With Santa Cruz residents already showing signs of stress because of increasing violence in the city, the SCPD has decided to hit the streets in force this Halloween.
With Santa Cruz residents already showing signs of stress because of increasing violence in the city, the SCPD has decided to hit the streets in force this Halloween. The holiday has long been identified locally with violence and public drunkenness, but this is the first time in several years that it falls out on the weekend, and police are concerned that this could exacerbate tensions. Plans are underway to close streets downtown, including much of Pacific and Front streets, and more than 100 police officers will be deployed throughout the downtown area to ensure public safety. Give the rise in gang violence recently, local police will receive support from gang investigators from Monterey and Santa Clara during the holiday too. In 2006, there were seven gang related stabbings in Santa Cruz, and police are determined that this does not repeat itself. Read more at KSBW.
