Trip to Carson City, Nevada

This past week I had the opportunity to visit Carson City, Nevada. I was asked to speak at a Carson City Chamber of Commerce sponsored Gang Symposium. The Chamber Director had heard about Salinas, its issues with gangs but also some of the innovative solutions that we were exploring. The Salinas Police Department relationship with the Naval Postgraduate School particularly caught their attention.

One of the things I told their well attended symposium was to be clear on what their community goal was. The course of action and required resources will vary depending upon the goal. I explained one of the most valuable things I believe the Naval Postgraduate School will do for Salinas is help us to recognize that our goal is a “Complete Win”.

As best I could tell Carson City is at a similar point that Salinas was in the late 1980’s. It is clear something is happening and changing in their community. Their Chamber has decided to become proactive because of concerns about quality of life and potential economic impact of local business. The Chamber noted with concern the potential impacts of 3 nearby prison facilities, the rise of drug trafficking, local gang membership on the rise, and increasing involvement by juveniles.

I applauded the Chamber for their foresight and told them that one of the things that does in fact accompany gang problems is a very corrosive element on the daily lives of a community. It comes in numerous forms…burglary, prostitution, identity-theft, fear in neighborhoods, decline in property values, changes in consumer spending; ie. go to neighborhing City to shop or for lodging, etc.

I left hopeful Carson City would be spared the decades of violence that Salinas has endured. They can opt for a “Complete Win” now and decide to move in concert as a community or they can endure what is sure to come if they don’t act now.

Salinas does not have the ability to roll back the clock, but Measure K does provide the resources to “reset” the future and pursue a Complete Win. I ask all Salineans to come together and Imagine a Great City that is fundamentally peaceful.

Imagine a City where people felt safe and secure in all neighborhoods. Imagine a City that residents of the Monterey Peninsula would look forward to visiting the National Steinbeck Center. Imagine a City where OldTown was thriving because people of all ages had discovered the terrific shops that were there and were not afraid to come to downtown Salinas to shop.

Imagine a City that was known once again as the Salad Bowl, City of Letters, home of the California Rodeo, Salinas Airshow, friendly neighborhoods ,etc.

A complete win strategy sets Salinas on a course for peace. I am personally convinced of three things. We have the right Police Chief, the right long-term plan to increase the size of the police force, implement a new neighborhood vision of policing that unites the community and that we will get the right result…a peaceful community that attracts new investment thereby changing the current dynamic.