents included larceny thefts, stolen vehicles, burglaries, aggravated assaults, robberies and rapes.
- Most categories declined, reflecting a broader regional trend the chief referenced.
- Stolen vehicles and burglaries declined compared with the same six-month span in 2025.
- Some violent crimes showed mixed results and remain a focus for follow-up and prevention efforts.
The figures provided at the meeting are shown below.
| Offense (Jan–June) | 2026 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Larceny thefts | 637 | 623 |
| Stolen vehicles | 88 | 125 |
| Burglaries | 48 | 83 |
| Aggravated assaults | 39 | 57 |
| Robberies | 34 | 20 |
| Rapes | 14 | 8 |
Context and next steps
Council members and the interim chief discussed the value of regular, public briefings so residents can track how funding decisions — including Measure R, a 1% sales tax increase approved by voters to generate roughly $20 million for local needs — translate into police hiring and crime prevention efforts.
City officials did not announce a fixed schedule for future crime briefings at the meeting, but Councilwoman Ahn urged ongoing reporting and wanted follow-up on open robbery and other difficult cases to help show results to the public.
Residents can expect more frequent public updates if the council adopts Ahn’s request, which would create greater transparency around policing outcomes and the use of Measure R revenue in Buena Park and provide a model other Orange County cities might follow.
