During the March 10th State of the City address, Mayor Larry Agran said: “Here at Irvine City Hall, we never forget that the foremost responsibility of local government is to keep people safe. So, I begin with good news to report. For yet another year — the 21st year in a row — according to FBI statistics on violent crime in major cities, Irvine has been ranked as the Safest Big City in America! Consider this fact: last year, in our city of 330,000 residents — which swells to nearly twice that number during every workday — there were no murders. In fact, there were no criminal homicides of any kind in Irvine. Zero.”
The Mayor also reported that violent crime in Irvine dropped by 5% and property crime fell by 16% last year.
Mayor Agran thanked the City’s public safety officers: “On behalf of a grateful Irvine community, I want to take this moment to thank Chief Michael Kent and our entire Irvine Police Department for yet another year of outstanding work! Our Irvine public safety strategies rely on community policing — what we also call constitutional policing. These strategies effectively keep us safe while building enduring bonds of mutual trust with our law-abiding Irvine citizenry.”
The Mayor did report one concerning public safety statistic: “The number of vehicles and people involved in serious injury accidents actually went up last year. So, clearly, we have more work to do. We are stepping up our law enforcement against road racing and street takeovers. And, as permitted by state law, our City Council recently approved lower speed limits on nearly 100 streets throughout Irvine. These measures — plus added police enforcement, continuing traffic engineering improvements, and the vigilance of all law-abiding Irvine citizens — should help us reduce the number and severity of traffic collisions this year — and actually save lives.”
The Mayor noted that “keeping people safe on our streets — whether as drivers, passengers, bicyclists, or pedestrians — has become even more challenging with the proliferation of electric bikes (e-bikes). Most so-called e-bikes are actually electric motorcycles, and in my opinion, they should be licensed as motorcycles and regulated accordingly. At a minimum, we need state laws that grant cities like ours the authority to adopt much stronger protective measures for our communities.”
Mayor Agran continued: “Meanwhile, we are using the local authority we do have to educate e-bike riders — and their parents — about safety. And yes, our police officers do issue citations when laws are violated, including the state law that requires all bicyclists and e-bikers under 18 years of age to wear a properly buckled crash helmet. Using the authority inherent in our recently adopted public safety ordinance, I will be proposing that certain popular walking trails be designated as free from e-bikes and other motorized vehicles.”
In an effort to ensure Irvine is safe and welcoming for all, Mayor Agran announced that the Immigration Assistance Program for Residents & Employees will launch this spring, connecting Irvine residents and employees with legal representation to ensure their constitutional rights to due process are met.
The Mayor concluded his public safety update on a positive note, reporting that there were no drownings in Irvine last year, perhaps in part due to Irvine’s new “floaties exchange” program. Last summer, the City’s Community Services staff teamed up with the Orange County Fire Authority to establish a new program that encourages families to exchange dangerous plastic “floaties” for a Coast Guard-approved life jacket. The program resulted in more than 500 Irvine families receiving life jackets.
As the Mayor’s speech revealed, Irvine did not become America’s Safest Big City for the past 21 years by accident. This remarkable record was, instead, the product of years of thoughtful planning; careful review of emerging dangers and effective methods of addressing them, including input from residents and police alike; and innovative policing strategies and public safety programs, often adopted at the behest of the Mayor and the City Council.
- Irvine is America’s Safest Big City - March 14, 2026
- Mayor Agran Delivers “State of the City” Address - March 13, 2026
- Irvine Receives Federal Funding for Economic Growth Initiative - March 12, 2026
