Four Santa Ana residents arrested a day after SAPD sweep

“Anaheim officers detained four men after an officer-involved shooting Thursday afternoon on Orange Avenue and Adams Street, following a convenience store robbery near Disneyland, Anaheim police officials said,” according to the O.C. Register.

The men were followed to a home in Santa Ana, where the local police held a gang sweep yesterday.  I guess they should have used a bigger broom.

But the SAPD now has a catchy name for their sweep.  They are calling it “Operation Restore Peace.”  Is it just me or does that sound reminiscent of our misguided war in Iraq?  Here is what the SAPD had to say about a press conference they are holding tomorrow, at 11 am at the SAPD Community Room:

The Santa Ana Police Department, with the help of county, state and federal law enforcement agencies and faith based organizations, will conclude a three-day enforcement and education operation aimed at curbing illegal gang activity and restoring the community’s confidence. Inviting the faith based organizations to partner with the Santa Ana Police Department in our outreach efforts is a first in our strategy to combat gang crime. The program will be outlined at the press conference, along with the presentation of the results.

If only the SAPD had chosen not to partner with “La Migra” – they actually brought INS officers with them on their sweep yesterday.  They did so even though their announced intention was to reach out to Latino residents.  Nice.

And as I indicated in an earlier post today, the SAPD has NO information available in Spanish on their City website.  None.

Our City is in the mess its in for a lot of reasons, chief amongst them the absolute failure of our City administration and City Council to reach out to the City’s Latino residents.

This is hardly a new development.  I am told that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, who is himself a Mexican immigrant, delivered fliers to residents of North Santa Ana in which he supported the deportation of his fellow immigrants.  And he publicly supported Prop. 187. He also endorsed SAUSD Trustee Rosie Avila over and over, despite her animosity for immigrants.  And he appointed Minuteman Lupe Moreno to the Santa Ana Public Library Board – more than once.

Pulido has spent his entire public career trying to rid his city of immigrants rather than trying to work with our residents.  He could have spent that time building libraries and parks.  But he didn’t.  Instead he has heavily promoted the building of luxury condo towers and expensive town homes.  And today our city is drowning in violence.

When you don’t water the garden you end up with dead plants, weeds and rocks.

Do we need to restore peace?  Sure.  But what we really need is a long term plan to help our residents move up the socio-economic ladder.  You want peace?  Then stop ignoring the people of Santa Ana.  It’s that simple.

As for teaming up with faith-based organizations, I don’t have a problem with that.  But I do wonder what Jesus would make of all this.  I don’t think he would want to walk with La Migra.  And I am pretty sure he would speak to his people in their language.  I think he would remind us that we need to look after the children – and the poor.

One day after the vaunted SAPD sweep we found out the bitter truth.  Crime in Santa Ana won’t be stopped by occassional sweeps.  To take back our city we are going to have to roll up our sleeves and try something new, because Pulido’s way has been a complete and utter failure.

Albert Einstein was right.  Insanity means doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.


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"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.