Members of the Community Assistance Support Team go door-to-door at the Casa Sierra apartment complex in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of San Diego. They check in on residents for months after they’ve witnessed a gang shooting to ensure they have the services they need to move forward rather than becoming wrapped up in the gang culture. | Photo Credit: Megan Burks
By Tarryn Mento
A city commission’s plan to address San Diego’s gang activity gained the support of City Council Monday evening, but members said it lacked details.
Violent crime at the hands of gang members in San Diego has declined over the years, but police say the gang scene here is still at least 4,000 members strong. To address gang activity, the Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention proposed Monday a three-stage initiative that begins as early as preschool.
Although Councilwoman Marti Emerald was absent, the nine-member council unanimously accepted the concept outlined in the commission’s 2015-2017 Strategic Initiative Plan, but Council President Todd Gloria said he expected the volunteer group to provide more details on what the plan would cost the city.
“There are no real numbers affixed to it — there are timelines, there are objectives but there are no dollar figures attached,” Gloria said.
In a Sept. 9 memo to City Council, the commission’s executive director Lynn Sharpe-Underwood referenced the group’s $10,000 request for training for community members, but a spokeswoman for Gloria said that was not part of the council’s action Monday night.
In response to Gloria, Sharpe-Underwood said the group would provide details on funding at its next report to the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee.
Councilman Scott Sherman suggested portions of the youth empowerment initiative could be supported by community organizations, instead of solely relying on public dollars.
“A lot of times in this discussion we get involved and wrapped up into government money, government programs, what can government go, but I think we lose sight of sometimes is what can the community do as well,” he said.
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Sherman also asked for a list of groups that address gang activity that community members can support or join.
The commission’s Community Focused Youth Empowerment Initiative focuses on the prevention, intervention and suppression of gang activity.
The prevention stage targets young children through their instructors and after-school program staff members. The commission wants to inform them how to help kids overcome trauma and bullying. Additionally, the plan supports home visits to expectant mothers and families impacted by gang violence.
The next stage — intervention — focuses on developing more employment opportunities for teens and 20 somethings. The commission also wants to help youth establish positive relationships with adults and suggested expanding an after-hours program that lets youths interact with non-uniform police.
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At the Monday meeting, Councilwoman Myrtle Cole proposed the idea of connecting youth who are interested in after-hours programs with senior citizens at some of the city’s nursing facilities.
The final step — suppression — addresses areas with high gang activity. The goal is to establish relationships between prominent community members and police officers so together they can make a connection with gang leaders.