California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Winter Magazine-FINAL | Page 38

Policing from the Heart
COMMUNITY UNITING
LOW RES IMAGE
By Nick Borges, Deputy Chief, Seaside Police Department
S
easide California is located on the Central Coast of
the Monterey Peninsula. The peninsula is known
for its beautiful beach fronts, world renowned golf
courses and home to the legendary actor, producer
and director; Clint Eastwood. The Monterey Peninsula is
not all glamour and swank. At the center of the peninsula
is a small town with a population of about 34,000 called
Seaside.
The City of Seaside was incorporated in 1954 and
through the years has seized a reputation as a diverse com-
munity with a history of gang violence and drug dealing.
At one time, Seaside was such a feared town, local law
enforcement referred to it as “Mini-Compton.” There is no
other area in Seaside more infamous for contributing to
Seaside’s former reputation during the late 1960’s and well
into the 1990’s than the Del Monte Manor. The Del Monte
Manor is the largest low-income housing development on
the peninsula.
For decades, the Del Monte Manor was referred to as
“The Projects.” In the early 2000’s, veteran Seaside police
officers would share stories about the violence and tension
between residents of the Del Monte Manor and police. One
police sergeant would say, “We could not go into that com-
plex without at least three cops.” They would throw bottles
at us and sometimes even shoot at us.”
These types of stories added merit to the newer gener-
ation of police officers when a 1969 cold case homicide was
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reopened. 19 year-old Chris Lopes was stabbed in one of
the driveways shortly after the housing development first
opened in 1969. Archived police reports detail a delayed
police response resulting from hostility toward the police
from a large crowd. One report described the delay to be
about 20 minutes before officers were able to tend to Lopes
who ultimately succumbed to his wounds.
The Del Monte Manor has been featured in numerous
local rap videos for years as a legendary landmark to Sea-
side’s dangerous history and reputation.
Fast forward to 2016
A police officer that patrols the area of the Del Monte
Manor each day stops alongside the roadway and observes
young children playing on a rundown and dated play-
ground surrounded by sand. The officer has his window
down and hears a mother shout out to her young son,
“Don’t play in there too long, I don’t want to get fleas in the
house again.”
This very well could have been the end of a sad obser-
vation. Fortunately, it was only the beginning of something
that would prove to be remarkable.
The officer got out of his patrol car and began asking
questions. “How long has this park been here? Why isn’t there
a nicer playground for the kids to play in?” The information
gathered was shocking. The playground equipment was
donated by the City of Seaside well over 35 years prior. At that
time, the equipment was being replaced for newer equipment