Gangs, Crime Rise in W. Covina

Gangs and gang-related crimes have increased significantly, according to a report released Friday by the police chief.

Murder, drug trafficking, shooting, burglary, rape, robbery and auto theft are among the most common gang-related crimes, it said. So far this year, gang-related crimes have increased 32% compared to the same period in 1989, according to the report.

“Gangs seem to be the things kids are getting into these days,” Police Chief Ronald Holmes said. He separated gang members into two categories: hard-core and wanna-bes.

The report covered gang activity for the last decade. In the early 1980s, there were two known gangs in West Covina, with 30 and 50 members each, it said. Today the city, with a population of 94,200, has 11 gangs with more than 1,400 members, figures show.

In February, when Holmes made his first semiannual crime report for 1990, the City Council authorized $111,000 to create the Street Crime Apprehension Team. SCAT, begun in March, has four uniformed patrol officers who work closely with the gang and narcotics investigators. In its first four months, SCAT has identified 350 gang members, arrested 89 of them for various crimes and seized 10 weapons.

Meanwhile, Pasadena, population 132,200, has six gangs with 1,300 members, according to Police Sgt. Wayne Hiltz. He said his department started a neighborhood crime task force, combining narcotics and street crime units, in 1985. “The real problem is drugs as opposed to gangs,” Hiltz said.

Pomona Police Sgt. Ron Windell said his department does not have a gang task force. He said Pomona, a city of 119,900, has 15 gangs with 2,000 members.