D.A. Endorses Oxnard Measure

Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury announced Friday his support of Measure Z, a proposed $5-million utility tax increase in Oxnard that backers say would provide more police officers and firefighters.

If the measure is approved by voters Tuesday, utility rates would increase by 3.5%.

“We believe that it is critically important that the Oxnard Police Department be given additional resources to effectively deal with the city’s crime problem, especially in the areas of gangs and homicides,” said Ron Janes, chief deputy of the Major Offense Division, which oversees the D.A.’s homicide, gang and felony cases.

“Passage of this measure will make those resources available,” he said.

There have been at least 17 homicides in Oxnard in 1996, more than any other jurisdiction in Ventura County. (Authorities are still investigating whether an Oct. 26 shooting death of a man in south Oxnard was a homicide.)

Janes noted that in the first five months of the year there were 10 homicides in the city, and at least six of those deaths were gang-related. Between 1993 and 1995 there were 41 homicides in the city and only 10% of those deaths were related to gang activity, he said.

“Anybody that has been following the news recently would know that there is a serious gang problem at this time in the city of Oxnard. When you have the number of homicides that Oxnard has had it’s pretty obvious that this is a public safety problem,” Janes said.