Police in Gilroy and Morgan Hill learned last month they
wouldn’t receive $750,000 in federal funds that would have allowed
the departments to share two new positions designed to help stymie
gang issues in both communities, said Chief Denise Turner of the
Gilroy Police Department.
Two South County police departments hoping a federal grant would help pay for gang prevention efforts will have to look elsewhere.
Police in Gilroy and Morgan Hill learned last month they wouldn’t receive $750,000 in federal funds that would have allowed the departments to share two new positions designed to help stymie gang issues in both communities, said Chief Denise Turner of the Gilroy Police Department.
“I am very disappointed,” Turner said. “It’s the second time we’ve applied for it, and it’s the second time that money has been pulled for it.”
GPD Sgt. Gallacinao said the department was told the funds were not awarded to any applicant and were cut and reallocated by the U.S. Department of Justice. The three-year positions that would have been provided by grant funding included a full-time gang prevention coordinator and a part-time crime analyst, with the majority of the grant paying for salary and benefits for the positions.
The development comes with gang activity in Gilroy on pace to rise slightly compared with last year, according to GPD figures.
In 2010, police in Gilroy responded to 62 gang incidents, Gallacinao said. He said during the first three months of this year, police handled 24.
Gallacinao said two reasons came to mind as to why gang activity appeared to be up: Budget cuts have forced a reduction in social services, and police are becoming more diligent and more accurate in tracking crime.
“I would hate to start speculating beyond that,” Gallacinao said.
The coordinator would have worked with the GPD’s Anti-Crime Team to develop and promote community meetings to formulate ways for South County youths to avoid gang participation. The coordinator would have also formed partnerships with city organizations, drafted a strategic plan and attended Gilroy Gang Task Force meetings.
Gallacinao said the coordinator would have help guide at-risk youth and gang members wishing to get out of the gang lifestyle.
Turner said the GPD was given “no explanation” as to why the grant money was no longer available.
A call to Dennis Mondoro, strategic community development officer for the Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, was not returned.
“We’ll continue operating as we have been and we’ll work within our existing framework and resources to identify at-risk kids and educate against going into the gang culture,” Turner said. “Had we had a dedicated staff person, it would have made a big difference.”
A gang incident is defined by a gang or members of a gang committing a crime for the benefit for their specific group. They include assaults, robberies, fights, weapons and other issues, including vandalism, though that’s more difficult to track, Gallacinao said.
“It covers a wide range of crime,” Gallacinao said.
