King City Police Chief outlines blueprint for department’s future

The King City Police Chief delivered his State of the Police Department address Tuesday night. Chief Ron Forgue gave an update on he progress that he’s made since taking office just a few months ago.

Chief Forgue said he has finished his 120-day blueprint for change in about a month. It started with tackling gangs. So far, he says more than 20 gang members have been arrested all over South County. That’s good news for longtime neighbors like Dreux Clark, who have seen how gangs have affected her hometown.

“You know what the gangs are doing to our town,” Clark said. “You know they’ve changed our whole population here, they’re pushing hard workers out of this town because they don’t want to raise their kids here.”

The department is looking at prevention. The ‘Teen Splash Party’ keeps kids off the streets and entertained. Forgue wants to expand that by adding dance parties with juice bars.

However, another issue the department is facing is mistrust. Clark echoed that.

“Aren’t working for the wrong sides,” Clark said. “People who are actually not afraid to go in there and get something done.”

“We have to have accountability in this police department,” Forgue said. “As far as what I’m seeing looking at the outside in, there’s no accountability at all, so like I said before the cowboy days are over.”

The Chief hopes to change that by instituting new policies and letting the public know they can come to him with any problems. He’s also an advocate for body cameras, saying they show transparency.

“You’re held at a higher standard,” Forgue said. “The bar’s been raised here, it’s going to continue to be raised.”

Next on the Chief’s list is unsolved homicides. Forgue said he plans to devote officers to take another look at these 22 open cases and bring families closure.