Sacramento police will amp up weekend patrols due to spike in gun violence
SACRAMENTO -- Sacramento Police will boost patrols this weekend on the overnight shifts as a direct response to a spike in gun violence over the last week.
The move comes on the heels of a violent seven days in Sacramento with 13 shootings that resulted in 6 deaths. The latest, at Valley Hi Community Park in Sacramento on Wednesday.
By Friday, a memorial was set up at the park, and neighbors were hesitant to return to the park that was at the center of a crime scene overnight the same week.
One neighbor told CBS13 she won't allow her young nieces and nephews to play at the park, even though she can see them from her front yard.
"I'm sad and angry it's just some random person just out here doing stuff like this," said America Pedraza, a Sacramento resident.
She said it's hopeful to hear that Sacramento police are beefing up overnight patrols for the weekend.
"If there's more patrols and police, to help our community … I think, yeah, I think I'd feel a lot safer," said Pedraza.
The patrol changes come at a time when Sacramento police have 101 open sworn officer positions.
Just this week, Chief Kathy Lester confirmed during a Sacramento City Council meeting that 25 contract officer positions would be phased out to add to patrol shifts. This addition to patrols won't be complete until December.