Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s increase patrol on Soquel Drive after recent spike in gun violence

UPDATE 4/26/18 5:30PM Four shootings over the past several months have prompted Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s to increase patrols around Winkle Park and along Soquel Drive.

Two of those shooting resulted in injuries, one left a 26-year-old man dead. Sergeant Brian Cleveland says they are looking into the gang aspect, “Some of the suspects and or victims have been affiliated with gangs. Just in that specific area we’ve seen four shootings and two different times deputies have stopped cars with gang members with loaded firearms in the car. That’s been since February so it has been an uptick we are trying to get ahold of.”

An overtime shift has been added to the Winkle Park area which will focus on making contacts with civilians or suspicious peoples, “we’ve had a deputy assigned to overtime from 7pm to 2am every single day along that Soquel corridor and their entire goal is to contact suspicious people and to provide that presence to hopefully deter some of the violence that’s been going on.”

Sgt. Cleveland says the crimes are not limited to Winkle Park, they have been happening on Soquel Drive from 41st to Soquel Avenue.

People living around and working near Winkle Farm Park say they think the increase in patrols will help prevent more crime. “I’ve been in this county all my life and just in this general area I’ve worked down the street like I said for seven years, and the more that the cops are around, the more they’re patrolling, the more their appearance is known, the better off we are,” says Heather Bauer.

Sheriff’s Office says aside from the violent crimes they have been called to the Winkle park area for other crimes too. “It’s really all along that corridor, especially by winkle park we’ve gotten numerous calls for transients, people using drugs or alcohol in the park, gang graffiti, people loitering. We want to make the parks and environment where families and children can feel safe,” says Sgt. Cleveland.

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Four shootings over the past several months have prompted Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s to increase patrols around Winkle Park and along Soquel Drive.

Two of those shooting resulted in injuries, one left a 26-year-old man dead.

An overtime shift has been added to the Winkle Park area which will focus on making contacts with civilians or suspicious peoples.

Sgt Brian Cleveland says the crimes are not limited to Winkle Park, they have been happening on Soquel Drive from 41st to Soquel Avenue.

“Just in that specific area we’ve seen four shootings and two different times deputies have made a stop cars with gang members with loaded firearms in the car. That’s been since February so it has been an uptick we are trying to get ahold of,” says Sgt. Brian Cleveland.

People living around Winkle Farm Park say they think the increase in patrols will help prevent more crime.

Sheriff’s Office says aside from the violent crimes they have been called to the Winkle park area for transients, drug use and graffiti too.

KION’S Ashley Keehn will have more at 5 and 6 p.m.