Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Druggie problem at La Mesa’s Northmont Park?

"Let the grass die. We need more police."

Citizens at the February 18 La Mesa Town Hall meeting at Northmont Elementary School told the city council that they were concerned about crime, particularly drug use, at nearby Northmont Park. The meeting, held in the northeast section of the city, attracted about 70 people.

Three of the six people who spoke about safety concerns referred to drug use in the 5.05-acre park located at the corner of Amaya and Severin drives. Several speakers recommended solutions, ranging from camera surveillance in the park to a "small sales-tax increase" in order to hire more police officers.

One neighbor said there was drug use in the park "any time of day, along with kids selling drugs. Put a camera in the park." He suggested using a grant from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to buy the camera.

Angela Harbin, a retired police officer, also referred to drug deals in the park.

Sponsored
Sponsored

A speaker who identified herself as Jeanie said she had lived in the area for three years and called streets such as Horton Drive "Horton Snortin' and Meth Alley. I've complained repeatedly."

On a Sunday at 11 a.m., Jeanie said she saw a parent with three teens in the park "smoking away. There was a bong sitting on a table. I can't have my granddaughter over; my son found out about my street. I'd really like to have some help on my street."

Jeanie also spoke about traffic concerns. She said she tried talking to a police officer but the officer was "more concerned about my dog.” She said the officer told her not to walk at night.

Police chief Ed Aceves said, "I live in this neighborhood. If you see something, call. I have five officers working Sundays."

Thomas said people appeared to time crimes so they could steal items such as cell phones and "jump on the trolley" at the Amaya Drive station.

He said voters approved a bond to build new police and fire department buildings. Thomas said he was "willing to pay a small sales-tax increase of one-quarter to one-half percent” to add more police officers.

"They already raised our sales tax," a woman in the audience said. "I shop in Santee."

In 2008, La Mesa voters approved a three-quarter percent sales-tax increase, raising the tax to 8.5 percent; it rose to 8.75 percent when a statewide increase of one-quarter percent was approved in 2013.

Thomas referred to other budget items and said, "Let the grass die. We need more police."

Alex said he watched the TV series ChiPs, which had information about Neighborhood Watch. He suggested that "the woman with the big dog" go to the park to possibly scare away drug users.

City manager David Witt said, "Neighborhood Watch is not a replacement [for law enforcement], but it is very important." He asked people with concerns to provide contact information and recommended working with the city's prevention unit.

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Undocumented workers break for Trump in 2024

Illegals Vote for Felon
Next Article

Tigers In Cairo owes its existence to Craigslist

But it owes its name to a Cure tune and a tattoo

Citizens at the February 18 La Mesa Town Hall meeting at Northmont Elementary School told the city council that they were concerned about crime, particularly drug use, at nearby Northmont Park. The meeting, held in the northeast section of the city, attracted about 70 people.

Three of the six people who spoke about safety concerns referred to drug use in the 5.05-acre park located at the corner of Amaya and Severin drives. Several speakers recommended solutions, ranging from camera surveillance in the park to a "small sales-tax increase" in order to hire more police officers.

One neighbor said there was drug use in the park "any time of day, along with kids selling drugs. Put a camera in the park." He suggested using a grant from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to buy the camera.

Angela Harbin, a retired police officer, also referred to drug deals in the park.

Sponsored
Sponsored

A speaker who identified herself as Jeanie said she had lived in the area for three years and called streets such as Horton Drive "Horton Snortin' and Meth Alley. I've complained repeatedly."

On a Sunday at 11 a.m., Jeanie said she saw a parent with three teens in the park "smoking away. There was a bong sitting on a table. I can't have my granddaughter over; my son found out about my street. I'd really like to have some help on my street."

Jeanie also spoke about traffic concerns. She said she tried talking to a police officer but the officer was "more concerned about my dog.” She said the officer told her not to walk at night.

Police chief Ed Aceves said, "I live in this neighborhood. If you see something, call. I have five officers working Sundays."

Thomas said people appeared to time crimes so they could steal items such as cell phones and "jump on the trolley" at the Amaya Drive station.

He said voters approved a bond to build new police and fire department buildings. Thomas said he was "willing to pay a small sales-tax increase of one-quarter to one-half percent” to add more police officers.

"They already raised our sales tax," a woman in the audience said. "I shop in Santee."

In 2008, La Mesa voters approved a three-quarter percent sales-tax increase, raising the tax to 8.5 percent; it rose to 8.75 percent when a statewide increase of one-quarter percent was approved in 2013.

Thomas referred to other budget items and said, "Let the grass die. We need more police."

Alex said he watched the TV series ChiPs, which had information about Neighborhood Watch. He suggested that "the woman with the big dog" go to the park to possibly scare away drug users.

City manager David Witt said, "Neighborhood Watch is not a replacement [for law enforcement], but it is very important." He asked people with concerns to provide contact information and recommended working with the city's prevention unit.

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Woodpeckers are stocking away acorns, Amorous tarantulas

Stunning sycamores, Mars rising
Next Article

Undocumented workers break for Trump in 2024

Illegals Vote for Felon
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader