Anderson eschews anti-gang unit to save money

Cost-saving measures in the Anderson Police Department have hindered the department's ability to identify and maintain contact with gang members in Anderson, officers say. The department used to work with SAGE, the Shasta Anti-Gang Enforcement Unit that brings together area law enforcement agencies to focus on gang enforcement activities such as identification of suspected gang members and parole checks of known gang members.

"We want to participate ... but we don't have the funding," Chief Dale Webb said.

The program only costs the department the personnel costs of attending the operation, Webb said, adding that officers are only sent when it does not involve overtime.

Webb noted the department cannot afford the overtime. In the department's fiscal year ending June 30, 2010, he said the department used its entire overtime budget and went on few SAGE operations.

Webb estimated the program costs $650 monthly per officer to engage in the program while on overtime.

In the SAGE program, Anderson officers joined with other agencies' officers each week, and they performed operations in various county locations, with Anderson getting the attention about once per month.

However, Anderson officers seldom go on SAGE operations anymore, and Anderson has not hosted a SAGE operation in at least a year, said Chief Dale Webb in a telephone interview Aug. 26.

"We don't have the collaborative information sharing ... that we did have," Blunk said. "If a gang member moved to Anderson, we wouldn't be in the matrix to learn that immediately."

Blunk added that information about gangs is still shared with Anderson, but added that the department isn't as "in touch with other cities" as it used to be.

"Obviously it's worth the overtime," Webb said. "But if you don't have the money, how do you do it?"

Officer Robert Modin suggested a couple ways Anderson could again participate in the four-hours-per-week program without costing the department overtime.

"There are ways to do it without paying overtime right now," said Modin.

In a bid last year not accepted by management, officers offered to be awarded compensated time off rather than accept overtime pay in order to stay in SAGE, said Officer Robert Modin, the president of the Anderson police officers' union which was still embroiled in a contract dispute with management as of last week.

"I feel we should be making every effort to be involved in the program," Modin said. "It could cost us a lot more if they (gangs) establish a foothold (in Anderson)."

When officers work overtime, they receive time-and-a-half in pay or as accrued paid time off, Modin said. Modin said the officer's offer was not accepted management. With numerous SAGE operations taking place in the daytime, Modin suggested a patrol person could attend the operation with a cover shift officer taking their place on patrol.

With four officers on duty in the afternoon, Modin suggested two could go on the operation while two patrolmen remain in Anderson.

He said a detective could also go on the operation, since a detective isn't always needed in town, he said. A detective's primary duty involves follow-up on cases that require extra time, he said. Additionally, any participating officers or detectives would be a radio call and a 20-minute drive away.

Modin called SAGE a proactive event. Even though Anderson officers do not participate in the program, officers still seek out and contact gang members; but it's not as dedicated as it once was, he said.

When making contact with known gang members, Modin said officers currently spend five minutes rather than 45 minutes with them.

"Five minutes isn't as much time to gather much intelligence," he said.