Total homicides in Salinas on pace to drop to lowest number in more than a decade

The city of Salinas has long been known as a city plagued by violence. It’s a title Police Chief Adele Frese is trying to rid the city of.

She says so far there has been a downward trend in crime, with just 3 homicides recorded in 2019 so far.

2018 ended with 19 homicides. Each number far lower than 2015 when homicide totals peaked over the last ten years at 40.

“I’m very pleased to see the numbers are low,” says Chief Frese, “but that still means that three people were killed and one homicide is too many.”

At this rate the city will be well-below the mark of 15 homicides in a year. Something which hasn’t been achieved in about 11 years.

Several elements are at play to try to keep crime low in Salinas.

Some involves technology, while the rest is good old-fashioned community policing.

“We need to build this community as one,” says Chief Frese. “We need to be strong together and understand no level of violence is acceptable.”

She says the elements at play that are working well include the ShotSpotter and Violence Suppression Task Force systems.

Community members have also been more vocal whenever crimes happen their neighborhood.

“Now we’re looking at maybe relying more on information from human beings,” says Chief Frese.

When asked if the presence of LivePD has also decreased gang activity, Frese agreed.

She noted gang members are often punished if they are in the limelight in an unapproved manner

“They’re trying not to draw attention, especially negative law enforcement attention, to the gang. That would give us, as police, a clear picture of what’s going on. Having LivePD around makes their actions louder and more exposed,” says Chief Frese.

Above all else, Frese credits the community for their efforts to prevent crime. She says at some point the community had to get tired of being labeled as one of the most violent cities.

It’s a label she thinks no one should ever be proud of having.

“Although we have that label, it’s time to bury that label,” says Chief Frese. “The history is that people are so accustomed to gunfire that they just shrug it off. I don’t want that. No sound of gunfire should ever be considered normal.”

She also adds “it’s not natural to kill people, so why would we take that on as if it’s our identity?”