Joyfields News

Articles & News

March 4, 2009

California gang meeting stirs up ideas and questions

STEPHEN SAPIRO, The Californian. Public Safety

Here's my view of the town hall meeting on public safety held Feb. 18 at Sherwood Hall in Salinas:

Police Cmdr. Dino Bardoni and the chief parole agent sitting in the audience truly gave the real picture. The effects of any rehab or prevention program take time. The community wants results now, and the suppression people are the only ones that can provide them. Bardoni probably doesn't want it, but he has my vote for the next police chief.

It was said that parents can only be held accountable for gang crimes in the case of minors, but aren't a lot of these violent acts committed by the "wannabes"?

I learned something new when someone said the most a parent would be liable for was $25,000, and who would want to testify in a case like that? About half the money would go to attorney and court fees, and because you are dealing with gang members, good luck collecting anything. These people would rather do the time than pay the fine. Most of them don't have this much money, and gangs are organized and most of their funds are centralized.

I don't care to know what a gang wants, and a gang member isn't going to tell you anything. Police, Parole, and Probation already carry out interviews and interrogations, and the most information they get comes from informants or gang dropouts. Some people are describing these gangsters as terrorists. Yes, they are, but of a different, weaker type. They're only concerned with power, control and money. Terrorists are willing to die for their cause or ideology, and they lay down their weapons when they feel they have obtained their goal.

Street gangs are not all willing to die for their cause, that's how we get dropouts and informants. Many of the dropouts come to realize they have relationships (spouse, family, children) that are more important than the gang or find gang life is not as glamorous as was expected.

The city's image was brought up in connection with tourism. Not only do we need to change this gangland image, but also we must clean up this town - that goes for homeless and all the trash.

Someone brought up the idea that many of the programs should be included in our school system, and I agree. At this time of economic crisis most funds for in-school and after-school programs should be directed at the good kids. Troubled youth and adults should have to depend on private funding.

I thought the town hall meeting went very well, and some good ideas were shared. Thank you Steve Villegas, Emily Flores and Dino Bardoni for clearing up a question on many people's minds about the use of court injunctions. Barry Brown did a fine job as moderator.

I've lived in Salinas about 27 years, and I have nothing but respect for police officers and Monterey County sheriff's deputies.

They have protected me all this time, and I know they'll be there if I ever need them. It seems traditional, but our police, sheriff, parole and probation departments and district attorney. have always been short-handed, but they always do the best they can and get the job done. They are dedicated.