Delano Police Department works to combat gang violence among youth

Delano PD hold town hall meeting to determine how they will combat gang violence among youth.

DELANO.DELANO POLICE SAYING INITIALINDICATIONS ARE THAT THESHOOTING WAS GANG RELATED.SO TONIGHT -- THE POLICEDEPARTMENT HOSTED A VIRTUALTOWN HALL TO ADDRESS THEVIOLENCE AND GET INPUT FROMTHE COMMUNITY.23ABCS KYLIE WALKER ATTENDED THEMEETING ANDEXPLAINS HOW THEY PLAN TO COMBATGANG VIOLENCE IN THECITY -- AND PREVENT IT FROMREACHING THE LOCAL YOUTH..KYLIE.JESS TONIGHT..

THE DELANO POLICEDEPARTMENT..ALONG WITH LOCAL ELECTEDOFFICIALS AND VARIOUSMEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITYDISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF GANGVIOLENCE AND HOW ACTION WILL BETAKEN GOING FORWARD."THE BEST TIME TO IMPACTCHILDREN ISWHEN THEY ARE YOUNG..

NOT AFTERTHEY ARE ALREADY IN THE GANG..ITS MUCHMORE DIFFICULT THEN."THE DELANO POLICE DEPARTMENTHOLDING A TOWNHALL MEETING WEDNESDAY NIGHT TOADDRESS CRIMEAND GANG VIOLENCE IN THECOMMUNITY.CHIEF ROBERT NEVAREZ STARTINGTHE MEETING OFF --THEN TURNING THINGS OVER TOCOMMUNITY ACTIVIST YOLANDACHACON ."SOME FALLING VICTIM TODAY..

IBURRIED MYCOUSIN..

MY LITTLE COUSIN ANDSHE WAS AN HONOR ROLL STUDENT..AND SHEHAD A BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD OFHER..

AND IM NOT THE ONLY ONE ..THERES MANY INOUR COMMUNITY AND OURSURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODCOMMUNITIES ..

WHOHAVE LOST THEIR CHILDREN."CHACON SAYS HER AND MANY OTHERCOMMUNITY MEMBERS WOULDLIKE TO WORK WITH THE POLICEDEPARTMENT AND LOCAL ELECTEDOFFICIALS TO COMBAT THIS ISSUEAND SHE WOULD LIKE TOSEE MORE INVESTMENTS IN YOUTHPROGRAMS ANDAFTERSCHOOL ACTIVITIES."NOBODY'S CHILD DREAMS OFGROWINGUP TO BE A GANG MEMBER.

OR AJUVENILE DELINCIT.

SOMETHING ISGOINGWRONG.

IF WE CAN GET BONDS TOBUILD PRISONS WE HAVE TO FINDMONEY TO HAVEPROGRAMS FOR OUR YOUTH."MAYOR PRO TEMP JOE ALINDAJOSHARED HIS THOUGHTS.SAYING HE'LL BE MAKING APROPOSAL TO THE CITY COUNCIL INTHE COMING WEEKS ABOUT COMING UPWITH A BOARD TO DEALWITH SCHOOL TRUANCY ISSUES...SOMETHING HE SAYS IS A COMMONSIGN GANG HABITS MAY BEDEVELOPING IN TEENS.HE SAID HE WOULD ALSO LIKE TOSTART A "SAY NO TO GANGS"PROGRAM TO SPEAK WITH STUDENTSDIRECTLY INHOPES OF PROVIDING A VOICE OFREASON."GROWING UP AND IN A GANGCULTURE ATHOME AND BEING ON THIS TRACK OFGANG MEMBERS..

THEY ARE ON THISTRACK OFBECOMING ONE..

IN OUR COMMUNITYAND AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW..UNLESS ATEACHER STEPS IN OR SOMETHINGELSE HAPPENS..

THERES REALLY NOVOICE OFSUSCPECT THAT YOUR CHILD ISINVOLVED IN GANG ACTIVITY ..OFFICIALS SAYS IT IS IMPORTANTTO APPROACH YOUR CHILD ..

AND TOTRY TO KEEP THEM BUSY WITHEXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES.POLICE WANT TO REMIND PEOPLETHEY CAN REPORT GANG ACTIVITYANONYMOUSLY ON THE CRIME TIPLINEAT 721-3369,IM KYLIE WALKER 23ABC CONNECTINGYOU..CITY COUNCIL RECEIVED AN UPDATEAND EVEN A VIRTUAL TOUR