06/26/2007 - Fresno police officers are facing another challenge just hours after they launched an operation to cut down on summer violence.
Chief Dyer noticed the dangerous shooting trend in the last few weeks and created a task force to tackle the problem. But, just minutes after that team went home for the night; a Southwest Fresno man is shot and killed.
Just nine hours after Fresno police kicked off an operation to curb the recent rash of shooting deaths in Southern and Central Fresno, there was another deadly round of bullets. This one at 2:30 am Tuesday on Poppie and Grove.
It's the 32nd shooting in Fresno in the last 3 weeks. Earlier Monday evening, a team of 70 officers hit the streets and Operation Summer Heat was in full force.
The night brought only one felony arrest. But 30 minutes after officers on the task force called it a night, the man on Poppie and Grove was killed.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says, "The fact that an individual was shot and killed in our city just further demonstrates the fact that we need this operation in place."
Robert Thomas says people on these streets know exactly when cops start and end their shifts. He believes last night's drive by shooting was timed perfectly. Thomas lives nearby and he says, "I think they did their job and right after it happened, I guess the guys were in the neighborhood. Whoever they had a problem with, they took upon themselves to handle it."
Chief Jerry Dyer says he tries to stay one step ahead of them by constantly changing his officers' hours.
Other efforts are showing signs of success. Since Fresno police kicked off Operation Bulldog last November, the chief says they've arrested 3,200 Bulldog Gang members and violent crime is down. Dyer says he's even gotten calls from police in Wyoming and Montana saying the Bulldogs are moving there.
Robert Thomas says he has his doubts about whether these police crackdowns really work. "It might help, but it's not going to stop the problem."
Chief Dyer says he'll keep Operation Bulldog around for as long as it takes to rid the city of Bulldog Gang members. Operation Summer Heat will be around as long as the heat is.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=5425399
Chief Dyer noticed the dangerous shooting trend in the last few weeks and created a task force to tackle the problem. But, just minutes after that team went home for the night; a Southwest Fresno man is shot and killed.
Just nine hours after Fresno police kicked off an operation to curb the recent rash of shooting deaths in Southern and Central Fresno, there was another deadly round of bullets. This one at 2:30 am Tuesday on Poppie and Grove.
It's the 32nd shooting in Fresno in the last 3 weeks. Earlier Monday evening, a team of 70 officers hit the streets and Operation Summer Heat was in full force.
The night brought only one felony arrest. But 30 minutes after officers on the task force called it a night, the man on Poppie and Grove was killed.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says, "The fact that an individual was shot and killed in our city just further demonstrates the fact that we need this operation in place."
Robert Thomas says people on these streets know exactly when cops start and end their shifts. He believes last night's drive by shooting was timed perfectly. Thomas lives nearby and he says, "I think they did their job and right after it happened, I guess the guys were in the neighborhood. Whoever they had a problem with, they took upon themselves to handle it."
Chief Jerry Dyer says he tries to stay one step ahead of them by constantly changing his officers' hours.
Other efforts are showing signs of success. Since Fresno police kicked off Operation Bulldog last November, the chief says they've arrested 3,200 Bulldog Gang members and violent crime is down. Dyer says he's even gotten calls from police in Wyoming and Montana saying the Bulldogs are moving there.
Robert Thomas says he has his doubts about whether these police crackdowns really work. "It might help, but it's not going to stop the problem."
Chief Dyer says he'll keep Operation Bulldog around for as long as it takes to rid the city of Bulldog Gang members. Operation Summer Heat will be around as long as the heat is.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=5425399
