BREA : Council OKs Plan to Fight Gangs, Drugs

Bowing to a Christian activist group that crowded the council chamber, the City Council on Tuesday adopted in principle a plan to spend an additional $3.3 million to battle gangs and drugs.

But the council warned the 200 members of the Orange County Congregation of Community Organizations that the city is in financial straits and unless extra money is found it may be two or more years before all of the Gang/Drug Citizens’ Task Force plan is implemented.

The council said it will report back to the group July 14 on whether the proposal to fund the plan using some of the $300 million currently earmarked for the Community Development and Public Utilities departments is legal and feasible.

“This is a good step forward,” said the Rev. Stephen Mather, pastor of Anaheim First Presbyterian Church and a leader of the group.

Five churches in Anaheim belong to the group, which has been criticizing the council’s drug and crime policies for three years. Its members verbally clashed with the council throughout the hearing.

“The council showed vision and courage when it decided to go ahead and build the (Anaheim) Arena and we need it to show the same kind of bold innovation in fighting crime. . . . The time for rhetoric is over,” Mather said after the council meeting.

The city task force, which was composed of civic leaders and city department heads, suggested that the city move against gangs and drugs on 10 fronts. Included were suggestions that police officers be added, the city attorney’s office put added emphasis on prosecuting gang-related misdemeanors, anti-drug education programs be improved and neighborhood blight be dealt with. The task force plan was unveiled two weeks ago,

Mayor Fred Hunter said the council is “in agreement” with the protesters that gangs and drugs are the No. 1 problem in the city, but that $17 million is already being spent on the fight and the city may not be in the position to spend more. The city is facing a possible cut in state revenue of $2 million to $11.8 million within the next month.

Hunter pointed out that the council has already adopted part of the task force’s plan by agreeing to spend $1.7 million to add six new police officers and five Police Department civilian employees, and to pay the salary of a county probation officer who will work solely with the police gang detail. The money came from a hotel tax increase.

“We are committed to fighting drugs . . . but the problem is, we are all very much aware of possible cuts in the state of California’s budget,” Hunter said.

Mather’s group suggested that the city find “creative” ways to tap into the $100-million community development budget and $200-million public utility budget. State law and city ordinances require that the money, which comes mostly from taxes in redevelopment zones and the sale of electricity and water, be spent primarily within those departments.

“Other cities--Los Angeles, Oakland, San Jose--have used money from these departments to address their problems,” Mather said. “All the council has to do is tell the city manager (James D. Ruth) to find a way to spend the money. He’s a creative man, so he would find a way.”