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# Religious leaders recruit congregations for street patrol
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/religious-leaders-recruit-congregations-for-street-patrol/
- Published: 2002-05-20T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:17:27.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Community, Pico, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

In response to increased violence on Santa Monica’s eastside, congregations from two area churches are taking to the streets to reclaim their neighborhood.

Rev. Ronald L. Williams from First A.M.E. Church by the Sea said the first organizational and training meeting for volunteers was to be held last week at his church located at 1823 Michigan Ave., in the Pico neighborhood.

The neighborhood has been inundated with gang violence and drug activity for years. During the past four months, there have been several shootings. No one has died, though several people have been injured.

Santa Monica Police increased patrols in the neighborhood earlier this year until the gang activity subsided. SMPD also has enlisted the help of Hawthorne Police, who patrol the neighborhood by helicopter.

Williams said he and Father Mike Gutierrez from St. Anne’s Church, 2017 Colorado Ave., and their congregations will join together and walk the streets of the Pico neighborhood to send a message of non-violence.

“We want to help keep calm and peace in our paradise,” Williams said. “We want to make a difference in our community with communication instead of taking to the skies.”

Williams said he understands that the police presence is necessary, but he wants to make an impact at the community level.

“I don’t think we should sit still until the next shooting happens,” he said. “We want to be proactive rather than reactive.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 20, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052002.pdf?ref=smdp.com)