Santa Ana’s
Transformation
Once plagued by gang violence, city is now among safest in U.S.
Two decades ago, Orange County’s largest city was mired
in gang violence. Nearly 90 people were killed during its
bloodiest year. The crime rate climbed to 76 per 1,000
residents.
and strategy are only part of the equation. Among the other
components: experience, relationships, a great team.
In the early 1990s, the words Santa Ana and safe were rarely
uttered in the same sentence.
With 23 years on the job, Walters is almost certainly the
longest serving big-city police chief in America, said Darrel
Stephens, executive director of the Major Cities Police
Chiefs Association.
Flash forward to today.
In 2011, only 12 people were killed. The overall violent
crime rate plummeted below 25 per 1,000 residents.
In December, Forbes magazine crowned Santa Ana as
America’s fourth safest big city.
“It’s pretty amazing when you consider the circumstances
of the current economy,” said Police Chief Paul M. Walters,
who is also serving as interim city manager.
And consistency.
California Police Chiefs Association: How have you
done it?
Walters: Early in my career as a detective I was introduced
to the community policing idea. I saw first hand as a new
sergeant how it worked, and what a difference it made in
how we policed and worked together with the community.
Crime hasn’t been this low in Santa Ana since the late
1970s, when the city’s population was a third of today’s.
And crime keeps dropping even as the city cuts policing
programs and positions due to the economy.
Armed with a master’s degree in public administration
and a law degree, Walters innovated and implemented
a community policing strategy that has earned national
accolades and unprecedented results.
Ask him for insight into his success, and he says education
Spring 2012
|
15