San Gabriel Police Department

If the San Gabriel Police Department has arrested or is investigating a family member, a loved one or even you, it is common to need to know the bail amount (if any) associated with the offense (if an own recognizance (OR) release is denied), the evidence needed to convict one for the crime that allegedly took place, the defenses possible and the sentence a judge can impose if one is convicted of the crime. 

 
We at Greg Hill & Associates believe it is also good to know a few more things before interacting with any branch of law enforcement.  It can be valuable, to know the size of the police or sheriff’s department, the city’s demographics, the most common types of crime the department investigates and just a bit about the city’s history to make one’s communication with law enforcement more meaningful, more savvy and perhaps, more respectful.  This can lead to a better outcome than if one lacks such perspective.

This article is presented with this goal in mind.

The San Gabriel Police Department has fifty-four sworn police officers and 18 civilian employees to serve a population of roughly 40,000 packed into 4.09 square miles. 

San Gabriel is located about nine miles east of downtown Los Angeles.  It is bordered to the north by San Marino, to the east by Temple City and Rosemead, to the south by Rosemead and to the west by Alhambra.

As of 2010, the racial makeup of San Gabriel was 60.7% Asian, 25.4% White (11.4% Non-Hispanic White), 1.0% African American and 25.7% Hispanic or Latino.  The median income for a household in the city was $56,720 in 2010.

San Gabriel ranks as sixth within Los Angeles County for having the highest percentage of Asian residents.  The only cities with higher percentages in Los Angeles County are Chinatown, followed by Monterey Park, followed by Cerritos, followed by Walnut and then Rowland Height.

The 12-acre (49,000 m2) "San Gabriel Square" mall, sometimes referred to as the "Chinese Disneyland. "  It was also nicknamed by the Los Angeles Times as "the great mall of China."  This stretch of Chinese shops and bold architecture, with roofs of Spanish-style tile, is the model for the new ethnoburbs recently recognized in places like Las Vegas and Houston. 

Effective June 1, 2023, the City of San Gabriel announced it would enforce a new ordinance to allow local prosecution of certain quality-of-life crimes.  These include aggressive panhandling, trespassing and loitering, unlawful camping, amplified sound, and vandalism.  Prior to June 1, 2023, offenders of these crimes could only be cited and then released.

According to Neighborhood Scout, the crime rate in San Gabriel is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 18 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. 

The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in San Gabriel is 1 in 57. Based on FBI crime data, San Gabriel is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to California, San Gabriel has a crime rate that is higher than 47% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes, or it is about average.  Relative to Los Angeles County, it is one of the lower crime areas.

Violent crime in San Gabriel occurs at a rate higher than in most communities of all population sizes in America.  The chance that a person will become a victim of a violent crime in San Gabriel; such as armed robbery, aggravated assault, rape or murder; is 1 in 443.  This equates to a rate of 2 per one thousand inhabitants.

Neighborhood Scout's analysis also reveals that San Gabriel's rate for property crime is 15 per one thousand population.  This makes San Gabriel a place where there is an above average chance of becoming a victim of a property crime, when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes.  Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, arson, larceny, and burglary. Your chance of becoming a victim of any of these crimes in San Gabriel is one in 65.

While San Gabriel definitely has fewer gang crimes than nearby cities, it suffers from the general activity of Hispanic gangs prevalent in the San Gabriel Valley.

For more information about being arrested and possibly facing a criminal case, please click on the following articles:

Below is the Google Map to the San Gabriel Police Department.