The city of East Palo Alto has made it two years without a homicide, a milestone officials say is a sign of progress in reflecting on the city’s violent past.
“This achievement belongs to the people of East Palo Alto,” Mayor Webster Lincoln said in a statement.
In the 1990s, gang violence and the crack cocaine epidemic contributed to high rates of violent crime in East Palo Alto. It was dubbed the “murder capital” of the United States because it had the highest rate of murders per capita in 1992, with 42 homicides in a population of 24,000, according to the County of San Mateo.
The last documented homicide occurred in April 2024, according to police.
City leaders credited the change to expanding community-based partnerships and prevention strategies through youth and workforce development programs. They also attributed increased neighborhood engagement with city departments and modernized policing techniques as factors contributing to the decline in homicides.
“It reflects the work of residents, community partners and a police department focused on trust, collaboration and prevention,” Lincoln said.
City leaders said they will continue focusing on investing in prevention initiatives and community engagement to keep the number of homicides at zero over the last two years.
“We are recognizing the presence of peace and the opportunity it creates for our residents and families,” Lincoln said.
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
The Best Cymbidium and Orchid Show and Sale held in the San Francisco Peninsula will be the … Read moreAnnual Cymbidium & Orchid Show and Sale hosted by the Gold Coast Cymbidium Society & Peninsula Orchid Society
What is a fantasy in music—a form, or a freedom shared between performers? Read moreViolin Fantasie: Polina Sedukh, violin, Irina Behrendt, piano
Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.
Error! There was an error processing your request.
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.