February 21, 2013
Salinas Police Chief Kelly McMillin and Mayor Joe Gunter underscored the need for more police officers at a Salinas town hall meeting tonight.
The meeting, hosted by California Sen. Anthony Canella (R-Ceres) at La Paz Middle School, focused on the city’s prevalent gang violence problem. The school's cafeteria was packed, with at least 150 in attendance.
The Salinas police force has been reduced from 187 officers in 2009 to 131 police officers, with just 11 to 14 patrol cars out at any one time, the police chief said.
“What that means is that an event happens... a crash, a shooting, a structure fire...we lose half of our officers in one call,” said McMillin.
Bringing that point home was an audience member who said his son was held up at gunpoint last week, and complained the police were slow in responding and seemed interested only in filing paperwork instead of actually investigating.
McMillin, while defending his officers, also said, “The fact of the matter is in our town on a regular basis we run out of cops.”
Mayor Joe Gunter said the city needs a tax to provide more police services and to build a new police station.
A group called the Salinas Police Tax Committee is working on a measure to create new taxes to fund the city’s police force, according to Weekly files.
“I’m not a big believer in taxes by any means... but we do need taxes to provide basic services,” Gunter said.
Tonight’s town hall meeting was also attended by several prominent community members and politicians, including Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville). Panelists included Chief Probation Officer Manuel Real and Kent Shaw, chief at California’ Department of Justice.
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Comments
steinbecker says...
Putting more police on the streets will only compound the failure of the previous gang task force efforts to make a really cost-effective solution to crime problems, which are not unique to Salinas. Salinas, with a current unemployment rate of 18.6 percent, is just one hotbed of discontent and frustration in Tony Canella's 12th Senate District. Ceres, his hometown, has an 18.6 percent unemployment rate, and Madera has a 19.5 percent rate. If we make sure that no one who is not a bona-fide U.S. Citizen is elilgible for employment, and assist everyone who came here through amnesty, chain migration, birthright citizenship, or visa overstaying, or worst of all, is undocumented, we can help these wonderful, hardworking guests make a new beginning in their ***barrios lindos, lejos, y queridos. Si, se puede!***
Posted 25 February 2013, 3:38 p.m. Suggest removal
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