A ‘Safe’ City Takes on Reality

Echoes of the fatal shooting of a resident at the Conejo Creek condominium complex continue to ricochet through Thousand Oaks City Hall. Far more comfortable--and accustomed to--accepting honors as one of the nation’s safest cities than coping with the scary realities of poverty and crime, city officials have proposed an odd variety of responses.

On April 28, two carloads of men opened fire on Edgar Cruz, 19, and his friend Andres Morales, 18. Cruz died at the scene; Morales was treated at a hospital and later released. Two days later, gunmen fired on a group of condominium residents on their way to a memorial service for Cruz. This time, no one was injured. Last week, the Ventura County Grand Jury indicted two Van Nuys men in the Cruz slaying.

Soon after the shootings, Council member Linda Parks proposed bringing back the full-time police officer who had been stationed at the combination sheriff’s substation and community center for six months last year. During that period, violent crime and gang-related violence declined 85% at the 540-unit complex. But a majority of the City Council voted no to reinstating the on-site officer.

Instead, the council unanimously agreed to initiate a decoy police car program. The Sheriff’s Department will station a backup police vehicle at various locations around the city at different times. There would be no officer in the car, but Councilman Mike Markey predicted that its mere presence would deter crime.

Then last week the council voted to transfer ownership of the two-bedroom condo unit that has served as sheriff’s substation and community center since June 1999 to the Conejo Creek Homeowners Assn., which plans to sell it and use the proceeds to build a larger, permanent resource center.

In addition, city staff is recommending a stepped-up code enforcement program. Up to three inspectors would make regular visits to check for health and safety violations. They might also check for overcrowding, which has been a problem for the complex although the number of formal complaints of overcrowding has dropped from 65 in 1992 to six in 1999. The inspection program would not go into effect for at least a year.

For now, all this adds up to a do-it-yourself mandate for Conejo Creek residents. Sheriff’s Cmdr. Keith Parks, who serves as police chief for Thousand Oaks, believes they are up to the task.

“We have the seed planted now,” he told The Times. “The community has the power to make a difference. If they have just a little bit of foresight to take action to notify us if there’s a problem, they are going to have a real chance of changing the community.”

We hope so. The best defense against crime is a well-organized community whose residents know and look out for each other. We urge city and sheriff’s officials to support the people of Conejo Creek in their efforts to build one.