Neighborhood Safety Units Bolstering Safety in Santa Clara County Communities

Santa Clara County, CA – The County of Santa Clara Probation Department is empowering two communities in the county to improve public safety and enrich the lives of residents through the department’s Neighborhood Safety/Services Unit (NSU).
 
“The improved quality of life this offers the residents who live here is really the ultimate goal,” said Nick Birchard, the County’s chief probation officer.
 
Valley Palms Apartments in San José and the neighborhood surrounding San Ysidro Park in Gilroy have long been plagued by gang violence and criminal activity, compounded by a lack of recreational opportunities and community support. The Department of Probation identified these two communities as areas that would benefit from improved facilities for youth activities, educational opportunities for residents, and improved communication between families and law enforcement.
 
Mariel Caballero, deputy director of the Probation Department, emphasized that the improvements to these communities stemmed from collaborative discussion with residents. 
 
“We partnered with the community and determined a few items that would benefit them the most,” Caballero said. “We created a crosswalk for kids to get to school safer. We turned a little-used tennis court into an all-weather soccer field. And the Family Resource Center has been instrumental for hosting community classes and seasonal events.”
 
These facilities and programs operate efficiently thanks to residents known as NSU Leaders who work hard to ensure they are well maintained. NSU Leaders act as liaisons between residents and the County, offering a listening ear for members of the community and a valuable resource for the Probation Department.
 
San Ysidro Park NSU Leader Sandra Amezcua said the Probation Department has given neighbors a real voice in the process of improving the community. 
 
“They get us involved,” Amezcua said. “They encourage us to talk and let them know what we need.”
 
The partnership between the Probation Department and these communities has the added benefit of improving the relationship between law enforcement and residents, making interventions less frequent and more positive.
 
“Prior to this effort, we would come here only for probation compliance checks – when something was wrong,” said Birchard. “Now we come out in a very supportive role and uplift these communities.”