Town Hall: Stockton city manager says serial killings are 'not Stockton'

Five of Stockton’s 43 homicides were likely from someone “very, very sick,” City Manager Harry Black said at public safety town hall on Wednesday, Oct. 5  at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton.

“It’s not Stockton. It’s something totally different,” Black said. “(Stockton Police) know what crime looks like in Stockton. Something strange came up. So we are where we are with this most recent, abnormal, irregular series of homicides … because our department is data driven, they spotted it. No other community that we believe may have also been impacted by this has been able to do that.”

Black was one of several city officials who spoke to about 150 Stockton residents about the serial killings and increase in gun violence. A Q&A session was planned as part of the meeting, but the event ran more than an hour over schedule and most questions went unanswered.

Lifelong Stockton resident Cynthia Boyd lives down the street from the family of Tyrique Harris, the 23-year-old man killed Aug. 11 at Golden 1 Credit Union at Sherwood Mall. She stood and heckled Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln during his speech and told The Record her questions weren't answered.

Cynthia Boyd stands while Stockton Mayor speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.
Cynthia Boyd stands while Stockton Mayor speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

“I came to hear some new answers given, not just some statistics … I come and my voice doesn’t even get heard, my question doesn’t get answered, it’s stuffed in the bottom of a box over there,” Boyd said. “I had a lot of high hopes for this new chief of police and I’m trying to hold onto that. But I have no faith in the system he’s taken over.”

Other attendees declined to comment.

Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden  continued to urge residents to stick to well-lit areas and not to go out alone at night.

“We were all raised that nothing good happens after dark, and it’s true. We’re showing you the case numbers. Nothing good is happening after dark,” McFadden said. “We’re all concerned about what’s going on right now, but all the time you need to be concerned for your surroundings.”

Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.
Stockton Police Chief Stanley McFadden speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

Four of the five victims in the serial killings since about July 8 were Hispanic. Though McFadden has said they have no evidence to suggest the serial killings are hate crimes, an attendee raised concerns for folks who work in the fields and are alone waiting for their ride at 3 a.m.

“They’re in danger out alone waiting for their ride. Somebody just got killed sitting on their porch waiting on the east side for their ride,” an audience member said. “We get up when the sun is already out. They don’t.”

McFadden said they may need to wait inside until their ride arrives, and the department is working with Spanish-speaking news stations to communicate on how to stay safe.

Death and data

Stockton’s 43 homicides on the year are “within the historical pattern,” Black said. Murders are up 34% from this time last year.

“One homicide is one homicide too many. Period,” he said. “From a leadership standpoint, it’s important that we don’t overreact or prematurely react. We’re constantly looking at the numbers.”

Stockton City Manager Harry Black speaks at a public safety town hall meeting at  Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.
Stockton City Manager Harry Black speaks at a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

Over the past 12 years, the number of murders in Stockton have fluctuated from a high of 71 in 2012 — though Black settled for a high of 58 in 2011, calling 2012 an outlier year due to the city being in “absolute disarray” from the bankruptcy — to a low of 32 in 2013.

The Stockton Police Department’s homicide clearance rate so far this year is 45.45%. At 380 sworn officers, the department is a far cry from fully staffed at 485. Despite the ongoing officer exodus, Black said he believes Stockton is “leading the field” in intervention, prevention and enforcement.

“You have to find a balance between the three of those. It’s a daily, non-stop effort,” Black said.

As the leader of a lean police department, McFadden said he’s strategically expanded their enforcement since August. Non-fatal shootings are down 9% and aggravated assaults are down 14% on the year.

“When you’re thin, you’ve got to be smart and use technology and data, it helps you put the cops on the dots where you can predict what’s going to happen,” McFadden said. “The feedback that I’m getting from my ears on the street that have the pulse is that it’s been working.”

The data also shows some concerning trends, McFadden said.

“Of the 43 homicides, 40 of them are people of color,” McFadden said. “We need to dig deeper and see how it connects with the communities these people are living in and why it’s such a lopsided statistic like that.”

McFadden has been walking neighborhoods since he was sworn in on June 2, and acknowledged there’s more work to be done.

“There are some neighborhoods that we have not succeeded in building trust,” he said. “Some of these neighborhoods, ‘Coffee with a Cop’ is not going to cut it. We have to meet people where they are, and that’s something I’m committed to.”

Public safety a priority, is priority enough?

Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.
Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln speaks during a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

McFadden said town halls are what 21st-century policing is all about.

“We have city officials, clergy, clinicians, activists, folks on their knees in the weeds making sure we work together. That’s public safety, having all the different perspectives at the table problem solving together,” McFadden said. “So many people have told me about who they’ve lost … There’s pain in this community. But I think that pain makes us stronger.”

Lincoln said public safety remains the top priority of city council.

“Am I saying things are going to change overnight? Absolutely not. But what I am saying is your voice will be heard and we will take the necessary steps to fulfill our (responsibility) to the city of Stockton,” Lincoln said.

City officials spoke about the $5.7 million investment into mental health crisis teams with Community Medical Centers and the $4.3 million youth workforce development program. For some in attendance, the city’s work is just not cutting it.

“I grew up on the southside and I’m still in the same neighborhood. It’s worse than ever,” a south Stockton resident said. “There were gunshots last night on my block. Its nonstop … I live on the corner of a dead-end street. There’s a lot of drug trafficking. I’ve talked to code enforcement, everybody … it’s just going in circles.”

Toni McNeil of multi-faith nonprofit Faith in the Valley, who organized the event in partnership with the city, said the many questions that were not answered will be posted online when they are answered by the proper authorities.

Community organizer Toni McNeil speaks at a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.
Community organizer Toni McNeil speaks at a public safety town hall meeting at Victory in Praise Church in Stockton on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

Record reporter Ben Irwin covers Stockton and San Joaquin County government. He can be reached at birwin@recordnet.com or on Twitter @B1rwin. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at recordnet.com/subscribenow. 

This article originally appeared on The Record: Town hall meeting to discuss gun violence, serial killer