Sheriff's gang unit challenged
Southern California rivals move into area but deputies see progress
By Michelle Beaver, STAFF WRITER
Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Colby Staysa has seen gang violence worsen in the unincorporated flatlands during each of the six years he's worked in gang prevention, especially now that Southern California gangs are taking over Bay Area territory.
But thanks to a gang suppression unit that started July 4, the sheriff's office is finally seeing some success.
"A lot of gang members aren't hanging out in common areas anymore," Staysa said. "And we're incarcerating a lot of them for crimes."
The suppression unit gathers information from and about gang members, often through informal conversations. But even with newfound facts, eradicating gang violence is a daunting task.
"I don't even kid myself anymore to think that we're going to stop gang violence in unincorporated Alameda County, but we can improve the situation," he said.
Staysa sees a pattern of Southern California gangs moving into Alameda County gang territories.
"There have been very traditional boundaries in Hayward and southern Alameda County for decades," he said. "Rival gangs are taking turfaway and there hasn't been too much resistance, but I think it's on its way."
Rival gangs expand their territory street by street by stashing weapons and committing crimes in rival gangs' areas.
"It's going to come to a boiling point soon and it's going to pop," Staysa said. "It's not a rosy outlook, but I believe it."
The suppression unit includes three people, all of whom grew up in the unincorporated areas. Two new members are joining them soon, much to Staysa's relief.
"We terribly need more people," he said. "Incredibly desperately. I can't even express how badly we need at least four more."
New gang members start with graffiti, shoplifting and fist fights, often moving up to possession or sale of narcotics, carjackings and finally to assaults with bats, knives and guns.
Instances of mid-level gang crimes are "very high" in unincorporated Alameda County, Staysa said, but gang-related homicides are low. The last such homicide happened April 1 in unincorporated Hayward, Staysa said.
Ashland and Cherryland have the most problems, Castro Valley the fewest. San Lorenzo's problem is growing, Staysa said.
"We're letting the gang members in these areas know that they're not free to terrorize the community," he said. "We're telling them, 'If you guys are doing something wrong, you're going to get caught up with the gang suppression unit.' Sometimes that story is effective and slows down their flagrant activity, or they just don't listen to us and they go about their normal criminal activities."
Lt. Bill Gaudinier said he is very pleased with Staysa and his colleagues.
"They're doing an outstanding job," Gaudinier said. "They're making more arrests and getting more information than we initially expected them to be able to get. The unit is quickly showing itself to be effective. It's a really motivated group of people."
The suppression members have learned a lot from a similar unit that the Hayward Police Department runs.
"Hayward does an incredible job focusing on gangs," Staysa said. "We will mimic some of their actions."
Staysa said he hates gang activity, but likes some gang members.
"I'm not saying we're never adversarial, but we do talk to them like regular people," he said. "We have many nice and consensual contacts."
Staysa even gives gang members tips about how to stay safe from rival gangs.
"I tell them, 'Don't be standing out here wearing your gang colors. Don't give dirty looks to everybody who drives by.' They don't listen, but I still put it out there. Violent crime is violent crime no matter who it happens to. We don't want anyone getting hurt.
"In the gang subculture, today's suspect is tomorrow's victim," Staysa added. "There are a number of gang members who I think are pleasant to be around and I worry about their safety, but their choices are out of my hands. We treat everyone the same."
Southern California rivals move into area but deputies see progress
By Michelle Beaver, STAFF WRITER
Alameda County Sheriff's Sgt. Colby Staysa has seen gang violence worsen in the unincorporated flatlands during each of the six years he's worked in gang prevention, especially now that Southern California gangs are taking over Bay Area territory.
But thanks to a gang suppression unit that started July 4, the sheriff's office is finally seeing some success.
"A lot of gang members aren't hanging out in common areas anymore," Staysa said. "And we're incarcerating a lot of them for crimes."
The suppression unit gathers information from and about gang members, often through informal conversations. But even with newfound facts, eradicating gang violence is a daunting task.
"I don't even kid myself anymore to think that we're going to stop gang violence in unincorporated Alameda County, but we can improve the situation," he said.
Staysa sees a pattern of Southern California gangs moving into Alameda County gang territories.
"There have been very traditional boundaries in Hayward and southern Alameda County for decades," he said. "Rival gangs are taking turfaway and there hasn't been too much resistance, but I think it's on its way."
Rival gangs expand their territory street by street by stashing weapons and committing crimes in rival gangs' areas.
"It's going to come to a boiling point soon and it's going to pop," Staysa said. "It's not a rosy outlook, but I believe it."
The suppression unit includes three people, all of whom grew up in the unincorporated areas. Two new members are joining them soon, much to Staysa's relief.
"We terribly need more people," he said. "Incredibly desperately. I can't even express how badly we need at least four more."
New gang members start with graffiti, shoplifting and fist fights, often moving up to possession or sale of narcotics, carjackings and finally to assaults with bats, knives and guns.
Instances of mid-level gang crimes are "very high" in unincorporated Alameda County, Staysa said, but gang-related homicides are low. The last such homicide happened April 1 in unincorporated Hayward, Staysa said.
Ashland and Cherryland have the most problems, Castro Valley the fewest. San Lorenzo's problem is growing, Staysa said.
"We're letting the gang members in these areas know that they're not free to terrorize the community," he said. "We're telling them, 'If you guys are doing something wrong, you're going to get caught up with the gang suppression unit.' Sometimes that story is effective and slows down their flagrant activity, or they just don't listen to us and they go about their normal criminal activities."
Lt. Bill Gaudinier said he is very pleased with Staysa and his colleagues.
"They're doing an outstanding job," Gaudinier said. "They're making more arrests and getting more information than we initially expected them to be able to get. The unit is quickly showing itself to be effective. It's a really motivated group of people."
The suppression members have learned a lot from a similar unit that the Hayward Police Department runs.
"Hayward does an incredible job focusing on gangs," Staysa said. "We will mimic some of their actions."
Staysa said he hates gang activity, but likes some gang members.
"I'm not saying we're never adversarial, but we do talk to them like regular people," he said. "We have many nice and consensual contacts."
Staysa even gives gang members tips about how to stay safe from rival gangs.
"I tell them, 'Don't be standing out here wearing your gang colors. Don't give dirty looks to everybody who drives by.' They don't listen, but I still put it out there. Violent crime is violent crime no matter who it happens to. We don't want anyone getting hurt.
"In the gang subculture, today's suspect is tomorrow's victim," Staysa added. "There are a number of gang members who I think are pleasant to be around and I worry about their safety, but their choices are out of my hands. We treat everyone the same."
