Galt authorities work to diminish gang activity

Some 50 to 60 young people in Galt are on probation, a large number of them for gang activity and high truancy rates from school.

Unlike cities like Stockton and Sacramento, Galt's gang problem is in its relative infancy, said Tony Lara, principal of Estrellita Continuation High School, and Deputy District Attorney Anthony Ortiz.

"We are noticing this year a large number of kids on probation, with a lot of them involved in gangs and high truancy rates," Lara said.

The stabbing death of 19-year-old Clinton Poole on Jan. 10 by an alleged gang member brought the gang issue to a head, Lara said.

A gang task force has been formed under the umbrella of the Galt Public Safety Advisory Committee. The task force includes Lara, Galt High School administrators, Galt police, the Galt Boys and Girls Club and City Councilwoman Barbara Payne.

Additionally, the City Council is looking for money to resurrect a police department program that would devote two police officers and a non-sworn crime prevention officer to gang activity in Galt. The council conceptually endorsed the proposal by Police Chief Doug Matthews on March 7, but the council asked its staff to look for a funding source. The issue will return to the City Council on Tuesday.

Two other community leaders, Mari Martinez and Patricia St. James, are pursuing grants to combat gang activity well. Martinez is Galt High's assistant superintendent of curriculum, and St. James runs an organization called Alternatives for Galt Youth. St. James has applied to the Sierra Health Foundation grant that would offer youth activities for students 10 to 15 years old.

"Coordinating all these agencies are, more than anything, our No. 1 task," Lara said. "By involving the DA, that was a very critical component we needed."

Galt has a lot of migrant and construction workers whose children are gang members, Ortiz said. The community has some Sureño and skinhead gang members, he added.

Ortiz and county juvenile probation officer Manh Tran participated in a recent Galt Gang Task Force meeting in an effort to work together with other Galt organizations.

"They're trying to get it early," said Ortiz, who has lived in Galt for more than three years. "They're not waiting for (gang violence) to be a problem."

Lara said that one problem Galt encounters is that juvenile hall is overcrowded, so some young people aren't taken into custody. Lara knows of one teen who had been expelled from middle school, Galt High and Estrellita. He was arrested three times on a recent weekend, once for starting a fight and twice for petty theft, Lara said.

"What do we do with that kind of kid?" Lara asked.

Although gang activity has increased in Galt over the past year, it isn't nearly as critical as it is in places like Sacramento and Stockton, Ortiz said.

"We need a couple of officers whose sole responsibility is to drive around and deal with the gang problem and teach families about gangs," Ortiz said. "You need to get them before seventh grade, eighth grade. When they get to high school, they're deep into it."

Having a couple of officers drive around town is just what Matthews, Galt's police chief, has in mind.

Matthews is asking the City Council to reinstate the Special Team Enforcement Program, which began in 1998 when two senior officers were moved from patrol to investigations.

Two of the most successful operations came when former Galt officer Cherokee Miranda conducted a drug sting at Galt High School by pretending that she was a student who enjoyed the drug scene, and Chris Sanford, who became an expert at illegal dog-fighting operations.

Due to financial constraints, the program was disbanded in 2000.

While the program was in operation, Matthews recently told the City Council, burglary rates went down 17 percent. But when the program was disbanded, rates went right back up.

Auto burglaries went up 100 percent the year after the special team program ended, and they increased another 100 percent the following year, Matthews said.

Matthews proposes moving an existing patrol officer to the reinstated program and adding two new positions — one an investigator and one a non-sworn crime prevention officer.

The crime prevention officer would coordinate police volunteers, Neighborhood Watch and Crime Stoppers, conduct school-age programs like Red Ribbon Week, Kids Watch, bicycle rodeo, fingerprinting programs and participate in school festivals.

The crime prevention officer would also educate adults about home security, drug and gang awareness, child safety seat installation, identity theft and elder abuse.

First-year costs would be almost $252,000, of which nearly $100,000 would come from the city's general fund. The first-year funds would cover two officers' salaries, vehicles and equipment, overtime and supplies. After the first year, annual costs would be about $163,000.

Now that Sacramento County authorities are working with Galt, Lara wants to enlist San Joaquin County, since students from Thornton and part of Acampo attend Galt schools.

Tuesday's Galt City Council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 380 Civic Drive.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.

First published: Monday, March 20, 2006