Crime, crime, crime.
If you ask the average person
in Stockton what their three top concerns are in the city they will give you
those answers. Of course some might say homelessness or lack of jobs but it all
comes down to our high crime problem. The odd thing that would surprise most is
that according to authorities the Stockton crime rate is at a 15 year low. Of
course those that will tell you that, like Police Chief Eric Jones admit they don’t
like to “tout” the number and there is tons of more work to do.
So enter the Mayoral
race and competing solutions to tackling crime. Enter County Supervisor
Carlos Villapudua who had is plan to tackle crime shoot off and get shot down
in the last week. The Stockton Record reported that;
“City Attorney John Luebberke on Monday said a proposed
ballot measure to increase the city’s sworn police officers should be withdrawn
because it conflicts with the city charter. Stockton mayoral candidate Carlos
Villapudua last week introduced an initiative he calls the “Stockton Public
Safety Improvement Act,” which would appropriate $18.75 million from the City
of Stockton’s general fund to hire 120 new police officers. The appropriation
would be increased each year based on an annual cost of living adjustment. In
addition, the ordinance restricts funds to public safety needs. Luebberke said
Monday the proposal conflicts with Article XIX of the city charter regarding
budgeting and fiscal authority. Article XIX of the charter states the city
shall have the power to make and enforce all ordinances and regulations in
respect to the conduct of its fiscal affairs.”
So not only is that plan not feasible but illegal according
to the city attorney.
Thus
Silva attempted to voice his plan tonight, before leaving early to attend a
Carrie Underwood concert. In Silva’s long rant about Stockton he asked if in
the future, with a better fiscal outlook, could Stockton reopen police annexes
around the city to give a more deterring police role. Silva consistently stated
throughout the night that people feel safer with a police presence and invoke
the scare of the post 9/11 attacks as an
example of time when people felt safe.
Michael
Tubbs, without hesitation, jumped in and said that he did not want to live in
post 9/11 world of paranoia and that the places that Silva cited as having a
great police presence, such as China, were not democracies and should not be
mimicked in Stockton.
Silva
himself stated that people “feel” more safe rather than are safe many times during
his call for a resurfacing of police annexes. However the nail in the coffin
for the night came in question and answer with Police Chief Jones right before
Silva left for the Underwood concert.
Tubbs
asked about the causation between stations and crime. Police Chief Jones stated
clearly that there was a causation between more police cars and crime but not
more annexes. So it would seem Silva seeks to perhaps make people “feel” safe,
while Tubbs wants people to actually be safe. Even Gary Malloy did not like the
Mayors plan and referred to lower limits of crime being due to community
policing.
