04-20-2021 - AGENDA ITEM 03 CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2021-31 DESIGNATING MAY AS GANG AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTHAGENDA ITEM NO. 3
AGENDA STAFF REPORT
City of West Covina I Office of the City Manager
DATE: April 20, 2021
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: David Carmany
City Manager
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTION 2021-31 DESIGNATING MAY AS GANG
AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2021-31- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING MAY AS GANG AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
BACKGROUND:
The San Gabriel Valley Coalition of Mayors Against Gang Violence ("Coalition") was formed to address all
past suffering and pain delivered by acts of horrific violence in all forms, and specifically gang
violence. Gabriela Elizabeth De Haro-Perez was the impetus, catalyst and propelling reason that the Coalition
was formed, to not only address the senseless and callous attack resulting in her death, but to pay respect and
honor and gratitude for who she was, the future she was building and the family that she left. Gang violence is
responsible for an average of 2,000 gang -related homicides each year, according to 2007 to 2012 data from the
National Youth Gang Center. Mayor Klinakis of La Puente reached out neighboring cities requesting cities to
designate May as Gang Awareness and Prevention Month. Therefore, Mayor Lopez-Viado has requested that
the City of West Covina approve Resolution 2021-31 designating the month of May, in perpetuity, as Gang
Awareness and Prevention Month.
DISCUSSION:
Residents in West Covina have the right to live in a safe gang -free neighborhood without fearing for his or her
life or his or her family members' lives and build a future for our children. By designating May as Gang
Awareness and Prevention Month, West Covina encourages communities to take the initial step of ridding
themselves of gangs, change lives, and teach students how to organize peacefully. The City of West Covina
encourages cities and constituents across the state to observe the month of May with appropriate programs,
ceremonies, and activities to prevent future gang activity and honor those who lost their lives due to gang
activity.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the resolution and approved it as to form.
Prepared by: David Carmany, City Manager
Attachments
Attachment No. 1 - Resolution No. 2021-31
CITY Protect Public Safety
COUNCIL
GOALS &
OBJECTIVES:
ATTACHMENT NO.1
RESOLUTION NO.2021-31
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA, DESIGNATING MAY AS GANG
AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH
WHEREAS, this Resolution designates the month of May, in perpetuity, as Gang
Awareness and Prevention Month for all cities and organizations that would choose to adopt its
intrinsic content; which solidifies the commitment of the cities that have come together as one in
a consolidated and congruent coalition fighting gang violence and that are recognized and formed
as the San Gabriel Valley Coalition of Mayors Against Gang Violence ("Coalition'); and
WHEREAS, the observation of May as Gang Awareness and Prevention Month shall serve
an annual reminder that renews the commitment to working in a regional and collaborative effort;
and
WHEREAS, the Coalition is an Executive Committee formed to coalesce and combine
and share a common practice, direction and value in eradicating hate, violence, and gang affiliated
crimes; it is also respected and realized that individual choice has long been a driving force in gang
related involvement and recruitment into its grasp of criminal enterprise; and
WHEREAS, it is in keeping with that personal individual freedom that the Coalition must
involve itself in directing, making available and positioning itself as a driving force and
empowering its partners to create positive change for every individual in eliminating generational
gang affiliation, stunting recruitment into gangs and action to reduce crimes that are driven by
animosity, hatred and retaliation by gangs against each other, violence impacting the public,
violations of basic decency and crimes against humanity; and
WHEREAS, the Coalition encourages cities and constituents across the San Gabriel
Valley, adjoining valleys and counties and the State, to observe the month of May with appropriate
programs, ceremonies, and activities including significant outreach to prevent future gang activity
and honor those who have lost their lives due to gang related crimes and activity; and
WHEREAS, the Coalition was formed to address all past suffering and pain delivered by
acts of horrific violence in all forms, and specifically gang violence knowing and understanding
that one person, one city, one idea, one pathway, and one single resolution fall short of addressing
this criminal pandemic which has generationally struck down hope, progress and a future for those
involved and those impacted; and
WHEREAS, Gabriela Elizabeth De Haro-Perez was the impetus, catalyst and propelling
reason that the Coalition was formed, to not only address the senseless and caflous attack resulting
in her death, but to pay respect and honor and gratitude for who she was, the future she was budding
and the family that she left. Other tragic victims of heinous gang related crimes do not pale in
comparison regardless of time, space or distance. All are remembered and cherished and serve to
create the urgency that this coalition understands as it rises to the highest level of tribute and
respect which will be transmitted by operative action nurtured to impactful results by the coahtio ns
effective leadership in demanding both short and long-term results; and
WHEREAS, gang violence was responsible for an average of 2,000 gang -related
homicides each year, according to 2007 to 2012 data from the National Youth Gang Center, and
as we enter 2021 with gang affiliated crime still impacting our peaceful, hard-working and caring
communities, Californians everywhere are concerned, want change and are willing to engage in
making a positive impact on the lives of those who have made the unfortunate decision to be
involved in being the problem; and
WHEREAS, the solution to gang violence is found in the acknowledgment that gangs
exist, pose a real and present danger to public safety, ruin lives, destroy families, target youth who
are vulnerable, and can take the lives of innocent victims unaffiliated with gang activity; and
WHEREAS, all Californians must work together to ensure first responders do not have to
respond to crime scenes and dying victims in dangerous surroundings where they can become the
next target; and
WHEREAS, local communities need to learn and understand that gang affiliation and
activity is preventable given responsible approaches and early intervention and the residents of the
San Gabriel Valley and beyond must have the will, courage, and inner strength to stand up and
engage their moral obligation as citizens of their community to help by deterring youth and their
families from violence by educating them how to form stronger family bonds; and
WHEREAS, to prevent youth from joining gangs, multiple strategies and services must
be employed, and programs designed for early intervention including local programs such as the
Youth Athletic League, City youth leadership programs, school job programs; and
WHEREAS, participation in these programs can lead to change that can only occur with
direction and advice, guidance, instruction, hard -work, involvement, and a willingness to reach
out to those in need; and
WHEREAS, it is essential to continue to work together by actively organizing events to
prevent gang violence and to encourage entities to be involved in gang prevention education that
can influence the youth through outreach presentations, teaching the principles of nonviolence,
establish programs that will have continuity as tunes change, and organize events in order to help
diminish the number of gang -related crimes and deaths; and
WHEREAS, the Coalition along with residents throughout California stands together to
honor those who have lost their lives due to gang activity, use their legacy to bond together, use
their story to voice awareness, and ultimately seek to create a paradigm shift in the minds of at -
risk youth and their f anifies;
WHEREAS, each Californian has a right to five in a safe gang -free neighborhood without
fearing for his or her fife or his or her family members' lives and concerned parents, youth,
community groups, businesses, churches, and educators should accept this challenge to stop gangs
by building a better future for our children and for the nation and protect the right to live safe and
free; and
WHEREAS, by designating May as Gang Awareness and Prevention Month communities
take the initial step of ridding themselves of gangs, change lives, and teach students how to
organize peacefully like the leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other prolific ministers and
emissaries of peace.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The above recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by
reference.
SECTION 2. The City of West Covina, working in collaboration and partnership with the
cities of Baldwin Park, Covina, FJ Monte, Industry, South FJ Monte, Walnut, and West Covina,
hereby designates the month of May, in perpetuity, as Gang Awareness and Prevention Month.
SECTION 3. The City of West Covina encourages cities and constituents across the state
to observe the month of May with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities to prevent
future gang activity and honor those who lost their fives due to gang activity.
SECTION 4. The City Clerk of the City of West Covina will transmit copies of this
Resolution in an appropriate manner that will announce and signify this resolution to the residents
of this caring and compassionate cone n unity.
SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution and shall enter
it into the book of original resolutions.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 20th day of April, 2021.
Letty Lopez-Viado
Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM ATTEST
Thomas P. Duarte Lisa Sherrick
City Attorney Assistant City Clerk
I, LISA SBERRICK, Assistant City Clerk of the City of West Covina, California, do
hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 2021-31 was duly adopted by the City Council of
the City of West Covina, California, at a regular meeting thereof held on the 20th day of April,
2021, by the following vote of the City Council:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
Lisa Sherrick
Assistant City Clerk