Forward progress for Calexico (at last)
The city of Calexico has had a habit in recent years of making front-page headlines in our newspaper for the wrong reasons.
Whether it’s been alleged criminal activity in the police department, financial instability, council member squabbles or some other crisis of leadership, several times we have called for reform in that city.
So, it’s only fair that we give credit where it’s due and report that things in Calexico are looking up.
Readers may recall that in late 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice issued a 133-page Critical Reform Initiative report on the Calexico Police Department. That report included 199 recommendations addressing leadership instability, poorly functioning internal affairs and inadequate protocols to discourage police misconduct.
Police Chief Reggie Gomez had only been at the helm a short time before the report was released, but he hadn’t been standing still. That’s why in just four months, he managed to help the police department address 163 of the DOJ recommendations.
Gomez told us Calexico police have since resolved the remaining 36 issues through weekly department meetings and constant communication with DOJ. He reported the DOJ’s last words to the department were, “Good job.”
The department also added three officers and two public safety dispatchers earlier this year, and its relationship with the community has grown much more amicable. It’s grown more and more common to see a Calexico police officer engaging community members over a cup of coffee or a raspado while listening to concerns and working for solutions.
Meanwhile, the city appears to be seeing an upswing in development. Cardenas Market opened a new store there recently, and city has committed $1.5 million to infrastructure improvements in the Hearthstone subdivision.
New City Manager Armando Villa announced last week more big businesses are coming to Calexico. He couldn’t elaborate, but he said he is hopeful they will spur the city’s economy.
Calexico’s Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Hildy Carrillo credits new leadership, including Villa and newly elected City Council members with helping keep the city moving forward. She described them to us as intelligent in their dealings with the public, media and other cities.
Carrillo observed Villa works well with the city council, which in turn is allowing him to do his job. She was also complimentary of new Economic Development Director Miguel Figueroa and Public Works Director David Dale.
“They bring professionalism to their positions,” she said.
Carrillo acknowledged the city still has its challenges, including the need for better lighting downtown, cleaner sidewalks and benches and more downtown businesses. “Like everything, we need to be patient and allow things to get done,” she said.
As long as the news out of Calexico is to be positive, we’re happy to cut it that slack.