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‘We’re in the Middle of a Crime Wave.’ Fresno Leaders Voice Concerns.
Fresno City Council Member Luiz Chavez says 600 criminals have been released back into the city since April.
“We’re in the middle of a crime wave, and that is not a term that I use loosely because that’s how it’s being described here in our city. And we need to really step up and prioritize public safety,” said Chavez during Thursday’s city council meeting. Chavez says many merchants on the Kings Canyon/Ventura corridor have been targeted.
His council colleague, Garry Bredefeld, echoed the concerns as he called for providing Fresno police with support and resources to address the increase in crime.
“In our community I believe we’ve had 38 murders to date. We are far surpassing what occurred last year all across our city,” said Bredefeld. “I understand there’s been an 80 percent increase in shootings since April, and a 70 percent increase in stabbings.”
“I mean, there is gunfire all over the place and we need to make our citizens safe. We need to continue to give the police the resources to deal with this,” Bredefeld said.
Community Town Hall Friday
Chavez blames the state for criminal justice reform promises he says haven’t been kept. Bredefeld also blamed the state by pointing to $0 bail releases during COVID-19.
“We’re in the middle of a crime wave, and that is not a term that I use loosely because that’s how it’s being described here in our city.”–Fresno City Council Member Luiz Chavez
The discussion was sparked after Fresno Police Chief Andy Hall posted a social media message Wednesday night after two Louisville, Kentucky police officers were shot during a protest over the killing of Breonna Taylor. The state’s attorney general announced Wednesday that the actions of police that let to the shooting death of Taylor during a raid on her apartment were justified.
“We will respond to calls for help and will risk our very lives regardless of race or income. I’m not sure how police officers became the bad guys and gals but I can tell you my heart is heavy,” wrote Hall.
Local pastors will hold a Community Town Hall meeting from 6-7 p.m. Friday night at the Hinton Community Center in Southwest Fresno to address the uptick in violence. The Fresno police department is sending Deputy Chief Mark Salazar and Captain Joey Alvarez to answer questions from residents. Anyone is invited to attend, but people are being asked to stay in their cars to socially distance.
Kings Canyon/Ventura Corridor
Chavez said Thursday that many Latino-owned business along the Kings Canyon/Ventura corridor have been hit by burglaries over the last several months. Chavez says at least 45% of the break ins were not reported, based on what his staff learned from the merchants.
He said merchants he’s talked with have also been dealing with the COVID-19-related health regulations and had to lay off employees and cut back on hours.
“Now we have criminals taking advantage of the situation,” said Chavez.
“Part of this problem has been the false promise of Prop. 47,” explained Chavez. “The rehabilitation part of this conversation never happened, and that’s a failure on the state’s part.”
He says locally the city has to come up with solutions as to what law enforcement will look like moving forward. “The conversation that we’re going to have is what do we expect from our police officers?,” asked Chavez. “Do we want them to be proactive and go out there or do we want them to wait for calls for service?”
Fresno police say their records do not reflect a significant increase in break-ins in the area, but said some may go unreported.
“We investigated the reports of an increase of burglaries along Kings Canyon and didn’t find a major spike,” said Southeast District Commander Capt. Anthony Martinez. “But, what we found were a couple of businesses not reporting burglaries done by homeless people.”
He said his officers are encouraging the businesses to report all burglaries.
Bredefeld Points to Violent Crime Increase
“I understand there’s been an 80 percent increase in shootings since April, and a 70 percent increase in stabbings.”–Fresno City Council Member Garry Bredefeld
Crime statistics GV Wire℠ received from the police department via email back up Bredefeld’s comments. In September the city recorded 10 homicides — the most of any other month this year. August saw 97 shootings, the highest of any month, with 77 shootings in September to date.
Police Chief Andy Hall’s Social Media Message
“Do not lose your faith or allow yourself to be hardened by calls for defunding police departments, your community supports and needs you,” Hall’s message said. “I continually tell the public to not judge our department and our officers by the actions of officers 3000 miles away.”
Hall says he had just met with community and religious leaders from neighborhoods most impacted by the recent spike of crime in Fresno. Hall writes, “They are witnessing the dramatic increase of violence and are ready to work hand in hand with our department to make our community stronger. They do not support defunding their police department and we can no longer afford to allow their voices to be drowned out by the radical few.”
Bill
September 25, 2020 at 12:56 am
Is it too much to hope for all the crazies on our streets to kill each other?
Democrat politicians in California own this.
Ron
September 25, 2020 at 6:38 am
This is Trump’s America., and Jerry Dyer’s and Margaret Mimm’s Fresno. Republicans all. Watching FOX News, listening to KMJ will only keep you angry and stupid. Mean, angry and stupid is the face of Republican politics in Fresno. It’s always been that way. Will it ever change?
Steven
September 25, 2020 at 9:30 am
Being ignorant, or a liar, is not a positive personality trait, Ron. For people other than Ron, know that Gov. Newscum has MANDATED that violent criminals be released into our neighborhoods, instead of serving out their sentences. Ron here is OK with you or your loved one being shot, stabbed or murdered because of his ideology.
Bill
September 25, 2020 at 10:30 pm
Newsom ordered 20,000 out of prisons since April spiking crime 300% in Fresno and before him Brown releasing an additional 150,000 over a span of 4 years under prop 47 and 57.. Additionally illegal SB54 Sanctuary cities to protect the criminal..not even allowing Californians the opportunity to weigh in or vote , the $1 billion Newsom has approved for the states 134,000 homeless . January 2020 approval of Arambulas bill mandating that California taxpayers pay 100% of illegals Healthcare.
Newsom using Emergency Executive order to shut down good family centered restaurants, salons, schools and houses of worship while keeping destructive pot dispenaries, abortion clinics and homeless on the streets and hwys is illogical .
Ron, can blame ” Trump” but the facts are clear, the states are given autonomy to lead and this is happening on Newsoms watch. Newsom didn’t use federal government aid except for PPE and CARES Act money that was depleted after 3 weeks stiffing many family operated businesses . Approximately 30% of businesses have shuttered and many more are barely hanging on.
Several times Trump has publicly supported Schools, Churches and restaurants to open with recommended precautions. But Newsom shut it down .
Every state besides California is open for inside dining. These are all Newsoms judgment calls, after 9/11 Newsom doesnt have to justify with data his Emergency Executive Orders.
No wonder 50% of the USA s homeless flock to California to fleece off our socialist generosity. Republicans build businesses and jobs in Fresno county while Democrats do everything to destroy what others build to implement state controls.
Most Dems don’t care theyvare perfectly happy getting stimulus and unemployment money while they stuff themselves into Walmart, Target, Costco etc then barking like mad dogs when a locally own businesswants to open
We don’t even get to vote on these far reaching crazy decisions. Newsom will hopefully be recalled like Gray Davis was.
Bernard Rieux
September 25, 2020 at 7:03 am
If 38 homicides by the end of September is a spike, then it’s a pretty unremarkable one. Fresno averages 35-45 homicides a year.
Sometimes statistical averages have clusters. That doesn’t mean the sky is falling. Unfortunately, right wing pundits like Garry Bredefeld and Jim Jakobs usually prefer to cite year-over-year data rather than the long-term trends that would provide a fuller picture. In this case, desperate to make a point, they’re even reduced to comparing months within the same year.
When there’s an outlier year (or now month, apparently) in crime data then the police department blames it on whatever latest thing they’re mad at Sacramento about and then when the data inevitably regress to the mean then the police department credits whatever latest thing they’ve spent money on.
bill
September 25, 2020 at 10:43 pm
Bernard that is not factoring 40% increase in suicides through the end of August with a stagger 17 suicides in the month of August alone ( about 1 suicide every other day) Bernard needs to be realistic and understand approximately 25% goes unreported in Fresno, the criminals will never be booked if the crime is under $950.00 the article indicates many go unreported.
Your contempt for Garry Bredefeld seems to fog your good judgment about increase in crime. Using politics when fighting crime…re writing laws by Newsom with the absurd $0 bail goes beyond absurdity into Insanity causing many democrats to scratch their head in disbelief.
Greeka
September 25, 2020 at 7:53 am
Crime is up. Allowing people out of jail with no bail. Some of thrse people are being arrested over and over.
D. Randle
September 25, 2020 at 9:36 am
I’m not sure how police officers became the bad guys and gals but I can tell you my heart is heavy,” wrote Hall.
How tone deaf can Hall be your not sure how officers became the bad guys. Well when your shooting teens in the head and assaulting them on camera that might have something to do with it.
Bill
September 25, 2020 at 10:55 pm
the “teen” in question had murdered another teen the day before. His own brother fave him up to detectives. Tge case was investigated by a 3rd party and found to be justified.
Bitterness in your tone is unwarranted and smells of another enabling parent who teaches their kids to disrespect the law and blame ” the man ” for all your shortcomings.
Did you ever stop to think about the family of the teen he shot the day before? Best to teach your children responsibilty to laws . Ah but blaming is so much easier isn’t it? Or blaming ” racism” in this case the detective who killed the ” teen” was also the same nationality so the racism card couldn’t be used.
Law enforcement in Fresno County will never be defunded just because some leftists socialist thug like Miguel Arias wishes it so.
Fresno county has the highest rate of CCW carriers in California. Yes our crime is lower per capita than anywhere in the state because we have dedicated and strong police force and a citizens patrol for back up.
Robert Morrissey
September 30, 2020 at 9:14 am
If you care about Fresno and California, please sign and support Tom DelBecarro’s petition to recall Nancy’s nephew, Gavin.