[LSNN] How can we improve street safety in Los Santos?

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How can we improve street safety in Los Santos?

 

A recent poll reconfirms what is already known, that many in Los Santos do not feel safe. What can be done about this?

 

 

By PHOEBE HOLTER

 

Los Santos, SA - From the humble business owner in Strawberry who just so happens to spend thousands on installing security equipment in his business to keep burglars out, to the late night dog walker taking a stroll along the canals of Vespucci who constantly keeps cautiously glancing over their shoulder to see who’s around. There seems to be one thing that unites many citizens of Los Santos: a feeling that the city they live in isn’t safe.

 

The fact that Los Santos has issues with crime is not in itself news. That has been acknowledged by local politicians, citizens and law enforcement alike. 

 

However, it is the residents of the city who feel the brunt of the crime committed. Muggings, shootings and even (as one LSNN article previously covered) kidnappings, are relatively commonplace. 

 

Late at night in Central Los Santos

 

Democratic State Senator Diana Jones has highlighted the issue that even in 2021, business owners in parts of Los Santos are being subjected to extortion. “South San Andreas suffers from very high crime rates, through means that elsewhere in the world would be considered archaic, such as extortion of bars and stores”, she told LSNN in a previous statement. 

 

"South San Andreas suffers from very high crime rates, through means that elsewhere in the world would be considered archaic, such as extortion of bars and stores." - Senator Diana Jones (D)

 

It is no surprise then that a recent online poll revealed that 70% of respondents did not feel safe when outside. 

 

Addressing an issue as complicated as street safety requires a multi-pronged approach. Law enforcement departments such as the LSSD are constantly trying to improve the situation, running programs such as Operation Safe Streets. 

 

On top of the approach taken by local law enforcement, some members of the State Senate have pushed legislative changes which they hope will bring around better street safety.

 

Though there is disagreement when it comes to deciding on what approach to take.

 

Walking around at night-time in South Los Santos can come with risks

 

Republican State Senator Kevin Seong is one of the senators who acknowledges this issue and seeks to address it.  “The state of San Andreas has been a hotbed of crime for many years, resulting in citizens of the state not feeling safe in their own homes and businesses”, Seong told LSNN in a statement, acknowledging the issue that many have in both the city and the state with feelings of safety.

 

His “Stand Your Ground” seeks to provide citizens with what he would hope is a deterrent against criminals, allowing them to ‘fight back’. “A criminal will think twice about breaking and entering when they know a good guy with a gun and a right to defend themselves might be on the other side of the door”, he went on to write. 

 

Seong’s point of view that the threat of escalating situations with criminals leads to criminals thinking twice about preying on citizens is not universally shared. 

 

Democratic Senator Valeria Reyes has raised concerns about this bill, pointing out that escalating situations would, in her view, not improve public safety. “I would find it a lot more responsible to have a law that obliges citizens to first retreat in situations that are in public, and of course when it is safe and possible to retreat.” she said. “This is to de-escalate a situation instead of standing your ground and escalating it further.”

 

Her criticism of Seong’s approach did not end there, she also suggested that the bill “encouraged immediate violence”. 

 

“I am very much against the stand your ground law because this law allows a person to kill another person in a public area, even when they could have clearly and safely de-escalated the confrontation by retreating, upending traditional self-defense law.  Senator Seong's bill encourages this immediate violence.” - Senator Valeria Reyes (D)

 

Reyes has since went on to propose her own bill,  Defence of Justification Bill of 2021. The aim of this bill was to strengthen existing self defence legislation. At the time of writing this, the bill has been withdrawn.

 

The backstreets of Los Santos can often be where violent crimes like muggings take place

 

Legislation is one thing, as is law enforcement. Some changes will need to be made at a a smaller level. Community watches, better street lighting in dimly lit areas and greater community outreach from local government agencies have been noted elsewhere in the country to help promote feelings of safety.

 

Even if the issues with safety are directly tied to both the city and the state’s issue with crime, more can be done to help alleviate the feelings of fear that many citizens face on a day to day basis. Perhaps alternative approaches are required. 

 

 

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> Comments are enabled

 

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Comment:

[Trupiano]

Username: $$Vespuccigrounddog$$

Comment: Maybe if cops spent half as much time doing actual police work as they spend flirting with lifeguards at the beach we wouldn't have these problems. No cap bro these thirsty ass dudes spend all their time just chilling at the beach flirting with chicks while there's a straight up gang war happening a block away.

[Sydion]

Username: BigBarryD

Comment: Towns too far fackin' gone! It's got to the point where i often work in pairs as a CAB DRIVER to avoid gettin' a gun pointed at the back of my head after dropping someone off! Other people are feelin' it too, customers are worried we are plotting to kidnap them because we are riding in a pair! Only in LS fellas!

[MAGAman]

Username: BabaBlack420

 

Comment: We live in stolen land.... stolen through greed and violence (settlers and colonizers) Police and white man are the problem. Dangerous cattle behavior.. always try to kill my people (genocide).. Is any wonder black man (and ooman) feel unsafe... Black lives matter

[L I C E]

Username: m34d3
Comment: feels like brazil out here sometimes when u get ur head cracked open on the sidewalk in seoul over some stale chewing gum, $60 and a bottle of water. i even joke with my friends about robberies its gotten to such a ridiculous point: "ayo bitch run them pockets". i dont feel like im living in america anymore. hell ive even been nearly kidnapped walking through fucking mirror park in broad daylight, what kind of shit is this? its less about the police and more how lenient the law is on these repeat offenders. the police catch these people, but they do a few months and are back out doing the same shit as before.

[Deuce]

Username: WroteTheBook
Comment: Defund Sidwell

[Ace_]

41 minutes ago, Deuce said:

Username: WroteTheBook
Comment: Defund Sidwell

 

Username: Ace

Comment: Jealousy much? 🙂

[orca112]

Username: MM

Comment: The city is cursed. Law Enforcement is fighting a lost war against the rampant gang activity, let alone organized crime with little to no legal boundaries assisting in tackling these groups. Repeated offenders get released after just a handful of weeks and months and murderers are freely roaming the streets on bond or on parole to do the very same thing over and over. Add up a bunch of Brazil-like criminals roaming the city on motorbikes and you got a recipe for desaster with no save haven for ordinary citizens.

[Ketamine Kowboy]

Username: Hayastanci

Comment: Same way Saudi Arabia used to

[Pádraig]

Username: RudyGiuliani

Comment: This article promotes anti-Italian discrimination.