Long Beach’s High Crime Focus Team has been busy. The specialized unit says it has arrested 94 people wanted on felony warrants, recovered 26 illegal firearms, and taken part in 57 community engagement events in a months-long mix of enforcement work and outreach. The Long Beach Police Department shared photos of seized weapons and neighborhood events in a Monday social media post, framing the team as a data-driven crew that chases illegal guns while trying to stay in steady conversation with residents.
How the HCFT was built and financed
The High Crime Focus Team launched in 2024 as part of the Long Beach Police Department’s plan to zero in on illegal firearms and repeat violent offenders. City leaders funded the effort in the FY25 budget, and the unit is profiled in the department’s year-in-review report, which notes that team members meet daily to comb through crime data and coordinate targeted operations, according to the City of Long Beach.
Numbers the department highlighted
In a Facebook post on Monday, the Long Beach Police Department laid out the headline figures: 94 arrests tied to felony warrants, 26 firearms recovered, and 57 outreach events on the calendar so far. The post, which featured photos of gun seizures and neighborhood meet-and-greets, was held up as an example of pairing enforcement with community contact, according to Facebook.
On-the-ground impact and trends
Police brass and local reporters have linked the team’s work to drops in shootings and other gun-related crimes in parts of the city. As reported by the Long Beach Post, Chief Wally Hebeish has credited a focused enforcement strategy that includes the HCFT with helping push shooting numbers down. Separately, several HCFT arrests and recoveries have been chronicled in recent months.
Community outreach and next steps
The department says those 57 community events are not a side project but a core part of the mission, meant to blend enforcement with education and prevention. City budget documents note that HCFT received one-time funding and is intended to work alongside youth engagement and other prevention programs, according to the City of Long Beach…