Gang activity steadily decreasing in Lodi

Despite a reduced police force in recent years, Lodi has continued to see a decline in gang-related incidents.

According to a recent update from City Manager Steve Schwabauer, Lodi had 49 reported incidents in 2016, down from 82 in 2015. The 2016 numbers are drastically lower than the 253 incidents reported in 2011, representing more than an 80-percent drop in a five-year period.

“That’s probably the lowest number of gang incidents as far as I can remember,” Lodi Police Chief Tod Patterson said. “I’m extremely happy that we were able to get it down to 49 for the year, and I would love to look to continue to decrease that.”

Patterson attributed the decline to youth and community outreach efforts. He noted that the city’s gang outreach worker, Ruben Guardiola, and Lindsay Graziani from the Community Partnership for Families run an outreach group targeting atrisk youth.

“They have meetings with them and they do various projects to kind of get them to have more tolerance for each other, to show them that they are alike. It seems to be making a difference,” Patterson said.

In 2012, the city received grant funding for a gang reduction, intervention and prevention program, which Patterson said helped to fund both gang outreach workers and overtime for patrols in areas where gang activity is most prevalent.

Patterson said that the efforts of Guardiola and Graziani as well as the One-Eighty Teen Center have been instrumental in reducing gang activity.

“I can’t speak highly enough about what Ruben, Lindsay, the One-Eighty Teen Center and some of these other groups have done to give them something else to do,” Patterson said.

“(Guardiola) does a tremendous job for us. He’s at the schools, he’s talking to gang members and want-tobe gang members, and hopefully getting them out of that type of lifestyle. He does a number of things on his own that make a positive impact in the community,” Patterson said.

Last year, Patterson presented Guardiola with the Chief ’s Award because of the positive influence he’s had in the community.

The police department’s youth initiatives, such as sporting events, have also played a role in decreasing gang activity, said Patterson, adding that the city is also looking into starting a recreational league and maybe a drop-in center that would include boxing, academic tutoring and other activities for youth.

Patterson also asked that residents report suspected gang activity by calling the Lodi Police Department at 209-333-6727.