WPD Gets $250K Grant to Combat Gang Violence

WHAT?
This is a two-year project commencing on 1/1/2012 through 12/31/13 receiving $250,000 grant funds from the State of California, California Emergency Management Agency (Cal-EMA). The gang intervention-prevention-suppression services will be directed toward the community of Watsonville, with a focus on the Landis Street/Carey Avenue neighborhood.

The City of Watsonville in partnership with the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Inc. (PVPSA), and the Santa Cruz Gang Task Force have agreed to work together toward a mutual goal of gang prevention, intervention and suppression activities focused on at risk youth. The program is entitled “Valor Gang Prevention Program”.

The Watsonville Police Department working with the Santa Cruz Gang Task Force will continue to focus their gang violence suppression efforts on the criminal activities of individuals who are habitual violent gang offenders. The other segment of the City’s population are 4th through 8th grade students that have experienced violence in the home, lack of connections with supportive adults, youth with siblings involved in gangs, and/or problems at school such as low performing grades and/or disruptive behavior. These youth will receive prevention, intervention and family services provided by the Watsonville Police Department and Pajaro Valley Prevention and Student Assistance, Inc. The partners will deliver an evidence-based curriculum to target families, Guiding Good Choices. Program Objectives include the following:

1. Increase the number of habitual chronic gang offenders identified by 20% through sharing of information among criminal justice agencies.
2. Increase the number of gang members arrested for weapon violations by 10%.
3. Reduce the number of gang motivated aggravated assaults by 15%.
4. 70% of the intervention case load free of suspensions after 1 year of completing the program.
5. 50% of the intervention caseload showing an improvement in school attendance measured by attendance records prior to and after completion of the program.
6. Deliver four-2 hour sessions of Guiding Good Choices to 40 parents.
7. Improve parenting behaviors reported in 70% of participating parents in Guiding Good Choices.
8. 70% of intervention youth reported no initiation of substance use after one year follow-up.

WHO ARE THE PARTNERS IN THIS INITIATIVE?
Manny Solano, Chief of Police, Watsonville Police Department
Phil Wowak, Sheriff, Santa Cruz Sheriff, Santa Cruz Gang Task Force
Jenny Sarmiento, Chief Executive Officer, Pajaro Valley Prevention & Student Assistance, Inc.
Dorma Baker, Superintendent, Pajaro Valley Unified School District

WHY?
Organized gangs, gang violence and gang-related drug use is a community problem requiring extraordinary resources and collaboration to effectively intervene in this multi-generation cycle of gang violence. The gang phenomenon is extremely chronic and a problem the City has been collectively dealing with limited resources. The evolution of gang violence is complex; multi-faceted in which poverty, unemployment, density and family substance abuse or violence are key contributors to the community crisis of gang violence.

The City’s overall crime rate in 2011 rose 0.4 percent. This is equivalent to an increase of 17 crimes above the number of crimes reported in the year 2010. The violent crime rate declined 15 percent and the property crime rate increased by 4 percent. Despite the overall decrease in violent crimes, the City
had four (4) gang motivated homicides in 2011, one in 2010, and three in 2009. Gangs continue to be a concern, especially among at risk youth who are vulnerable to gang recruitment.