Attempt to Restore Neighborhood Watch

Council member Pedro Gonzalez thinks that if neighbors help neighbors, they can restore a sense of security to Old Town.

Gonzalez has lived in South San Francisco for 43 years, and in 1984 he was one of the founding members of the Old Town Homeowners and Renters Association. In the eighties, he said the neighborhood had an active neighborhood watch program.

“It was very effective when we had that activity going, but over the years, it’s been fading out,” Gonzalez said. Gonzalez would like to restore the neighborhood watch to a central role in community safety.

Gonzalez explained that when the neighborhood watch was active, neighbors would gather during the week for coffee, and a police officer would visit and update the group of neighbors on happenings in the community. Neighbors would have an opportunity to share any complaints as well.

“I want to bring back the neighborhood watch, but we also have to notice that the neighborhood, since 1984, has changed,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a very different neighborhood and community today. So, we have to work along with that change.”

Over the years, the community-based organization has slowly diminished, namely due to the transitions of its principal members.

“Many of the original members have moved or passed away,” Gonzalez said. “I believe I’m the only one still here. Not too many people wanted to take over.”

Now, Gonzalez has set out to reinstall the neighborhood watch as a central aspect of community safety.

Gonzalez believes that in order to accomplish a successful neighborhood watch organization, the local community must accept the fact that the community has changed. add urgency to that task.

“It’s up to the neighbors who care for the community,” Gonzalez said. “It’s up to those people in the community to decide that we won’t accept all these problems.”

According to Gonzalez, one of the major changes undergone by South City is the emergence of the Spanish-speaking population. The Old Town Homeowner’s and Renters Association will be electing new officers come August 2, and Gonzalez believes that some of those officials must be bilingual.

Gonzalez also believes the city must do its best to educate the Spanish-speaking population regarding the function of police enforcement.

“With the change in the community and the diversity we have today, we have to make them understand that it’s okay to have the police come to your house and give you information,” Gonzalez said. “Many of the Spanish-speaking people, sometimes they are afraid to have a police officer at their house for some reason or another.”

“There are a few immigrants that are undocumented, but we have to be very clear to them that this has nothing to do [with immigrants],” Gonzalez said.

Above all, Gonzalez believes the recreation of neighborhood watch organizations will be a strong step toward preventing violent crime.

Gonzalez cited gang activity as a threat to neighborhood safety. Police Chief Michael Massoni developed a zero tolerance policy in the aftermath of the December shooting that left three young men dead, and Gonzalez said that there have been a number of arrests and confiscation of arms.

“We want to avoid violence with our young kids, and hopefully, we want to eliminate the gangs,” Gonzalez said. “It’s very hard. They are very much into action. That’s the reason for communicating constantly with the community.”

If employed correctly, Gonzalez is confident that neighborhood watch programs, in conjunction with the and Homeowners and Renters Association, can go a long way in securing the city of South San Francisco.

“We have to keep communicating with the community in order to prevent another tragic moment,” Gonzalez said. “That’s our plan as a city.”