IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD : Monterey Park: A Community Works With Police to Serve and Prevent

Monterey Park’s crime rate is generally lower than what economically comparable communities suffer, and that’s the way residents want to keep it. But with its modest sales tax base and a projected budget deficit this year of $700,000, they also recognize that the city can’t afford to hire more police. Consequently, many in this predominantly Asian and Hispanic community haven’t hesitated to oppose, control or ban businesses or business practices perceived to invite or contribute to criminal activity.

Monterey Park was one of the first cities in the county to fight graffiti by requiring stores to keep spray paint locked up. Recently, the city banned KTV (karaoke television) clubs because many law enforcement officials say private rooms offered by the clubs are conducive to drug dealing and prostitution. And last February, a developer abandoned attempts to build a $30-million gambling club in Monterey Park in the face of vocal community opposition.

The police have responded to the community’s prevention-oriented preference and the city’s fiscal reality with programs to cultivate trust and head off crime.

Population: 60,738

Population by race and ethnicity:

Anglo: 12%

Asian: 57%

Hispanic: 30%

Black and other: 1%

Average per capita sales tax of cities in San Gabriel Valley area with comparable services including independent police, fire department and libraries:

Monterey Park: $65

Alhambra: $73

Arcadia: $111

Covina: $145

Downey: $90

Monrovia: $123

Pomona: $59

Crimes per 1,000 residents in 1992 in San Gabriel Valley area cities with comparable services:

Monterey Park: 55

Alhambra: 60

Arcadia: 56

Covina: 73

Downey: 50

Monrovia: 63

Pomona: 79

Sources: U.S. Census, Monterey Park Budget Book, FBI

Census programming by Times analyst Maureen Lyons

Some services developed or under development by Monterey Police Department:

* A door-to-door survey of Asian and Hispanic residents to determine their law enforcement needs and reasons for their reluctance to report crime.

* Use of police department offices as classrooms for English literacy program to provide immigrants with a non-threatening introduction to American law enforcement.

* A central information bank about organized crime in the city and nationwide in anticipation of expected exodus of crime groups from Hong Kong in 1997, when China takes over the British colony.

* Gang enforcement team to combat extortion of Asian-owned businesses and cultivate trust of merchants.

STORE MANAGER

Nelson Gam

Resident since 1986 and senior assistant manager at a Monterey Park paint store

It’s a little inconvenient keeping the spray paint under lock and key because you have to spend more man hours to have someone attend to a customer, but that’s the only inconvenience. Then again it also prevents shoplifting. I believe it’s helped to prevent the growth of graffiti to an extent, but there are sometimes adults who will buy paint for their kids. It’s kind of amazing.

POLITICIAN

Marie Purvis

Art gallery owner and Mayor pro tem of Monterey Park

We have no real big sales tax base. We have no major stores, only one car dealership. Most of our money would come from property owners. We don’t have any big malls.

(With karaoke TV clubs,) we saw what was happening (in other communities) and we did not want to even experience that in this town; we learned from their lesson. We have a chief of police and a police department that are community oriented. They’re not just out there writing tickets. The police department has always been ahead and how they do that, how they know what’s going to happen I don’t know, but they do.

POLICE OFFICER

Bill Reynolds

Community Relations

We were being hit in beauty shops by people who were coming in, getting their hair cut and taking the place down. We got a list of all beauticians and hair dressers in the city and sent them a letter and had detectives go shop to shop to let them know, to tell them how to handle the situation if it occurs.

Many people say that we don’t have the money or time to do this (crime prevention work) but you’re either going to spend time to prevent it or you’re going to spend the time dealing with any crime and the reports that have to be taken.