Opponents of the West Sacramento Gang injunction gathered this morning in front of the Yolo County Courthouse ahead of yet another hearing as defendants seek to overturn the gang injunction which was originally filed in 2005, thrown out by the courts, and then the District Attorney’s office sought to have it reinstated last year.
Opponents of the gang injunction argue that while there is crime in West Sacramento and a small number of gang members, neither the level of violence nor the number of gang members justify an injunction.
“There has been a message put out there that there is a Broderick Boys gang. What we are saying… is that there is no Broderick Boys gang. There is a certain amount of crime that exists in West Sacramento just like in any city but not anywhere to the point where it requires a gang injunction.”
According to Phil Barros, a law enforcement officer for the department of corrections and certified gang expert in California and Nevada, the District Attorney had issued the injunction back in 2005 based on the argument that crime had increased in the Broderick and Bryte areas as the result of the increased Mexican population in these communities. But Mr. Barros argues that the actual crime statistics do not bear out those claims.
Mr. Barros had met with the West Sacramento Police Chief back in 2005 when the idea of the gang injunction was being considered.
“When they stated that there was a Broderick Boys street gang, I was very concerned. I met with the police chief and explained to him that there was no organized Broderick Boys street gang–never has been and hopefully there never will be. However, I did explain that there are some Norteno prison gang members who do reside in the West Sacramento area along with prison gang members from different motorcycle groups… They didn’t want to listen to that.”
Mr. Barros argued that from 2005 to 2009, crime has decreased according to crime statistics in West Sacramento including the Broderick and Brytes neighborhoods.
“It’s four and a half years later, crime has decreased, we don’t have a problem in Broderick and Bryte. Crime is not a serious problem there. Yet they are still pushing for this injunction.”
The organizers also argue that the community was never consulted by either the District Attorney’s office or law enforcement in terms of their perception of the need for a gang injunction.
As Rebecca Sandoval said:
“The major concern is that the community was never consulted. The mayor (Christopher Cabaldon) has and continues to be absent from any discussion with the community concerning the injunction.”
Mr. Barros argued that across the state most cities with a gang injunction do in fact have a gang problem, and the authorities are working with the communities and at the request of the communities to attempt to solve it.
“That’s why some of their injunctions are working. That’s the difference between the two communities. They work with the actual community to identify gang members. West Sacramento has never done that.”
He cited South Sacramento as example. They have a gang injunction and they have been effective because they are working with the community to resolve it.
According to a press release from Frank Gonzalez:
Gang injunctions have been used effectively in some California communities as a way to deal with gang problems. In these instances, the community has gone to law enforcement and the DA. for help when they have been threatened by gang violence. A gang injunction is then put in place, supported by the community, to make the community safer. This is not the case in West Sacramento where an injunction was put in place without input from the community.
The organizers of this event argue that the people actually fear law enforcement more than gang activity.
According to a press release from Frank Gonzalez:
“Citizens claim they don’t fear gangs as much as they fear law enforcement in Yolo County,” it said. “The groups charge the alleged crackdown on gangs is unnecessary and that the injunction has led to harassment and racial profiling in the Latino community. Residents maintain the injunction targets innocent victims and violates the constitutional rights of everyone.”
Moreover it continues:
“Residents have also exposed a pattern of harassment by members of the West Sacramento Police Dept. of residents of West Sacramento who are active in the anti-injunction battle.”
As Rebecca Sandoval said:
“We have received declarations from the community saying the problems are not with gangs, they are with the police.”
With the shooting death on April 30 of Luis Gutierrez by Yolo County Sheriff’s Deputies under a gang task force program there is an increased focus now on the issue of gang prevention in Yolo County, the Vanguard is embarking on an investigation into the issue and looking some of the issues that these organizers have raised.
—David M. Greenwald reporting
Obviously gang injunctions work, as they have in South Sac, but they must be done correctly. There must be buy-in from the community involved. As a volunteer attorney, I have heard over and over again from the hispanic community they do not trust the West Sac police; the West Sac police don’t do anything but harass innocent people.
I have no idea whether that is true or not, but the perception is out there. Thus it would behoove the West Sac police dept. to step up community policing, where community leaders are engaged in the process. If it works in South Sac, it can work in West Sac. What is troubling is why isn’t the mayor calling for community policing, and giving some leadershop in this area?
I would say the same goes for the Yolo Sheriff’s Office, and the city of Woodland. Again the perception in the hispanic community is they are being persecuted by the police. It would be much more appropriate if law enforcement did not take a “circle the wagons” approach, but instead started community policing, engaging commmunity leaders in the discussions of what needs to be done and why.
As the old adage goes “You get more w honey than with vinegar”.
I am sure the holocaust never happened, the mafia does not exist and aliens annoy them on a regular basis. What idiots. Of course there is a broderick boys gang. Look at all the documented court cases with their own members as witnesses. Broderick boys tatoos and gang signs. What the hell are they smoking in west sac. These guys obviously have a reason to denounce the existance of the gang. One needs to look closer at their family ties.
Look the problem is the racial profiling. Was he guilty or shot becuase of the color of his skin, we may never know. It is not uncommon for hispanics to carry pocket knives or have bandanas. In the shooting of this man, we need to look at a few things:
1. Supervisor Matt Rexroad owns Meridian Pacific, Meridian Central, Meridian East, East West Strategies, Cardinal Communications, Spinnovations and a few other political marketing companies. He is also an attorney and runs the campaigns behind the scenes for many of our elected officials in Yolo County.
2. His companies were hired to promote the gange injunction and “Safer Neighborhoods” initivie
3. Promoters & Supporters of the gang injunctions and campaigns are the Da and sheriff
4. The Sheriff is also listed as the Coroner
We need an independant investigation so we can put an end to this and so we learn from our past and not so distant history of unjust persecution involving Jews, Japanese, Croatians etc..
I am originally from Broderick West Sacramento born and raised. I had to laugh at this article becuase some one is stating there is no Broderick boys just a few prison ganeg memebers. In order to say that and not choke on your own words you truly have never resided in Broderick. I am 30 years old and as long as I can remeber there was the Brodercik boys
also when I was younger the west sac police were worse then the broderick boys so I guess it is a loose loose if nothing has changed