Violent crime decreases in Foster City

“I wish I could say exactly [why], but we are seeing a decrease,” he said. “But it comes in waves.”

Unlike other types of crime, violent arrests tend to be less predictable, unlike other incidents like vandalism, which can increase during the school year, or collisions, heightened during the rainy winter season, he added.

There were about 42 violent crime arrests in the city in 2019, with similar levels seen in 2022. In 2023, that number nearly halved to about 22. From January to August 2024, there have been about 20 violent crime arrests. 

“Out of those, we tend to see a lot of domestic abuse,” Lee said. 

Domestic abuse was involved in about 60% of violent crime arrests in 2019 and about half of the 2024 figures thus far. 

Property crimes — such as burglary and vandalism but excluding commercial theft — have stayed relatively flat since 2019. While other cities are grappling with high rates of shoplifting, Lee said Foster City isn’t necessarily a hot spot for thieves. Not only is there limited retail presence, but the layout and residential make-up means it’s less conducive for quick getaways. 

The trend runs counter to what many other cities within the county are experiencing. Countywide, violent crime increased by about 25% between 2019 and 2023, DOJ data showed. Increases were also seen in some of the county’s largest cities — such as San Mateo, South San Francisco and Redwood City — but even some smaller cities, such as Belmont, have seen at least marginal increases in violent crimes since 2019.

“We are an anomaly because we are so insulated, so you can’t compare us to larger cities,” Lee said. “Other cities typically have El Camino Real, which generally normalizes violent crime, but we have a bunch of smaller residential streets.”