Santa Cruz Police relaunch Safety Enhancement Zone for Halloween

Hundreds if not thousands are expected to flood the downtown area of Santa Cruz once again this year for Halloween.

Santa Cruz Police have had their sights set on this day for some time and are looking to prevent any mischief or violence from taking place.

“Several years ago we did have a spike in violence,” says Santa Cruz Police Lieutenant, Bernie Escalante. “Specifically gang related violence in the downtown.”

The area is expected to be sprawling with people in costumes. They’ll have to deal with “triple fines” that are in place for a portion of the downtown area stretching from Center Street to Front Street.

“Because of the thousands of people who flood the downtown area, we have to ask for additional resources,” says Lt. Escalante.

Which means as usual you’ll see agencies from across Santa Cruz County helping to prevent anything bad from happening downtown on Halloween night.

Deputies from Santa Clara County are expected to make their way to downtown Santa Cruz as well.

Halloween, meanwhile, is a time valued by Santa Cruz resident Nathan Beserra, who says Halloween brings the downtown area back to life.

This is a time where people can express themselves externally and be who they want,” Beserra says. “Even though everyone sees just ghouls and goblins, I feel it’s the one time of year people are being authentic.”

Santa Cruz Police say last year 18 arrests were made and 42 citations were issued on Halloween night.

They say although numbers have gone down over the last couple of years, they’re not sure if its because of Halloween night in recent years landing on a weekday or not.

Here are some Tow-Away and No Parking zones listed by Santa Cruz Police:

No Parking/Tow Away zone from 10 am October 31st to 10 am November 1st on the following streets:

Pacific Avenue between Laurel and Water Street Cooper Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street Cathcart Street between Cedar and Pacific Avenue Soquel Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Frazier Louis Lane

No Parking/Tow Away zone from 5 pm October 31st to 3 am November 1st on the following streets:

Front Street Between Soquel Avenue and Laurel Street River Street between South River and Front Street Front Street between River Street and Soquel Avenue Front Street between Water and River Street. Locust Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Parking Garage Cathcart Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Double Decker Parking Garage

Temporary Road Closures from 5 pm October 31st to 3 am November 1st on the following streets:

Walnut Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Maple Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Locust Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Soquel Avenue between Pacific Avenue and Front Street Front Street between Soquel Avenue and Laurel Street Front Street between Water and River Street Church Street between Pacific Avenue and Double Decker Parking Garage

Temporary road closures from 10 am October 31st to 10 am November 1st on the following streets:

Pacific Avenue between Laurel and Water Street Cathcart between Cedar and Front Street Cooper Street between Pacific Avenue and Front Street Lincoln Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street Elm Street between Pacific Avenue and Cedar Street

Rerouting of Birch Lane from an eastbound one-way roadway to a westbound one-way roadway will occur from 5 pm October 31st until 3 am November 1st.

Triple fines will also be in place for these areas.