Neighborhood Watch meeting educates the community

A Neighborhood Watch meeting on Wednesday, October 25th was a success as Pleasanton Police and Neighborhood Watch organizers informed the community about the safety measures being taken to protect Pleasanton. Local leaders present at the meeting were (front, from left): Pleasanton City Councilwoman Harmony Ratterree; Neighborhood Watch organizers Rose Dillard and Rachel Gomez, Pleasanton City Councilwoman Lillian Cashmer and City of Pleasanton Events Coordinator Terri Cuevas. Back (from left): Officer Robert Villa, Det. Chris Treviño, Det. Smitty Gonzales, Pleasanton Mayor JR Gallegos, Pleasanton Police Chief Ernest Guerra, Officer Alyssa Sanchez, Pleasanton Asst. Police Chief Anastacio Perez, DPS Trooper Daisy Herrera, Lt. Jordan Haren, Lt. Kai Viesca and Pleasanton City Councilman Joey Macon. DANIEL ELIZONDO | PLEASANTON EXPRESS

The Pleasanton Police Department and the Neighborhood Watch organization held their quarterly meeting at the Pleasanton Civic Center on September 25 and updated the community on the Pleasanton Police Department’s ongoing efforts to keep citizens safe.

Eastside Neighborhood Watch organizers Rose Dillard and Rachel Gomez started the organization in 2019 primarily for Pleasanton’s East Side residence. However, the popularity of this initiative is growing into a community-wide Neighborhood Watch for all of Pleasanton.

“The thing is, if you have a problem with drugs or suspicious activity in your area, please tell a detective or an officer and they will follow up on the leads,” Pleasanton Deputy Police Chief Anastacio Perez said. “We want to show the community that we are here for them and if they have a concern, let us know or we won’t do it. If you don’t tell us, we won’t know about it. We have over 10,000 residents to care for here in Pleasanton. We don’t know every problem that everyone in the community has. So if you bring this to our attention, we will try to fix it. We want the entire community to know that.”

Gomez reiterated that some residents feel they are burdening police by calling for petty crimes, but Asst. Chief Perez said sometimes these small crimes lead to big crimes.

“I always tell neighbors and friends to definitely call the police,” Gomez said. “Even if it’s nothing, just their presence will make a difference.”

Pleasanton Police Chief Ernest Guerra praised the efforts of Eastside Neighborhood Watch, which he said led to numerous arrests.

“We got a lot of drugs off the streets,” Guerra said. “We will keep things running at night and see people walking with backpacks and bikes at 2 or 3 a.m., there is hardly anything good going on at that time.”

Pleasanton Police Lt. Jordan Haren informed citizens at the meeting about Operation Safe City, a July 25 operation by the Pleasanton Police Department and its tactical forces.

The operation was conducted to serve numerous warrants throughout the City of Pleasanton for crimes including assault, forgery and aggravated robbery.

Haren said during the operation, Pleasanton police also conducted 27 Field Initiated Contacts (FIC) with individuals, five of whom were found with narcotics.

Bodycam video was shared with the group showing the process of a FIC and how verifying a suspicion sometimes results in no arrests being made.

Asst. Chief Perez also shared bodycam video of an incident in 2021 when Pleasanton police stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation that ended in a high-speed chase into San Antonio after it was discovered the vehicle’s driver violated his had violated probation conditions.

The driver was ultimately killed in San Antonio after a shootout with police.

“A lot of people feel like it bothers us (when they call),” said Asst. Chief Perez. “That’s not it. The simplest suspicion could turn into a break-in. Even if they don’t do anything wrong, at least we check them and they go on their way. You know someone in the neighborhood was vigilant and looking for this person. That’s why we’re trying to destroy that image. Just call us. We get paid for this every day. That’s what I get paid for – serving the citizens. That’s what we’re here for.”

For more information or to speak to a police officer in exceptional circumstances, call 830-569-3869.