Tipped off that two rival gangs were planning a combined attack on their downtown headquarters, Santa Paula police went on tactical alert, hunkered down and waited for what might come.
An informant told police that gangs wanted to firebomb the city's small station and spray it with machine-gun fire--an act of revenge for the shooting of one of their own by federal agents during a drug bust.
"I wouldn't put it past them to come by in the curtain of darkness and crank off some rounds," said Police Chief Bob Gonzales, explaining his decision to declare an alert and request the help of 10 sheriff's deputies.
"Had I not taken the threats seriously I wouldn't have been doing my job."
There was no attack that April night. But the fact that the threat was taken seriously underscores the magnitude of Santa Paula's gang problems and its inability to break the cycle of poverty and delinquency that has stalked this city for three decades.
Santa Paula, a farming town of 30,000, was once a thriving business and cultural center, but the city fell on hard times after the oil industry pulled out.
And repeated efforts by city leaders to recapture past glories have failed. The city's picturesque Main Street, still used as a backdrop for Hollywood movies, is now lined with thrift shops and noisy bars.
Crime surged nearly 13% last year because of sharp increases in robbery and theft. So far this year, there have been two homicides and three drive-by shootings.
"Crime is starting to take over, and if we don't get ahold of it, it will be out of hand," Det. Daryl Koranda said. "We're at the border right now.... If people would help us out in Santa Paula, we could change things a lot. Eighty percent of the people who [witness crimes] will say nothing because of gang retaliation."
The city has five street gangs and about 200 members. With 22 patrol officers, there is only so much that law enforcement can do to stem the tide of violence, Det. Jamey Maclellan said.
"We don't have enough officers," said Maclellan, a seven-year veteran of the department. "Six more officers would be ideal."
Earlier this year, the city received assistance from a special team of agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, whose mission is to assist police in drug-plagued communities.
A dozen agents participated in a joint undercover operation with police.
