How Safe Are We in San Carlos?

January 25, 2010

SC-Part1-Crimes-2009

San Carlos is known for being a relatively safe community.  It's one of the big reasons that people choose to settle here and raise families — it's still very much a “bedroom community” that until recently enjoyed relative obscurity.   When I used to work in Silicon Valley, most people I talked with had no idea where San Carlos was even located!  And that's fine for most residents of San Carlos — a big part of the charm of this city is that it has been a hidden gem on the Peninsula for many years.

But the public safety of San Carlos isn't something we can take for granted anymore, especially during this period of financial crisis.    Have you gotten the feeling recently that there are more crimes being reported in San Carlos?  Do you know someone who has been a victim of a crime in San Carlos?  It's not your imagination that crime is on the uptick — because it is.

“Part 1 Crimes” Increased by 25% in 2009.

In tonight's San Carlos City Council Meeting, Police Chief Greg Rothaus will present some alarming statistics to the City Council in his Annual Report on Police Services.  In a period of time where our police budget is being slashed, headcount reduced, and services being outsourced, Part 1 Crimes (murder, rape, robbery, assault, burglary, theft, arson, and motor vehicle theft) have increased by 25% from 2008.   Here's the graphic that he will present this evening:


With the huge budget deficit that the Council must resolve this year, there's no guarantee that police services won't be slashed further.  To download Chief Rothaus' complete report, click here:  San Carlos Police Report-2009

Fire Department Update

In tonight's Council meeting, Fire Chief Douglas Fry will also be presenting his quarterly update to the Council and City Manager.  The Fire Department has fared a bit better in the funding area, as they have recently secured grants that will enable them to upgrade their radio system to be compliant with FCC mandates.  But department staffing and equipment allocation remains a big concern within the Department, because it has a direct impact on speed and quality of their response.

You're probably aware of the fatal home fire that happened just a few days ago in Devonshire Canyon.  According to a source close to City Hall, Chief Fry will also discuss this incident in detail at this evening's Council Meeting, with the current budget cuts as the underlying theme.  Should be a very compelling presentation.

If You're Interested…

Tonight's City Council meeting starts at 7:00 PM at the San Carlos City Hall, 600 Elm Street.    The meeting is open to the public.

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9 Comments

  1. grewupinsc on January 25, 2010 at 9:21 pm

    Chuck,

    Unfortunately, I dont think it’s just a “feeling” that crime in our community is on the rise. Here’s an article from today’s Mercury News.

    http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_14251581?source=email

    Thanks for staying on this topic.



  2. Chuck Gillooley on January 25, 2010 at 9:48 pm

    Nice catch! I subscribe to the Merc and I didn’t see that article. Thanks for passing it along.

    CG



  3. Guiseppe on January 27, 2010 at 2:05 am

    This is such a timely post. Have you noticed a van dropping people off in SC neighborhoods so that they can solicit magazine donations, etc. This just happpened to me yesterday and the guy was casing the house next door. What are these people doing knocking on doors at 7 p.m. When I yelled at him, he just ran away. Secondly, the drunk behavior downtown is due to an excessive number of liquor permits being issued to restaurants. This is even worse when restaurants turn into nightclubs after dinner hours. Also, there is tendency by some of these same restaurants to crowd the sidewalk with dining tables such that people have to walk through in single file. I’m talking specifically about “that” restaurant on the corner opp. Starbucks. I’ve seen people walk smack into tables as they round the corner.



  4. Alanna on January 30, 2010 at 10:23 pm

    I second Guiseppe’s comments about M*****. I walked right into a lampost while trying to avoid another pedestrian. Those tables are too intrusive on the sidewalk. Does the space underneath belong to the business or to the restaurant?



  5. lex on February 2, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    Hardly Mythos account for the crime increase right? I think it’s better to focus on the new popular CVS pharmacies, the slightly more rowdy crowds in Town, etc.



  6. Victor on February 5, 2010 at 8:01 pm

    The City Council wants to cut cops and open marijuna dispensaries. Way to go Matt Grownot.



  7. bill on February 5, 2010 at 9:37 pm

    Interesting article in paper today about sc council laying groundwork for pot clubs in san carlos. guess who has to regulate and deal with the ancillary crime that invariably comes with these “clubs”…..our already-strapped police department. what is the council thinking????



  8. Chuck Gillooley on February 5, 2010 at 9:52 pm


  9. Rich on February 7, 2010 at 4:51 am

    Wait till crime hits San Carlos like Valejo with no cops.



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