For months, police have been warning that there is a burgeoning
gang problem in Hollister and urging residents to step up to help
the department before it gets out of hand. While community
involvement still is crucial, the fourth gang-related shooting in
just over a month makes it clear that the city needs to do more,
and that City Council members need to give the Hollister Police
Department the resources to effectively fight gangs.
For months, police have been warning that there is a burgeoning gang problem in Hollister and urging residents to step up to help the department before it gets out of hand. While community involvement still is crucial, the fourth gang-related shooting in just over a month makes it clear that the city needs to do more, and that City Council members need to give the Hollister Police Department the resources to effectively fight gangs.
On Monday night, a drive-by shooting sent a 56-year-old Hollister man to the hospital after peppering his home with 15, 9mm rounds. That incident follows separate shootings in October that put three Hollister teens in the hospital with shotgun wounds. And several weeks ago, a man was stabbed in broad daylight in front of Albertsons during a chance encounter with a group of alleged gang members.
Police say that the attacks are growing bolder. And it’s apparent the city’s gang problem is quickly escalating from a slow burn to an all out fire.
While law enforcement officials say combating the gang problem is their No. 1 priority, police have nothing to report on possible leads and offer few details as to possible motives.
The public is entitled to know who’s doing the shooting and whether it’s in retaliation for something or simply random acts of violence. Also, residents need to be reassured that steps are being taken to curb further violence, and what plan of action, if any, the police department has to do that.
We have a suggestion. The department could organize a specialized gang team that will drop other less-important cases to focus on solving serious gang crimes when they crop up.
However, the possibility of a specialized gang team may be a far off dream in a department as understaffed as Hollister’s because local cops are spread thin. But times like this call for resourcefulness and leadership.
The City Council needs to decide whether gang violence its top priority for the department. If it is, it has to ensure the police have the resources to focus on the problem. Stop bemoaning the fact that there’s not enough money. Comb the budget. Find a way.
How do you put a price tag on safety?
