Locals quiz police on gang violence

COSTA MESA — Police reached out Wednesday to a community demanding information about a surge in gang activity and violence.

At Sonora Elementary School, Costa Mesa police met residents twice to discuss a spate of shootings and to answer questions about increasing gang activity in the city.

Officers didn’t offer a clear reason for the crimes, but they said gang activity is on the rise throughout Orange County.

Although police have not confirmed that the Aug. 2 shooting death of 23-year-old Israel Maciel is connected to gangs, at least one homicide, 15 assaults and 506 reports of graffiti this year are believed to be gang-related, Costa Mesa Police Capt. Ron Smith said.

“I want to know how extensive the problem is — and there is a problem — and I want to know if there is a plan to address, in particular, the gang problem,” De Soto Avenue resident Patty Earnest said.

Earnest was one of more than 100 people who came to an afternoon meeting with police and community leaders.

Most residents wanted to know what is being done about crime in their neighborhoods and how they can help the police. David Burton said three cars had been stolen in six months near his Monterey Avenue home.

“I’m an ex-Marine, World War II, and I expect better protection,” he said.

Smith explained that police are making themselves visible in problem neighborhoods and networking with police in neighboring cities; detectives are working long hours.

He also encouraged people to start or reactivate neighborhood watch groups and to call police when they see anything that doesn’t look right.

But as police struggle to get people to report suspicious activity, they also face a significant staff shortage that makes it harder to respond to nonemergency calls.

After the meeting Smith said department staff is at “some of the lowest levels we’ve ever had,” with as many as 17 out of 165 positions unfilled. He added that there have been no cuts to targeted programs such as the gang unit and the DUI team.

The City Council approved hiring two more gang officers, and at least a dozen new officers are in training but won’t hit the streets until 2007, Smith said.

Like the gang problem, staff shortages are not isolated to Costa Mesa.

“We’re all competing against each other for a very limited officer recruitment pool,” Smith said.

Residents mainly said they’re worried about the increase in crime they have seen, not just the high-profile incidents in the news.

Pam Baldwin, a 15-year resident who has young children, said she noticed more sirens and that the police helicopter has been flying over her neighborhood more.

People in the Mission Drive neighborhood were worried even before the recent shootings and had already planned a community meeting for Wednesday night, said Ryan Sim, an organizer for the Orange County Congregation Community Organization.

In some cases, people won’t report crimes because they fear gang retaliation, but Sim said some in the Spanish-speaking community are also afraid of law enforcement.

“I hate to bring politics into it, but they’re scared to call the police,” he said. “It’s a lot of the backlash from the [City Council’s] immigration enforcement policy.”

Smith said the best way to combat the community’s fears is with information.

“We want to listen to your concerns; we want to answer your questions; we want to hear what’s on your minds,” he said.

“That’s probably the most important of all of this.”

A gang police officer translated some of the discussion and answered questions in Spanish.