SPPD: Just like old times
as SP makes it through
2015 without a homicide
January 06, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
It was just like old times when Santa Paula made it through 2015 without even one murder, a welcome respite from the previous two years when the city experienced a record nine homicides over about 18 months.
Santa Paula had just eight homicides from 2003 to 2012 but in 2013 there were six homicides, with three more in 2014.
“What I found really unusual,” said Police Chief Steve McLean, “was that four of those homicides were women victims. And one of those homicides involved a woman killing another woman, a case I had never seen before.”
McLean said the preliminary 2015 end-of-year statistics show Part 1 Crime, which includes violent crime such as homicide, aggravated assault, forcible rape as well as property crimes which includes burglary, larceny/theft, grand theft auto and arson decreased overall by 6.2 percent.
“This was despite all the challenges we face,” said McLean, “not enough officers, laws such as AB 109 and Prop. 47,” that lessened charging and sentencing for certain crimes as well as the early release of prisoners.
Although violent crimes showed a 2015 uptick of 11.5 percent mainly due to the jump in forcible rapes resulting in FBI mandates on reporting, “The biggest area of decrease was in the area of homicides. We did not have one homicide in 2015 compared to nine homicides in the previous two years.”
McLean added that Santa Paula Police was the only law enforcement agency in the county “that did not experience at least one homicide during 2015.”
When he joined the SPPD in July 2013 there had been one homicide: “Then were five murders back to back to back and then finally hit nine,” in 2014.
“That just tells me our gang strategy is working, but we still have a long ways to go…the community should get some piece of mind over the crime stats, especially no homicides last year, also.”
Due to shortages in staffing — four SPPD Officers are off duty for various reasons — the Gang Unit “Hasn’t been out there for months, we had to put them back on patrol.”
Burglaries were up in 2015 34.6 percent over the previous year, a situation that McLean said is only negatively impacted by staff shortages.
“We have to put our detectives, our sergeants out on patrol…investigations are interrupted and cases start piling up. Crime doesn’t stop.”
McLean believes the increase in burglaries is related to Prop. 47, the voter implemented law that reduces prosecution of certain crimes.
“For possession,” of drugs, “it’s a ticket…breaking into someone’s home, it’s a ticket. And it’s not like it was before when you would rack up so many misdemeanors that it becomes a felony. That’s not the case now,” and said McLean, “it’s a big program.”
He would like to see the SPPD form a burglary unit to take advantage of new technology that helps in such investigations.
But, “All the technology in the world isn’t going to help you if you don’t have officers. We do the best with what we’ve got, we’re creative and have to and can adapt but the city really does deserve better.”
McLean said SPPD Officers “really deserve a lot of credit they do a great job there’s just not enough of them…and the community has been great. Numerous arrests, actually a significant amount of arrests come from tips from the community.
“That’s worth more than 100 cops on the street, neighbor watching out for neighbor.”
All the law enforcement agencies in the county work together.
“At some point in time all have helped the SPPD out…especially the District Attorney and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office.
“Law enforcement is a team sport,” said McLean, “and a team philosophy.”
