Hemet residents rally in support of city, law enfo

OFF THE WIRE
BY: Jose Arballo Jr
Source: swrnn.com

California - ~Hemet residents rally in support of city, law enforcement officers~
The 20-minute rally held at the Ramona Bowl brought together residents, politicians, community leaders and scores of costumed members of the Ramona Outdoor Pageant.

Saying they are tired of their city getting a bum rap in media reports, hundreds of people gathered in Hemet Saturday to let others know the community is safe and not overrun by street gangs.

The 20-minute rally held at the Ramona Bowl brought together residents, politicians, community leaders and scores of costumed members of the Ramona Outdoor Pageant, which was holding its dress rehearsal at the bowl's outdoor amphitheater. Some of those in the crowd carried signs proclaiming "I (heart) Hemet" and "Hemet is Heaven." The event even included a cheer by former Councilwoman Lori Van Arsdale, a former cheerleader in college, who urged the crowd to share the message with others.

"Hemet is a great place to live," Van Arsdale told the group, some of whom were dressed in period costumes reflected of the Old West.

Van Arsdale and Tami Wilhelm, both members of the Ramona Bowl board, came up with the rally in response to recent media reports surrounding a string of attacks against the Hemet-based gang task force. Van Arsdale said the last straw was a radio report she heard in which the city was described as being under siege and the impression that people were afraid to go outside.

"We were getting calls from people back East asking if I was safe," Van Arsdale said before taking the stage. "This has gotten way out of hand."

While acknowledging there are some crime issues in the city, Van Arsdale and Wilhelm both said the impression left by the media reports can hurt the city and some of the community events that are coming up, including the pageant, which relies heavily on spectators from outside the area.

Councilman Jerry Franchville echoed some of the same comments, but placed some of the blame on those who have used fiery rhetoric in describing the crimes and speculation on who might be behind the attacks. The media, he told the crowd, was simply reporting what they were being told. Franchville, who is a law enforcement officer with the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, did not mention anyone by name.

During a news conference announcing the increase of the reward offered in connection with the incidents, state Attorney General Jerry Brown called the attacks "urban terrorism" and District Attorney Rod Pacheco said the Hemet-San Jacinto area was "ground zero" for gang activity in Riverside County. Both men are running for office.

Police in Hemet have not arrested anyone and stop short of blaming the Vagos Motorcycle club, 30 of whose members were arrested on suspicion of parole and weapons violations. Police Chief Richard Dana told the Los Angeles Times he did not believe the Vagos were responsible for the attacks.

Franchville said the attacks appear to be the work of one person and not the Vagos motorcycle gang that has been suggested by some. He predicted the person responsible would be captured soon.

On New Year's Eve, police discovered that someone had rerouted a natural gas line into the building housing the Hemet/San Jacinto Gang Task Force. Any spark could have set off an explosion.

On Feb. 23, an anti-gang officer opened a gate at the task force office on Saint John Place and was nearly struck by a bullet fired by a "zip gun," an improvised weapon. On March 5, a task force member found a device police described as "deadly" attached to his unmarked patrol car when he pulled into a filling station.

And on Tuesday night, four code enforcement trucks were set on fire with an accelerant.

Four days before the trucks were set on fire, someone called a police dispatcher and warned that a police vehicle would be blown up in response to the arrests.



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