Monterey Police increase beach patrols at Del Monte Beach

The Monterey Police Department is beefing up security at Del Monte Beach this weekend after a deadly shooting last Saturday.

Residents who live nearby are now concerned for their safety. Bonfires and parties are a common sight at Del Monte Beach but some people feel the parties have grown out of control.

“Sometimes we’ve had screaming out on this street right by our house to the point where you want to go out and look and see if you need to call 911,” said resident Mary Lind.

Lind has lived near Del Monte Beach since the 1970’s. She said it’s always been a great place to raise a family, that is until recently.

“What’s not great is the drinking and the after-hours partying and the fighting and the noise. Those are the things that disturb us,” said Lind.

Lind said visitors are parking illegally and burning bonfires past the 10 p.m. curfew. She wishes police would do more.

But after the shooting last weekend that took the life of a Soledad man, Monterey police have stepped up patrols in the area.

“I know the perception is that we haven’t been seen out there or not very much. However in 2014 we wrote almost 800 citations on the beach track,” said Lt. Marty Hart of the Monterey Police Department.

Currently, the department is going through a staffing crisis. Police said they are doing all they can to make sure the beach is safe — even if that means stretching their resources.

“We are dealing with some staffing issues currently. We are a 51-person department, (but) we’re down 27 percent with 37 working currently,” said Hart.

But residents in the neighborhood said it’s a problem when they don’t feel safe in their own homes.

On Tuesday, community members will meet with police to voice their concerns.

The meeting will be at Bay View Academy at 7 p.m.