Pico leader’s guests have police up in arms
CITY HALL — Santa Monica’s top cop is demanding answers from school officials after one of their board members brought an alleged gang member to the Santa Monica High School campus this week.
Santa Monica Deputy Police Chief Phil Sanchez on Thursday spoke to the school board on behalf of Police Chief James Butts, Jr., inquiring about the nature and appropriateness of school board member Oscar de la Torre’s Wednesday visit to the Samohi campus, at which time he brought two guests — one of whom police suspect to have had significant gang affiliations last year.
Sanchez read a report written by two officers — both assigned to the school because of the recent unrest there — which details how de la Torre and the two men entered Samohi during lunch. The officers’ report said one of the men was identified as “Big Lucky,” from Santa Monica’s 17th Street Gang. Sanchez said SMPD last year received specific information about “Big Lucky” being a “shot caller” for the gang, ordering young gang members to go into other cities and commit assaults.
The police weren’t able to identify de la Torre’s other guest, but he is said to have been wearing a blue “Joker” tank top and blue jeans.
Several tattoos identifying his gang affiliation were visible, according to Sanchez.
De la Torre contends his guests are reformed gang members who he brought to campus in an effort to steer students away from the gang life.
“The police were stereotyping based on how someone looked,” de la Torre said. “The individual in question is a businessman. He started an apparel clothing line. He does have a past, but he is reformed, and that’s what makes him relevant to the situation. The whole intent was for these individuals to share their transformation.
“Their story is just as valuable because young people will listen to someone who has experienced and lived it,” de la Torre said.
At least six fights broke out at Samohi during the lunch hour on Friday, April 15, requiring a school-wide lockdown in which three police departments were called to the scene to secure the campus. Thirty to 40 students stopped fighting, but wouldn’t return to class until police threatened to make arrests, school officials said.
While about two dozen concerned students and parents attended the school board meeting on Thursday and demanded an action plan from school officials as a result of the lockdown, Butts demanded to know what school administrators intend to do about de la Torre’s visit to campus.
The officers’ report stated that de la Torre and his guests walked through the quad area as students were getting out for lunch. A Samohi administrator informed assistant principal Greg Runyon that some black students were upset over de la Torre’s two guests, who appeared to be Latino gang members, according to SMPD officers on campus. Rumors were spreading about weapons being on campus and assaults expected to take place during the school day, according to Sanchez, who read from the officers’ report detailing the events.
According to the report, 25 black students were standing in a group watching de la Torre and his guests. Some of the students were visibly upset and said they were “going to call their people, too.”
Runyon approached the officers, and together they attempted to speak with de la Torre, who ignored their calls for him, according to Sanchez. Police confronted de la Torre, who according to the officers’ report, said he had granted permission himself for his guests to be on campus. Runyon responded by saying that it was only allowable for de la Torre to be on campus, not his guests, according to the report.
De la Torre continued to ignore the police, even after an officer warned his presence was going to start a riot, Sanchez said. De la Torre agreed to leave the Samohi campus after police threatened his arrest, according to the report.
In his letter to the school board, Butts requested its members to explain its policies regarding non-student gang members being allowed on campus and urged the school board to react to de la Torre’s behavior.
School board members and administrators on Thursday didn’t react to the letter, stating it was an item for discussion not on the agenda.
De la Torre said the individuals he brought to campus were there to deter students from considering a life of gang activity and crime. He said any other suggestions by the police could be grounds for a lawsuit, unless their allegations were supported with evidence.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent John Deasy said it’s typical procedure for school board members to notify administrators when they come to campus.
De la Torre said he and his guests checked in when they arrived at Samohi, and that was how police were able to identify his two guests.
De la Torre said he didn’t communicate with senior Samohi administrators to inform them of his intentions because he said he didn’t realize he needed to. He said when he came to school for a student leadership discussion on Monday, Samohi administrators said they were glad he dropped by and he expected the same treatment on Wednesday.
De la Torre said he also was unaware of rumors on Wednesday of there being weapons and an assault expected on campus.
Deasy wouldn’t comment on whether there would be an official reprimand for the way de la Torre handled Wednesday’s incident.
Deasy said de la Torre has not been part of Samohi’s official mediation process since he was invited to the campus on Monday. Deasy said outside community agencies are already working with Samohi administrators.
SMMUSD school board president Emily Bloomfield said de la Torre’s Wednesday visit to Samohi most likely didn’t have the impact he hoped for.
“What happened with Oscar was good in intention, but an error in judgment,” Bloomfield said. “The school board has not discussed the issue and figured out how to put it on the agenda, but I’m sure we will.”
Bloomfield said she encourages all community members to help address issues at Samohi, not excluding de la Torre.
SMPD Lt. Frank Fabrega said the department would have preferred de la Torre work collaboratively with police personnel and school officials in quelling gang and racial tensions at Samohi. He added bringing non-students who appear to be Latino gang members on campus could incite black students.
“The issue is how many students know that he is a school board member or an official? They have no idea who he is and that puts fear into the average student at the high school,” Fabrega said. “The proper protocol would have been to have the principal or vice principal — people that students can identify with — as part of the group. That’s just common sense.
“Our main goal is to work closely with the school district and staff at Santa Monica High School to ensure the students continue to feel safe on the school grounds and to keep it as an educational facility,” he added.
School board member Shane McLoud said he is more concerned about the situation at Samohi than chastising de la Torre’s efforts.
“I have not spoken with Oscar nor the administration about his visit, and therefore don’t know about steps he took,” McLoud said. “I am more concerned about the esca-lation of fights and tension between our students and how we, as a community, will be able to put our differences behind us and move forward toward common goals.”
McLoud indicated that de la Torre is well respected by the youth at Samohi, and that he values and welcomes his leadership as the executive director of the Pico Youth & Family Center, and as a voice on the school board. The Pico Youth & Family Center is a City Hall-funded nonprofit organization to help at-risk youth.
“He understands many of the struggles that some of the youth are having in our city, and has the experience and respect of the youth to contribute solutions in the right setting,” McLoud said.
Franky Vazquez, a Samohi student, spoke on de la Torre’s behalf at the school board meeting.
“We see (de la Torre) as a Latino businessman who knows our struggles,” Vazquez said. “Some see him as a troublemaker, but we see him as a friend to all people.”
Fabian E. Padilla, whose brother is a SMPD lieutenant and has a son attending Samohi, said de a Torre could have handled his efforts in a more effective way.
“I think he was taking it a little too far coming to campus with two guys who look like gang bangers without prior notification to the administration, security, or police, bringing the message, ‘Hey, it’s OK to be like me, I’m a two-striker and still wear baggy clothes,’” Padilla said. “Let’s see these guys show up to campus in business attire with their sleeves over their tattoos. It also would have been better if he brought some reformed black gang members, too. I’m just worried some day a student who believes in Oscar is going to do something stupid, ‘for the cause.’”
De la Torre was unapologetic about what occurred on Wednesday and thought police needed to make efforts to not jump to conclusions. Nonetheless, he said he hoped his relations with SMPD could move forward.
“In hindsight, everyone is an expert,” de la Torre said, referring to Wednesday’s incident. “I forgive Chief Butts and I want to move forward with solutions and not focus on vendettas or character assassinations.
“I think we should model unity and not be divisive in this time.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on April 23, 2005. Read the original PDF.