SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) -- In the South Bay, the city of San Jose is taking a page from San Francisco’s playbook, cracking down on drug use and dealing on city streets. The mayor and the police chief say dealers will be held accountable, and users will get the help they need.
"If you come to San Jose to deal drugs, you will be arrested and prosecuted," said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
Mahan spoke in downtown San Jose – in front of a 7-Eleven store – where complaints of people buying, selling, and using drugs, are common. This was just a few blocks from city hall and San Jose State University.
The mayor and the police chief announced on Saturday that people will be held accountable.
"Yes, we are going to crack down on the drug dealers," SJPD Chief Anthony Mata said. "We have so in the past working with our partners -- whether it be the sheriff or the district attorney's office to ensure that drug dealers are taken off the street and more importantly those who use drugs."
Mata says this is a complex problem.
"We have to change and work again with behavior health," he said.
"In the last budget cycle, I proposed concentrating on $91 million on spending on those three priorities," Mahan said. "We got 90% of what we asked for, and we need to move faster to rebuild the staffing levels in our police department and our fire department, and have got to build interim housing to get people indoors faster."
A crowd gathered to hear what city officials had to say -- among them, Brian Tsui who lives nearby.
"My wife and my son will often see open drug use and drug dealing and it's really concerning," Tsui said.
"Did the mayor address your concerns?" KRON4 asked Tsui.
"I'm optimistic," Tsui said. "I think that the way that he talks about enforcing the laws and prosecuting drug use and drug dealing and increasing staff in his budget is hopeful."
In the meantime, the public is urged to report any illegal drug activity to SJPD.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/kVAK5SG
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