San Jose Police Realign Districts to Boost Patrol Response

Department reduces number of districts from 16 to 12 and shifts officer responsibilities to improve coverage and response times.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The San Jose Police Department is redrawing its patrol coverage districts later this year in an effort to streamline sluggish response times and more efficiently deploy officers. The changes will reduce the total number of districts from 16 to 12 and shift patrol officers' responsibilities to cover entire districts rather than specific geographical zones, aiming to maintain continuity when officers are absent or move out of patrol.

Why it matters

San Jose has struggled with slow police response times, with the citywide average for high-priority calls taking over 8 minutes, well above the target of 6 minutes. The department hopes these district realignments and changes to officer responsibilities will lead to faster response times and more consistent coverage across neighborhoods.

The details

Under the new plan, districts covering historically distinct areas like Little Saigon, Evergreen, Alviso, and the Rose Garden will remain largely intact. However, the total number of districts will be reduced from 16 to 12. Officers will now be responsible for entire districts rather than specific geographical beats, allowing them to develop broader knowledge of the neighborhoods, businesses, and recurring issues within their districts.

  • The district realignment changes will be implemented on November 8, 2026.
  • The department has been working on this plan since 2020, when the City Council allocated $350,000 to study a plan to better align districts with available police staffing.

The players

San Jose Police Department

The law enforcement agency for the city of San Jose, California.

Paul Joseph

The Police Chief of the San Jose Police Department.

Jennifer Maguire

The City Manager of San Jose.

Matt Mahan

The Mayor of San Jose.

Stephen Donohue

A Captain in the San Jose Police Department who authored the memo outlining the new redistricting plan.

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What they’re saying

“Our goal is simple: better service for the public and better support for our officers. This new patrol structure allows us to respond more quickly, supervise more effectively, and stay connected to the communities we serve, without losing sight of what's always mattered.”

— Paul Joseph, Police Chief (mercurynews.com)

“This is a thoughtful, data-driven approach.”

— Jennifer Maguire, City Manager (mercurynews.com)

“The department is modernizing police districts to reflect how San Jose has grown — and where calls for service actually happen.”

— Matt Mahan, Mayor (mercurynews.com)

What’s next

The San Jose City Council will need to approve the $150,000 allocation requested by the police department to fund the software and infrastructure costs associated with implementing the new district realignment and officer redeployment plan.

The takeaway

The San Jose Police Department's district realignment is a data-driven effort to improve patrol response times and coverage across the city, reflecting the challenges of staffing limitations and changing community needs. By shifting to a district-based model rather than specific geographical beats, the department aims to maintain institutional knowledge and provide more consistent service to residents.