Monrovia insight
Here's a comment from Localboy:
On the first search warrant Chief Santoro went on after becoming chief he told the subject of the warrant, who was selling rock cocaine, that she and everyone like her needed to move their "asses" out of town. The chief was very serious, he does not like bad guys. What Chief Santoro did was bring into play the different city agencies that hadn't been working as a group to blend together to make positive changes in the community. He was ahead of his time in that respect. Redevelopment, Parks and Recreation, the MUSD, Probation, Parole, Fire and police were all part of the local forces that made up C.A.P., Community Activist Policing. They met monthly to attack community problems and concerns. Crime went down for years but like everything it's cycled back around to where it's going up again. Blame gangs, blame meth meth meth meth and more meth and blame the parents of kids who are either too wrapped up in their own lives to pay attention to what their kids are doing or parents that raised their kids in a gang type environment. Anyone who thinks that hasn't happened in the case of at least one murder victim is crazy. My only question now is how long will all the outside agencies be willing to foot the bill by sending resources to Monrovia? I give it to the end of the month but I'm sure Monrovia will retain beefed up patrols for a period of time after that using their own people. Than you have to ask how long can a department six down now do that without stressing out their own people. Six down and losing a few more soon. In the long run the need for a different strategy on how we handle our prison population is needed and a commitment from a pathetic D.A.'s office to start charging gangsters with every minor violation you can would be a good start. Put these reprobates away for as long as you can whenever you get the chance. If youngsters see just how often bad guys in their families end up in jail that might make a bigger impression than big brother telling them how great being a gangster is. People need to man up or shut up.
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| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
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Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
Tania thanks for posting that bit from local boy. The man has a lot of law enforcement experience and offers us all a lot of insight.
I agree much comes down to parenting. Dr. Rinder at Clifton calls it 'helicopter parenting' when they hit middle school. You give them their freedoms but you are hovering over and watching what they do, who they do it with and swoop in to stop them when needed.
Parenting can be traced to the problem. And that doesn't know city limits, county lines, rich or poor. Keep them busy, give them every chance to put their powers to good not evil.
Too bad with constant budget cuts criminals are being released early from jail. They do not even serve their time, so trying to enforce longer prison terms would be fruitless. We need to enact Tent Cities like they did in Arizonia. Maybe if we make prison less appealling it wouldn't be as easy to recruit new members into these gangs. Currently, the inmates at the county jails can't wait to go to state prison, as they have more freedoms and amenities at state than they do at the county jails. Believe me, I'm all for rehabilitation, but for career criminals we need to take the harder line. The ACLU needs to step back and stop making it harder for our law enforcement to do their job.
There are Hover parents everywhere. I have see many in this district. They are the parents that stand at the gate 20 minutes before school and watch thier kids. They intervene when no one wants to play with thier child. They "volunteer" excessivly, while I am for classroom volunteers but weekly and daily says either you dont trust your childs teacher, your child, their peers or you need a life. Often the excessive parent is in thier head comparing thier child to every child, socially and academically. Like I said be involved, be active but give your child an inch, trust me they will grow.
My sister is a habitual hoverer and my neice and nephew are by her side 24/7 in 3rd and 6th grade.
Wow, I can sure feel the hate from the last poster! I agree that too much hovering is smothering, however, your comment about needing to get a life when you're spending time volunteering in order to help your child or their school is just sad. Some of us actually feel we do have a life when we are involved with our children. Sorry, but they grow up too fast. I am grateful that I was able to volunteer and be a part of my childrens lives as they grew up. Besides, someone has to help while the other parents stay away and "have their life." Thank God for the volunteers!
Well, there is a huge difference between hovering and smothering. Hovering is what I do, give them their freedoms and let them explore. I keep tabs and reel them if needed. I help at the school few times a year, because they need it. Not because I don't trust the school or their teachers, actually it could not be further from the truth.
Balance is needed in parental involvement, just like everything else in life. College admissions officers actually complain about the "helicopter parents." An admissions officer is the first person whom I heard use that term. They were referring to the parents who show up to admissions information sessions and ask all the questions while their kid remains silent. Some parents even ask to speak with University professors when their kid gets a questionable grade. This generation of parents is likely to intervene with their children's employers as well.
Hopefully we raise our kids to make good decisions and choose good friends when we are not around. There is nothing wrong with parental volunteers, though. If you have the time, why not volunteer?