There Is Nowhere to Put Criminals

* Two recent letters to the editor (Oct. 24) objected to the city of Santa Ana building a holding facility for suspected criminals. These people must think if they ignore crime it will go away.

I have lived and worked in Santa Ana for many years. The fact is that crime is increasing in our city and there is nowhere to put the criminals. The Orange County Jail is so overcrowded that no misdemeanor bookings are accepted and many suspects are released early. Santa Ana police officers make about 65 arrests daily and could make more if there was somewhere to put these people. The fact is that many violent, dangerous people are out on the streets that will be behind bars, at least temporarily, if this holding facility is built. Adding more police officers without having a place to put criminal suspects won’t cut down on crime.

In addition to getting criminal suspects off the street, this new facility will support our police officers by replacing their overcrowded workplace which houses three times the maximum number it was designed for. It will also ensure that we in Santa Ana will control this facility and not some South County developer or other body which may have its own operating agenda. It will save money in the long run.

The day after these letters were published, The Times carried an article that reported 56% of Orange County residents polled said Santa Ana was the one place they avoided because they felt unsafe. Clearly, this facility alone will not solve Santa Ana’s crime or image problem. We need to support our schools, our religious institutions, the family and create good jobs. But we also need to give Chief (Paul M.) Walters and our police force the tools they need to keep our streets safe. And we need to be willing to pay for it. People are willing to pay taxes if they believe that the money is being well spent and the program is necessary. The small utility tax being discussed is a tiny price to pay to help cut down on the crime in our city. Just ask a cop. Or a victim.

JOHN R. HANNA

Santa Ana