Some growing frustrations over San Diego's criminal gang activity are now coming to light.
Are officials allocating enough resources and energy to the problem?
A local clergyman doesn't think so.
Cornelius Bowser, the Bishop of the Charity Apostolic Church, serves on the city's Commission on Gang Prevention and Intervention.
Last year it delivered a strategic action plan to the City Council that Bowser says still hasn't gotten any money to implement.
"We're looking for leadership,” he told NBC 7 in an interview Tuesday. “We’re looking for our mayor to speak out, but I haven't heard him speak out about these types of things. I haven't heard him speak out about criminal justice reform, haven't heard him speak out about 'we're going to put resources into it and fight it, and deal with the gang problem'."
Bowser says the cycle of gang arrests and imprisonment has to be broken with preventive measures that address minority youth who are "underserved" until they're behind bars or on probation.
He first outlined those concerns in a sharply worded commentary posted on Voice of San Diego, NBC 7’s online media partner.
Bowser was active in the "Justice for SD 33" efforts on behalf of gangster rappers who eventually were cleared of conspiracy charges.
In San Diego alone, police have documented 91 different gangs with memberships totaling more than 4,000 -- providing quite a caseload for law enforcement.
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"There is a lot that's being done,” says Cynthia Burke, who directs criminal justice research for the San Diego Assn. of Governments. “Again, could we do more? Yes.”
Burke sees many factors behind the numbers – and pathways to address them with collaborative, innovative efforts.
"Among the youth that we talk to, about two-thirds say they have family who are in gangs, so this isn't something that's just a one-time thing,” she said. “How do we work together as a community? Because it does take a village to raise all our children."
After seeking comment from Mayor Faulconer's office, NBC 7 received an email from his deputy chief of staff Matt Awbrey, saying: "We will be sending a response tomorrow. Happy to share it with you after it's been sent."
Presumably, to Bishop Bowser himself.
