Rusty Strait | Hemet
Councilman Joe Males hosted a meeting with Police Chief Eddie Pust. Several local business owners were present, including Steve Norman, owner of Gatekeepers Security Company and others. Mayor pro-tem Karlee Meyer joined the fray with some solid suggestions of her own.
Males declared that he invited the group to have an open discussion about the problems business folks and others are having and how they can be resolved.
Chief Pust stated, “As your Chief, I am aware of what goes on. Not a day goes by that someone doesn’t remind me. I hear the frustration from the business community. He said that one of his goals is having the ROC Team operate full-time. We are confronted with vandalism, broken windows and other crimes. I’m here to listen and address the problems. I want to move forward just as much as you do.”
It was further put forth that the community needs to get together – form a city watch – a trained group like The Gatekeepers.
There was quite a bit of insisting that Proposition 47 was the cause of much of our crime. You can steal as much as $950 and it ends up being a citation, a few hours in the cooler and then back on the streets to start all over again. Store owners are afraid to apprehend these thieves most of the time because they don’t want to risk being shot by some thief packing heat.
When someone brought up the age-old adage that the homeless are being bused into the Valley, the Chief said, “Bring me the evidence and I’ll pursue it. They don’t just come here. There are no borders on crime. They come here to commit crimes. They go from Hemet to go to other cities to do the same.”
The Chief responded to someone who thought having neighborhood volunteers to assist the Police Department might help.
“I would welcome volunteers. Call my office and we’ll get you into the program. We have a very solid volunteer program, but we can always use more.”
The Chief allowed, and most agreed with him, that in many ways he is stifled by state laws. He said he understood that there are times when the police make mistakes but added, “Remember, the police officer is also human and humans make mistakes.”
Local Developer and businessman John Petty had some serious observations. “I’ve been working with Dr. Chadhuri on the new PetSmart and Marshall’s stores in West Hemet. From the day we open, there have been thieves walking out the door. We write it off as the cost of doing business because they are corporations and can absorb the costs. I understand how it is with small businesses. It bites into their bottom line, but that is just the way our society is today—some things we just have to live with. Also, we have the situation of the homeless and everyone else coming to the Valley. The Welfare Dollar goes farther in Hemet. That is a fact.”
Someone suggested expanding the local jail to house more criminals. The Chief doesn’t think that’s a good idea. “If they are really out of control, we send them to the county. The Sheriff waives the transportation fee. We normally can accommodate 12 to 15 inmates.”
As always, homelessness is a big issue. We will never completely erase homelessness but there are ways to curb it. Don’t just feed them or house them overnight. That only helps for one day. This city has enough large empty buildings that could be converted into barracks to accommodate them while they are trying to get back on their feet. Most of them are not criminals or drug addicts; some of that comes about because they are in hopeless situations. This city has “help wanted” signs all over town. Teach those down on their luck a trade and if they have a trade, talk to business owners about hiring them. Spend some city funds and bring business owners into the mix to share and train future employees. It is an established fact that many who turn to drugs and alcohol do so because they see a hopeless future. The drugs stifle the pain. Those who are patently crooks or will not work make it uncomfortable for them to be in our community. People who won’t work, don’t want to work, wouldn’t work if you handed them a job – make their visit here so uncomfortable they want to go somewhere else. But don’t put all of the homeless in one category. How many times have I heard someone say when they see some homeless young person, “Just another druggie.” You don’t know that. How easy it is to assume. It is like judging a book by its cover. Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
Someone suggested we have no manufacturing that would provide jobs for the locals. That has been an argument put forth by the City Council for years. Apparently, it falls on deaf ears while the Council is more interested in accommodating those who will help them to make it through the next election.
There seemed to be more than one in the crowd who went after Simon Chu who owns many empty storefronts along Florida Avenue and on Harvard Street, some of which are simply vacant eyesores. The Gibbel Building, for instance, has been sitting empty at the northeast corner of Florida and State in the heart of Hemet for several years. It has no roof, the windows are boarded up and the floor and basement have been cemented in. Simon has been called out time and time again by many of the taxpayers but the City Council, as far as most of us can see, has a dead ear to such complaints.
I have my own opinions and I’ve let the Chief of Police know that anytime he wants to put something out to the public in the way of information or requesting help, to give me a call and I’ll see that it meets the public’s eye. Many of our citizens have no idea how the city works or how certain actions taken by the Council affect them.
To begin with, when anybody brings up to me how wonderful it was 30 or 40 years ago in Hemet, I remind them that back then this was a retirement community with an average age in the 60s. They weren’t interested in manufacturing or big businesses. They stayed home and played table games and golfed on weekends. Florida Avenue was like a cemetery after dark and we might as well have had a town crier up and down Florida with a bell, calling out, “All’s well tonight.” And so it went.
Today the average age is in the mid-30s; young people have moved here from other places, happy to vacate the noisy cities with their traffic and crime; however, in the process, they brought a different society; computers, internet, Cablevision, gaming boxes, violent movies, violent music and violence in general. What they sought to escape, they brought with them.
The days of everyone being friendly and neighborly slowly faded away, giving vent to road rage, teenagers out of control, drugs and other habits that do not contribute to being good community folks.
The problem is not “them.” The problem is “us.” It is all too easy to say, “They should do something.” I would suggest that “We” as individuals should do our part. You see something, do something. The police can’t know everything that’s going on in your neighborhood. You don’t want criminals stealing your FedEx packages from your doorstep. Talk to your neighbors and form a neighborhood watch because they are in the same situation. It takes one person to start something and bring back neighborliness. Don’t be so quick to say, “Why don’t the cops do something about crime.” Why don’t you do your part. Have you noticed where there is a neighborhood watch, crime decreases? Imagine what that would do for this Valley if we took the time to be involved and not just complain?
You don’t like the laws? You think they are too lenient? Form a neighborhood political committee with like thinkers. Know who you are voting for. Hook up with communities in the same district. Politics is organization. Who knows, you might change some minds and get new lawmakers who do your bidding.
Downtown Hemet, a subject that was barely touched on as far as aesthetics are concerned, should become a garden of beauty. Cut off traffic from going north and south except for the main intersections and create a downtown garden of beauty with nice shops and sidewalk cafes; perhaps some awnings – and get rid of the thrift shops. They do nothing to enhance downtown or welcome folks to come and have lunch or take a walk through the gardens. Hemet is far behind other communities. If Temecula could do something like that with their downtown, we should be able to do likewise. We were here first.
Future get-togethers with city officials and the public are promised. When the city develops a City Watch, get off your couch, turn off the TV and attend. Also, you might want to catch the City Council Meeting in person or on zoom – preferably in person. It is a disgrace that those who complain the most are never seen at Council meetings. If you want to see our city improved, get involved.
We have a good and decent Chief of Police, which hasn’t always been the case, and we should appreciate his efforts. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it for the benefit of the City of Hemet and I, for one, am proud that we have such a caring man in charge. Oh yes, I hope I haven’t misquoted anyone. After all, I’m also human. Just sayin’
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