Gang Task Force Targets 'Poison'

In front of the Watsonville Public Library on Tuesday morning, the highest-ranking law enforcement officers in the county made a stand against gang violence when the announced the formation of a new countywide gang task force.

“Our goal here is to collaborate and work together on this issue that is a poison to our  community,” Sheriff Phil Wowak said. “Youth violence has always been a challenge for Santa Cruz County.”

He said this year has been “particularly bad.”

There have been five gang-related homicides in the county this year—all in South County, and three since early July alone.

will include the California Highway Patrol, California State Parks, Capitola Police Department, Santa Cruz Police Department, Santa Cruz County District Attorney's Office, Santa Cruz County Probation Department, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, Scotts Valley Police Department, Watsonville Police Department, along with California State Department of Parole.

Targeting gangs is a top priority, because they are to blame for the “destruction of our most precious resources—our children,“ District Attorney Bob Lee said. “…We’re hoping to save kids and we’re hoping to save victims of crime.”

Mario Sulay, a former sheriff’s sergeant, was recruited to the DA’s office 15 months ago for the specific purpose of leading a gang task force. Sulay’s four-man team of deputies and DA inspectors launched last summer.

Their ranks grew Sept. 1 when the task force expanded to a countywide collaboration.

Watsonville police Chief Manny Solano called the gang team “a force multiplier.”

Lee declined to say how many officers are assigned to the group or where they are headquartered.

“We’re not going to talk logistics,” he said.

Some officers are assigned to the task force full time, while others, such as Scotts Valley police, will be used on a case-by-case basis to provide more manpower.

“Crime knows no borders,” said Scotts Valley police Chief John Weiss, explaining why his small police department in North County is involved with a task force focused on the southern part of the county. “We’re a small county and we’re not that far apart.”

There are seven Sureño gangs, nine Norteño gangs and two white-pride gangs operating in the county, according to a map released at the press conference.

The task force is operating without extra funding. Each police agency involved dedicates officers to the program and contributes to the budget. Lee said that model—combining resources—actually is more affordable than working alone.

Solano said the task force has had an immediate impact in Watsonville, which has been plagued with gang-related shootings, assaults and even arsons this year.

“This team’s already showing us some great results,” he said.

Police departments that have not seen the upsurge of gang violence that Watsonville has also appreciate the task force’s effort.

Take cheery Capitola, a by-the-sea tourist haven that may not seem like a place that needs gang enforcement. Capitola police Chief Mike Card described his community as a sleeper cell for gangs.

“We’re gang-neutral,” he said. “We have a lot of gang members living in our community.”

Card said his small police force is juggling schedules to free up officers for the task force. It’s important to keep the city from being claimed by a gang and to prevent violence, goals they might not be able to accomplish without the resources the task force provides.

“Everybody here is impacted by gangs,” Card said. “The gang task force, as a collaborative group, gives more ‘umph!’ to the issue.”

In Santa Cruz, where there hasn’t been a gang-related homicide this year, police Chief Kevin Vogel said he signed on to the task force, because “we know this problem could easily shift to the city of Santa Cruz.”

The gang task force is the suppression arm of an effort to prevent gang violence. Other community groups are working on intervention and prevention efforts. The county probation department and state parole office are involved with the task force to keep dangerous offenders off the street.

“I think the bottom line is we’re looking for results,” Vogel said.