Residents, expert panel to address ongoing problems in eastside Pico neighborhood
SUNSET PARK — City Hall has joined with State Sen. Sheila Kuehl in an effort to quell gang violence in Santa Monica.
Kuehl and the city will co-host a Feb. 26 community workshop at John Adams Middle School that is expected to draw hundreds of residents, and include experts on gang behavior and violence prevention.
“I’m very optimistic,” Kuehl said Friday. “We have people attending who are former gang members. Just the phrase ‘former gang member’ tells you there is the ability to do something about it.”
A 20-year resident of Sunset Park who has held state office since 1994, Kuehl, 64, said she hoped for broad community participation.
“What we need are some realistic community responses to help kids stay out of gangs, to deal with criminal activity, but also to try to find other ways to channel that need for community and channel it away from violence or crime,” said Kuehl, adding that her office began planning the workshop a year ago and City Hall asked to partner in the effort several months ago.
Panelists expected at the forum include gang expert Blinky Rodriguez, educator Bill Martinez, behavioral scientist John McDonald, youth violence prevention expert Leah Aldridge and former State Sen. Tom Hayden, who authored “Street Wars” and “Future of Violence,” city officials announced Friday.
A second workshop has been planned for Mar. 12 to form an action plan, according to Judy Rambeau, a spokeswoman for City Hall.
Residents of the eastside Santa Monica Pico neighborhood called upon officials to convene a meeting after a gunman last fall fired 14 rounds at a 16-year-old bicyclist in front of Edison Elementary School.
The bicyclist was not hit, but many school children witnessed the afternoon incident. Angry over the ongoing violence in eastern Santa Monica and fearing for the safety of their children, a group of parents lashed out at school and city officials, demanding a focused response to the problem.
“We’re just going to keep asking and asking and asking until we get something,” said Carol Davis, an Edison PTA co-president, during a heated Oct. 4 meeting between parents and school, city and police officials.
An array of so-called stakeholders, including youths, parents, clergy, teachers and social workers, among others, is expected to attend the meeting this month to brainstorm strategies for reducing gang violence. The panel of experts will then discuss the community’s ideas, facilitated by Sen. Kuehl.
Elected leaders at City Hall this week named stemming gang violence a top financial priority, meaning additional funding likely will be earmarked for whatever suggestions are raised through the workshops.
“Every individual and partner agency involved in this work must feel a personal sense of responsibility if we are to succeed locally and regionally to keep our youth out of gangs and our neighborhoods safe,” Santa Monica Mayor Pam O’Con-nor said in a prepared statement.
Kuehl said she was pleased City Hall planned to dedicate resources to gang violence, but warned that state resources were scarce.
“There are programs I know that have received funding in other parts of Los Angeles,” said Kuehl, whose district includes Agoura Hills, Beverly Hills, Hidden Hills, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, Westlake Village and part of Los Angeles.
“I also think it’s important to identify that we may have some needs in Santa Monica as well but, in terms of state money, there’s very little hope this year to get the governor to do anything but cut.”
Breakfast and lunch will be served at the Feb. 26 event, which begins at 9 a.m. at John Adams Middle School at 2425 16th St. Free childcare will be provided for children five years old or older, and the entire workshop will be translated for Spanish speakers.
City Hall has budgeted $10,000 for facilitators, food, translation services, outreach and other materials for the Feb. 26 meeting, Rambeau said, adding it’s unknown how much additional money will be needed for the Mar. 12 workshop. (For more information on the community forums, call 310-458-8301 or log onto www.stopgangviolence.smgov.net.)
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 12, 2005. Read the original PDF.