OXNARD DEPARTAMENTO DE POLICÍA
COMUNICADO DE PRENSA
Sr. Director::
Algunos de los momentos más difíciles como el jefe de la policía vienen cuando el teléfono suena en el medio de la noche y que se les informa de que otro joven ha sido víctima de la violencia en nuestra ciudad. Es frustrante y trágico y desafortunadamente esas llamadas han sido más frecuentes en los últimos días.
Durante el mes pasado hemos experimentado un aumento en la violencia. While the overall crime rate in Oxnard has dropped by more than 60% per capita since 1992 we do, at times, experience these spikes of crime – typically between rival gangs that know each other and seek to inflict pain and injury.
El desafío es movilizar rápidamente a interrumpir el aumento de la actividad. It is a very difficult cycle to break, a cycle that will require Herculean efforts by every facet of our community. This is not passing the buck on my part – it is simply a fact.
Para ilustrar lo profundamente arraigado este ciclo de violencia puede estar en la psique de nuestros jóvenes comparto una historia de un niño de seis años de edad, quien recientemente habló con uno de nuestros agentes en la escena de un homicidio relacionado con pandillas. The young boy commented to the officer that he knew the young man who had been killed. The officer attempted to console the boy, making the assumption that the boy would be traumatized by the death of his young friend.
Instead the boy commented that he thought “it was cool” that his friend had been killed in the drive-by shooting – basically implying to the officer that dying “for the gang” was a cool way to die. Frankly, the comment from this young boy has haunted me since hearing the story.
How in the world can we, as a society, turn this ship around? No tengo todas las respuestas a esta pregunta, pero puedo compartir que nosotros, como un departamento de policía y una ciudad estamos haciendo todo lo humanamente posible para frenar esta violencia. From redeploying officers for stepped up enforcement to working with kids in our schools, to providing parenting classes to creating programs to curb truancy in our schools – we, as a police department and a city, are doing everything we can. The police department has the full support of our elected leadership and the City Manager to attack these issues.
Una cosa que hemos aprendido es que no todo se trata de la supresión. In fact, the Oxnard Police Department participates in a variety of different efforts currently in place with respect to prevention and intervention programs. And certainly there are many, many other outstanding efforts being made in our community by a myriad of community based organizations. Estos esfuerzos han sido muy eficaces y creo que es uno de los factores para la reducción significativa de la delincuencia en la ciudad que se remonta a 1992.
sin embargo, a number of individuals have not been reached through these efforts. Desde nuestras estimaciones creemos que las personas que cometen estos actos violentos constituyen significativamente menor que 1% de nuestra población. Understandably, the actions of this small percentage of our population cause great fear and trepidation among our residents.
What we as a police department cannot do, sin embargo, is take responsibility for raising the hundreds of youngsters in our city who are perpetuating this type of violent behavior. This is where the community partnership is so critical. Parents need to be good parents and the community at large needs to support these parents and provide our youth with the guidance and opportunities that will steer them away from these dysfunctional behaviors.
Así, what can the person reading this article do to help us in this effort? Por favor, coopere con la policía y compartir con nosotros lo que ven o lo que saben. There is absolutely no doubt that people in our community, in every case of violence carried out in our city, have the information we need to bring these criminals to justice. A community should never live in fear of retribution from the criminal element. As a community, we send the message that we will not live in fear, that it is the criminal who should fear the community.
We have set up an anonymous tip line – 982-7070 that anyone can call and leave any information that they may have. It is a voice mail number so their anonymity is secure. We also work hand in hand with Ventura County CrimeStoppers – that number is (800) 222-CONSEJOS. CrimeStopper tips are eligible for cash rewards.
Trabajando juntos podemos librar a nuestra sociedad de los que obstaculizan nuestra seguridad y calidad de vida. No va a ser fácil y por favor, no dejes que sea el único responsable de su departamento de policía local. If everyone will do their part – I am confident we will have success.
Sinceramente,
John Crombach
Jefe de la Policía
