Wapato hit by more crime
http://www.reviewindependent.com/articles/340/1/Wapato-hit-by-more-crime/Page1.html
Rob Chandler
By Rob Chandler
Published on 06/11/2008
WAPATO — With a drive-by shooting, a stabbing, two burglaries and lots of graffiti, Wapato is experiencing a crime wave.
WAPATO — With a drive-by shooting, a stabbing, two burglaries and lots of graffiti, Wapato is experiencing a crime wave.
“Lately, we have had a lot of graffiti in Wapato,” Police Chief Rick Sanchez said May 29.
“We also had two burglaries last week, both at auto supply places,” he said.
“At Quest Auto, they didn’t take anything out; they just busted the window,” he said. “But at Chandler’s, they took out spray paint and of course, we were spray-painted all over town.
“Again, I believe parents know their kids are doing it,” Sanchez said. “They don’t have any accountability. When they get caught, the parents are there to say, ‘My child wouldn’t do this.’
“Apparently, they know their children are doing it,” he said. “For whatever reason, they are not trying to stop it. Maybe they are intimidated by their children. In some cases, I believe that the parents of some of our gang people and some of our ‘taggers’ may be undocumented immigrants. The parents might be scared that if they report what their children are doing or become involved, then there might be repercussions there.”
Sanchez believes many Wapato residents fail to report crimes due to concerns about the immigration status for themselves or relatives living at the home.
“When you talk with people in the community here, people are getting really upset,” Sanchez said. “I keep hearing the same thing over and over, ‘Something is going to happen. Somebody is going to take action on either these gang members or these ‘taggers.’
They are going to get fed up with them, and they are going to take their own actions, vigilante-type actions.’
“I don’t want to see that happen,” he said, “but again people are getting tired of going around and seeing the whole city tagged.
These ‘taggers’ have no respect.
“If they think they are getting respect by tagging everyone’s property, they are wrong,” he said. “They have their own neighborhood, and they just destroy their own neighborhood. And they think that is respectful.
“When people see graffiti in an area, the first impression is that there must be a bunch of trashy people around here,” he said. “That is the opinion.
“I don’t know where the ‘taggers’ get the idea that this is so great,” he said. “The parents are allowing it to happen.
“If I can, I am going to work with the city council for an ordinance that would make the parents civilly responsible for what their children are doing,” he said. “Then the parents will end up paying for the graffiti caused by their kids.
“The parents should be turning in their kids, he said. “Parents can help their kids by turning them in and maybe stop this.
“We have a problem with people who are non-documented and who refuse to report crimes because they don’t want to get involved in the system,” he said. “They are afraid that they will be questioned about their legal status in the country.
“What these non-documented people should realize is that it doesn’t matter to us,” he said. “We just don’t want them to be victimized twice. We don’t want them to be victimized by criminals and then victimized by the system because they talked with the police.
“Most city police are not going to make arrests for the federal government,” he said. “We are not going to be getting any funding for this, and so why should we do the dirty work for the federal government.
“Our government has to do one thing or another,” he said. “They have to do something, or get off the pot.
“There are other groups here who are undocumented besides those with Spanish surnames,” Sanchez said. “Speaking the language should not be an identifier for somebody who is here and is illegal.
“In the Wapato community, some people say there are already mixed marriages,” he said. “Every group who has come to the United States has mixed at some time.
“It is the same thing with gangs,” he said. “People knew for years that there were gangs around here.
“Then the legislators came out with this new bill on gangs, but they didn’t fund it to the point where the smaller city police departments could be involved.
“I would like my department to be involved in some type of gang task force, but I don’t have the extra officers to send there,” he said. A small city like mine has 10 officers. If I give one to the gang task force, that just shortens my town. We can’t afford it.”
“Lately, we have had a lot of graffiti in Wapato,” Police Chief Rick Sanchez said May 29.
“We also had two burglaries last week, both at auto supply places,” he said.
“At Quest Auto, they didn’t take anything out; they just busted the window,” he said. “But at Chandler’s, they took out spray paint and of course, we were spray-painted all over town.
“Again, I believe parents know their kids are doing it,” Sanchez said. “They don’t have any accountability. When they get caught, the parents are there to say, ‘My child wouldn’t do this.’
“Apparently, they know their children are doing it,” he said. “For whatever reason, they are not trying to stop it. Maybe they are intimidated by their children. In some cases, I believe that the parents of some of our gang people and some of our ‘taggers’ may be undocumented immigrants. The parents might be scared that if they report what their children are doing or become involved, then there might be repercussions there.”
Sanchez believes many Wapato residents fail to report crimes due to concerns about the immigration status for themselves or relatives living at the home.
“When you talk with people in the community here, people are getting really upset,” Sanchez said. “I keep hearing the same thing over and over, ‘Something is going to happen. Somebody is going to take action on either these gang members or these ‘taggers.’
They are going to get fed up with them, and they are going to take their own actions, vigilante-type actions.’
“I don’t want to see that happen,” he said, “but again people are getting tired of going around and seeing the whole city tagged.
These ‘taggers’ have no respect.
“If they think they are getting respect by tagging everyone’s property, they are wrong,” he said. “They have their own neighborhood, and they just destroy their own neighborhood. And they think that is respectful.
“When people see graffiti in an area, the first impression is that there must be a bunch of trashy people around here,” he said. “That is the opinion.
“I don’t know where the ‘taggers’ get the idea that this is so great,” he said. “The parents are allowing it to happen.
“If I can, I am going to work with the city council for an ordinance that would make the parents civilly responsible for what their children are doing,” he said. “Then the parents will end up paying for the graffiti caused by their kids.
“The parents should be turning in their kids, he said. “Parents can help their kids by turning them in and maybe stop this.
“We have a problem with people who are non-documented and who refuse to report crimes because they don’t want to get involved in the system,” he said. “They are afraid that they will be questioned about their legal status in the country.
“What these non-documented people should realize is that it doesn’t matter to us,” he said. “We just don’t want them to be victimized twice. We don’t want them to be victimized by criminals and then victimized by the system because they talked with the police.
“Most city police are not going to make arrests for the federal government,” he said. “We are not going to be getting any funding for this, and so why should we do the dirty work for the federal government.
“Our government has to do one thing or another,” he said. “They have to do something, or get off the pot.
“There are other groups here who are undocumented besides those with Spanish surnames,” Sanchez said. “Speaking the language should not be an identifier for somebody who is here and is illegal.
“In the Wapato community, some people say there are already mixed marriages,” he said. “Every group who has come to the United States has mixed at some time.
“It is the same thing with gangs,” he said. “People knew for years that there were gangs around here.
“Then the legislators came out with this new bill on gangs, but they didn’t fund it to the point where the smaller city police departments could be involved.
“I would like my department to be involved in some type of gang task force, but I don’t have the extra officers to send there,” he said. A small city like mine has 10 officers. If I give one to the gang task force, that just shortens my town. We can’t afford it.”