Position will work with multiple agencies to develop
strategies
Al De Vos has started as the gang prevention coordinator for San
Benito County, and during his first months on the job, his goal is
to get to know the key stakeholders with which he will be
working.
The newly created position is funded by San Benito County, the
City of Hollister, the San Benito Office of Education and the
Hollister School District. De Vos’ efforts will involve all of
those agencies.
Position will work with multiple agencies to develop strategies
Al De Vos has started as the gang prevention coordinator for San Benito County, and during his first months on the job, his goal is to get to know the key stakeholders with which he will be working.
The newly created position is funded by San Benito County, the City of Hollister, the San Benito Office of Education and the Hollister School District. De Vos’ efforts will involve all of those agencies.
De Vos comes from Monterey County with 10 years experience working with youths and he started out in recreation programming. He has worked as the executive director of a nonprofit, and has collaborated on projects involving schools and law enforcement agencies. He served as the volunteer treasurer for the board of directors of the California Police Activities League, a youth leadership and prevention program.
“The first thing I’m doing is getting to know the partners,” De Vos said. “I’ve been impressed with the level of cooperation, with people knowing that is important.”
That first step involves ride-alongs with law enforcement officers, meetings with a policy committee and getting to know the people in his office at the Hollister School District.
The gang prevention coordinator position idea came out of the gang task force, a group that involved residents from different agencies who discussed what direction the community should take in combating gangs. One of the main things the task force suggested was the hiring of someone full time who would work with many different agencies.
“We participated in their community meetings that they had,” said Mike Sanchez, the superintendent of schools for San Benito County, of the Office of Education’s connection. “I was involved as a partner in the collaborative efforts with the other agencies.”
Sanchez sees benefits in having one person who is working with many agencies.
“You will have a person than can identify what I am calling ‘What is?'” Sanchez said. “What exists in our community? What services? [He can] provide a variety of services that are being directed at that issue. That is something he will be able to develop that will be very valuable.”
In fact, De Vos said much of his early work on the job includes finding out what resources are available in the community, what problems exist and what strategies will work. Brent Cardall, De Vos’ direct supervisor and the chief probation officer, said De Vos will develop a strategic plan that will then be presented to the community and partners.
“He’s off to a good start,” Sanchez said, “making all the right contacts with the right folks. I appreciate his enthusiasm and the passion he has for providing the service to our community.”
As for the schools involvement, Sanchez sees it as one of the keys.
“We want to take a look at the area of prevention,” Sanchez said. “Schools can do a lot of work in the area of prevention and I believe that is the area to start.”
De Vos said his strategies will cover prevention, which can include such things as recreation and enrichment programs, but will also look at intervention, which includes programs that target at-risk youth, along with suppression, which targets known gang members. The programs will involved youths and adults, alike.
“It is my vision that he will bring all the agencies together and really gather intelligence,” Cardall said.
De Vos will also be responsible for applying for federal, state and nonprofit grants to support programs in San Benito County. One of the challenges is finding funding.
“Even with [nonprofit] groups programming may not always be stable,” depending on funding, he said.
De Vos will be working with two committees. The policy committee includes county supervisors, city council members, school superintendents and school board members. They will work with De Vos on creating policies that can reduce the gang activity in the county. The management committee will oversee De Vos’ work, and includes Cardall; Ron Crates, superintendent of the Hollister School District; Clint Quilter, Hollister city manager; and Susan Thompson, chief administrative officer for the county.
“Gang-related crime is a community-wide problem and it takes a community solution to address it,” De Vos said. “It happens so gradually that you don’t realize a change has occurred. Knowledge at the community level is going to be power.”
