Santa Maria’s mayor and City Council members undoubtedly realize gang-related violence has increased dramatically over the past few years, yet they seem unwilling to come up with a solution. However, after hearing a number of brave citizens speak out about this subject at the last two City Council meetings, it seems they have the answer. And the answer lies in getting a gang injunction in place.
While last October’s gang-related raid yielded 12 arrests, it can hardly be heralded as a victory for local law enforcement. More than 2,000 dangerous gang members currently roam our streets, and these thugs have become more emboldened than ever to commit their crimes, even doing so in broad daylight.
Santa Maria needs a gang injunction immediately so that its police officers can be equipped with broader arresting powers to quell the violence and deport criminal illegal aliens. If the police chief needs further information about how effective a gang injunction can be, he need only to contact one of the many cities in California where a gang injunction is utilized. The sooner this process begins, the sooner our streets will be safer. Now, let’s get busy and get this important work done.
This article appears in Dec 10-17, 2009.