Fresno police report 566 arrests in two-week summer crackdown

Fresno police ended their two-week Safe Summer Operation with 566 arrests, 916 citations and 38 firearms seized, as officers fanned out across the city in a bid to pressure the violent crime, traffic problems and youth curfew violations that tend to rise when school lets out.

The operation began June 10 and produced 1,990 traffic stops, 1,133 pedestrian stops and 116 vehicle tows. Officers also contacted 605 documented gang members, carried out 81 parole searches that led to 17 parole arrests, and completed 247 probation searches that resulted in 38 probation arrests.

Deputy Chief Rob Beckwith said the department wanted to “set the tone for the summer.” Officers focused on curfew enforcement, parole and probation searches and targeted gang enforcement citywide, with attention to high-activity areas such as River Park, shopping malls and entertainment districts. An April fight outside the Regal Theater left three teens stabbed around 10 p.m.

The curfew itself rests on a recently updated city rule. The Fresno City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2026-4 on March 19, amending Section 10-2604 of the Fresno Municipal Code. Under the rule, minors are barred from being in public from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with exceptions for being accompanied by a parent or guardian, running an emergency errand at a guardian’s direction, or returning from a meeting, entertainment, recreational activity or dance. A first violation can bring a warning citation, while a second can trigger a letter to parents or guardians about possible administrative and transportation costs.

The city also saw broader public-safety gains during the same period, including leveling off in homicides and a decline in shootings, for a 10 percent year-to-date reduction in those categories. Recent annual reports show murders fell from 35 in 2023 to 30 in 2024, after dropping from 60 in 2022 to 35 in 2023, while shootings fell 38 percent from 2023 to 2024.

The Boys & Girls Club of Fresno County operates 14 clubs and expects about 1,000 children coming in and out during the summer. More than 95 percent of the youth it serves come from low-income backgrounds, and county law-enforcement leaders presented it with a $90,000 grant on March 24.