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Call for Community Policing
A
Call for Community Policing
By
Benedict Dimapindan
Oct.
8, 2004
Lt.
Ron Sibley, a 19-year veteran of the East Palo Alto Police
Department, would never describe himself as a captivating speaker.
In fact, as he puts it, “usually I put most people to
sleep.”
But,
as he called Wednesday night for community involvement in fighting
crime and boosting public safety, the eyes of all 24 Latino
East Palo Alto residents were on the man with the badge. The
issue has become a top priority and a contentious issue in
the city council election.
“You
are the controllers of your future,” Sibley said at the
second Spanish-speaking residence police academy at the Ravenswood
Family Health Center. “Bullets only go so far, and my
badge doesn’t stop bullets. We have to do it collectively,
otherwise we won’t succeed.
“Be
partners with us. Bother us, please.”
The
entire group nodded eagerly in approval throughout the evening.
Salvador
Garcia, 34, who has been living in East Palo Alto since 2000,
said that his neighborhood has problems with crime and drugs.
“It’s
getting safer a little bit, but we have a lot more to do,” he
said. “I have nephews and nieces…I want them to
be able to walk to school or anywhere, to go to the store without
being afraid.”
And
that’s precisely the kind of input that the police department
is hoping to gain from the Latinos, who comprise more than
60 percent of the city’s 30,000-plus population.
The
Spanish-speaking residence police academy, a joint effort involving
the police, the city and the community-activist group One East
Palo Alto, has been in the works for several years, and held
its first meeting on Sept. 29. The program’s goal is
to familiarize those whose primary language is Spanish with
the police and its procedures.
“Most
people are unsure what the police’s powers are,” said
Stewart Hyland, program director for OEPA and a 15-year resident. “So
they don’t know whether to call the police, because maybe
there are people living in their garage or they don’t
have all their (immigration) papers together, but none of that
matters. If someone commits a crime against you, you have the
right to police protection.”
Although
the city remains concerned for safety, crime, particularly
violent crime, is on the decline with five or six homicides
so far this year, according to Sibley.
“We
still have spikes, we still have violent streets, but the great
improvement is that now when we have a spate of violence, everyone
is up in arms, when the (attitude) used to be ‘so what,’” he
said.
Sibley
also said that the shift in public safety policy toward community
participation among Hispanics wasn’t a hard sell to the
council or candidates.
“It’s
about time,” said Councilman Duane Bay, who is seeking
re-election to a four-year seat. “Crime is a communitywide
problem. Partnership, trust that things will be done right
and familiarity with procedures are so valuable.”
Court
Skinner, who is also running for a four-year seat, agreed.
“If
there is no good relationship with the police, the residents
will be afraid of both gangs and the police, he said.
Sibley
acknowledged that the “the overall mission of making
this a safer place has everyone’s support.” He
added that among the candidates “there may be methods
that come into conflict.” Bay has suggested that building
a commercial tax base will clear up some financial breathing
room to improve and fund more public safety services. This
would entail, increasing businesses that produce the sales
tax used for public works.
“Around
60 percent of the general fund goes to public safety – the
economics of it is a big deal,” he said. “The strategy
that started back in the early 1990s, before I was on the council,
was to mark areas for redevelopment and push aggressively to
produce businesses to pay for things like public safety.
“It’s
controversial because people don’t want change and construction,
but the level of protection they want can only be paid for
bringing in those businesses.”
Several
candidates have criticized the incumbent council for its course
of action on public safety.
“Affordable
housing, accountability are all issues, but the main one is
public safety,” said Everado Luna, who is seeking a four-year
term. “We have to establish checks and balances, participate
in the (police) hiring process.
The
police chief, he said, should report directly to the city council
instead of the city manager.
Skinner
said that increasing community outreach is the right direction.
“We’ll
have to outsmart them (criminals),” he said. “We
can’t outspend them. There’s no alternative but
to outsmart them. The illegal drug thing is a business, a sophisticated
business. We should be going after all of it and not just the
kids in the streets.
“The
city council seems to use all the right words, but nothing
seems to happen. There are 31,000 people in this city, and
if I can meet a thousand (while campaigning), a 42-person police
force could get to know all 31,000 and know the neighborhoods.”
Contact Benedict Dimapindan at bend1@stanford.edu
