Chief Brown discusses violent, deadly 2 weeks following Measure E defeat
HEMET – Chief Brown recently took a few minutes out of his increasingly busy schedule to discuss the last two weeks and some of the shocking, deadly crimes and sudden increase of assaults on police officers.
“In the two weeks following the election, there have been six violent assaults on Hemet Police officers, four high-speed pursuits, two robberies and an attempted carjacking in Hemet,” Brown explained in a social media posting on the Hemet Police Department’s Facebook page. Additionally “a 28-year-old former Marine and father of two young children was stabbed to death in downtown Hemet in the early morning hours on Father’s Day.”
“These crimes weigh heavily on me, our department and our community,” Brown continued. “There are victims and family members whose lives are forever altered by these criminal acts. I am not okay with that.”
See Associated Indent Reports:
- Veteran, father of 2, dead after Hemet double stabbing, second victim recovering
- Two arrested after 100 mph pursuit through Hemet
- Man arrested after using replica firearm to rob woman in Hemet
- Police seek two who robbed Hemet liquor store
- Parolee shot with own gun during attempted robbery in Hemet
- Hemet officer injured subduing man after pursuit, crash, attempted carjacking
- 6th suspect in 2 weeks attacks Hemet officer, flees on foot, arrested
Could Measure E have helped?
It has only been two weeks since the defeat of Measure E, a proposed 1% sales tax increase that proponents and sponsors claimed would have enhanced the police department and fire department’s ability to protect citizens and improve the overall quality of life in Hemet.
Those who opposed the proposed tax increase claimed the tax could be abused and some claimed that not enough was known how the raised funds would be specifically allocated.
While it is far too soon to determine what could have or would have happened had Measure E passed, it will never be known if it’s passage could have changed the outcome of the last two weeks worth of shocking and deadly violence towards citizens, law enforcement officers, and even firefighters, who have come under increasing attack.
Just last month several local firefighters and paramedics came under a savage brick attack while trying to provide medical aid to a San Jacinto resident. The attack injured one of the departments’ fire captains and left an AMR ambulance damaged from the hurled bricks. Two men were arrested in that violent attack.
While that incident occurred in the neighboring City of San Jacinto, Hemet and San Jacinto and their placement within the San Jacinto Valley inexorably tie the two cities that share more than borders.
Often, due to shortages of both police and fire personnel, the two neighboring cities’ emergency agencies are forced to assist each other or even handle each other’s calls for service, to ensure the safety of all citizens of the valley. Another recent example of neighboring agencies assisting each other occurred Monday, June 13 when the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department assisted Hemet Police officials in investigating a suspicious device that was believed to be a pipe bomb.
Many would agree, that what affects one city, affects the other as well.
Most “very supportive of the work our officers
and civilian staff do for the community.”
Hemet Police Chief David Brown. “I’m not about to give up.”
Regardless, citizens and officials alike are taking to social media to voice their intense and sometimes angry points of view regarding the matter and the outcome of the election.
Despite the failure of Measure E to pass, Brown explained, “I have found renewed hope in the hundreds of phone calls, text messages, and emails I’ve received from concerned citizens.”
“Most people expressed sadness, some were angry, others were just looking for a word of encouragement,” Brown continued, “but all were very supportive of the work our officers and civilian staff do for the community.”
“I learned from my dad that there is always a bright side, even though sometimes you have to dig deep to find it,” Brown, who said it was not in his nature to be negative, stated.
Despite Measure E not passing by the smallest of margins, Brown said, “I’m still digging, and like so many Hemet citizens and Hemet Police employees and volunteers, I’m not about to give up.”
“I’ve been encouraged by the hundreds of messages and conversations with Hemet citizens pledging to stand united and continue the fight for our city,” Brown said.
“Cities…will be overrun. It’s that simple.”
“I reject the notion that a certain level of crime is acceptable,” Brown continued. “Crime in Hemet is a serious problem and we need to be united and aggressive about attacking it.”
According to Brown the highlight of his otherwise very difficult week has been, “hearing from hundreds of people who agree.”
However, as Brown recently said in an in-depth study and explanation of the causes and combined effects of Assembly Bill 109 and Proposition 47, “Far too many good people have been victimized unnecessarily as a result of poor policy.”
“Cities in California that decide to make public safety a priority will thrive,” Brown said. “Those that don’t will be overrun. It’s that simple.”
Contact the writer: [email protected]
You hear our cries from us all to get a handle on these crimes that continue daily. For such a small city/town too many officers are being affected with physical harm to them. Where are the suggestions in what can be done? Our tax dollars are being wasted in releasing these criminals back onto the street. Putting our lives in jeopardy all over again. We are told “if your see something say something.” I agree with that. However…seems as though we need help in getting these criminals off the street with more officers! You advertised on TV prior to Hemets election, victims that had been affected by crime. We read about all the crime that’s happening here daily. Where are the suggestions in decreasing the crime? I have heard nothing and sure haven’t seen any change!
Joanne: The answer was Measure E. It was defeated by about 500 votes after the opponents lied to the public. HPD has cut their ranks from 89 to 69 and that is not enough officers to patrol an increasingly violent city of 81,000 residents. That ratio of officer to resident is unheard of! The officers are paying for their benefits, retirement and are some of the lowest paid in the IE. Your point about releasing criminals is on point. The State and the County are going to continue to release felons to cut their costs. That was the point behind the Measure. It would have made it mandatory to keep our tax dollars LOCAL! The revenue from E was guaranteed to go to public safety and the measure also kept the council from supplanting. It called for minimum staffing levels to be met. It called for a citizen oversight committee to monitor spending. It was a 1% sales tax that did not affect the cost of groceries, Rx, services, utilities, etc. It was a no brainer with an opt out clause. If you didn’t want to pay the 1% you could always shop elsewhere and you still would have received the benefit of having 39 more cops in Hemet.
You see the police and fire department have done all they can and cut all they can. Hemet does not bring in enough revenue because of the low property taxes. Cities around Hemet (Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Temecula, Beaumont, DHS, Palm Spirings, Riverside) all have some other type of revenue generator in place to fund their departments. Once again Hemet is 20 years behind everyone else and the other agencies that staff their department’s appropriately will push their criminals into the Valley as our local officers run call to call. This is the worst vote since the bullet train and Hemet will feel the pain of it for years!
I understand that the voters don’t trust the council and that was reason for many to vote no. Ironically they are the same voters who elected them. The entire issue is nonsensical.
As a homeowner here in Hemet I see our police officers working none stop day in and day out I pray that god watches over them because their job isn’t easy , I’ve seen the crime go up in our city and we the people of Hemet need to get more involved with our community and law enforcement to help put an END to this. I just want to thank our officer’s and deputies for doing such a great job out there please stay safe and God bless each and everyone of you..
“If you see something say something”. This saying doesn’t work in the county areas. I live just a mile or so outside of Hemet so I’m not ‘technically’ in the city but my mailing address is Hemet. We have 2 drug dealers here at the end of Franklin Ave that do business right on the street. We call it in and nothing ever happens. You can only fight it so long and then something will give.
Our liberal POTUS can earmark billions for illegals, nothing for our cities of Americans citizens to fight crime. Go ahead, turn in your guns like he and his liberal elected cronies want. Makes no sense. Robert Sun, the property taxes are not low as I left 10 years ago and can compare out of state rates with Hemet’s. The entire surrounding areas should be eligible to vote if they use the streets of Hemet whether it be for commuting or shopping. Just as many live in the county.
We love and respect you,Chief Brown! We shall support you whenever and whereever
Mark: Sorry but you are not correct. The amount of revenue that Hemet brings in is very low per capita compared to other So Cal cities. I have no idea how “out of state” rates play into this since we are in CA. Your comment about county residents is interesting and is also part of the problem. Although county residents don’t pay into the city revenue stream like city residents they do use the city services which further depletes the resources of the city. Your comment on POTUS is true too. That’s why Measure E would have kept your $$ local to be used on problems in the Valley. But we just keep sending our tax dollars to Sacramento and DC thinking we will get something in return. The reality is Hemet voters were swayed by a few people who don’t live in the community and have been trying to destroy local government control for years.
My husband and I are confused because we voted for Measure E and even found Stats online that it passed percentage wise. We’ll keep pushing fwd.
It needed 2/3ds to pass not a majority since it was a specific tax.
It makes no sense but that’s the law. If it was a general tax it would have only needed majority.