Salinas police officers work overtime to fight gang crime

The Salinas Police Department is trying to find ways to fight the gang problem despite a shortage of officers.

It has been almost a year since the department cut its gang task force because of a lack of resources.

Now, some officers are working overtime to serve search warrants and combat gang crime.

“It’s all voluntarily. The folks who have been coming in have a desire and drive to get out there and work on the directed enforcement,” said Sergeant George Lauricella with the Salinas Police Department.

Sergeant Lauricella told KION directed enforcement means officers are working gangs that are active. Officers with specific gang knowledge are doing surveillance work and they know what gangs to target.

Officers served a search warrant in East Salinas Tuesday and seized an assault rifle and methamphetamine. Two people were also arrested.

“We’re trying to get back into it. We don’t have a full-time team yet to get back to dealing with the gangsters and any issues we have in town,” said Sergeant Lauricellla.

Sergeant Lauricella said the officers have been out on the streets since the end of February doing direct enforcement. Several guns and drugs have been seized since then.

Officers don’t know when the department will bring the gang task force back. Sergeant Lauricella said they are trying to hire more officers right now.

“We just need the numbers to start opening up special groups again like direct enforcement through gang units or drug enforcement,” said Lauricella.