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ong>Patterson says Garcia dragged his feet on issue

OGDEN -- Council Chairman Jesse Garcia said he objects to a claim from a top municipal official who contends he purposely delayed a vote on several police department ordinances because of a family member's previous gang affiliation.

The ordinances, approved Tuesday night by the Ogden City Council, are aimed at preventing street gangs from recruiting new members and loitering in designated crime hot spots.

Garcia said he was surprised when John Patterson, the city's chief administrative officer, told Councilman Brandon Stephenson that Garcia was dragging his feet in getting the ordinances passed to protect a relative.

"I don't know what the motive was for (saying) that," Garcia said.

Garcia denied the accusation, but added his son was once a gang member as a juvenile and has since turned his life around.

Patterson did not attend Tuesday night's council meeting.

However, he said in a phone interview that in November, the administration submitted several anti-crime ordinances to the council for consideration.

However, it took until February for the council to begin reviewing the ordinances, and it wasn't until Tuesday night that those addressing gangs were approved, he said.

Patterson said he couldn't understand why it took so long for Garcia to lead efforts for approval of the ordinances.

"The only thing that seemed plausible was the speculation of the difficulty of Jesse having a son who was gang-affiliated," he said, adding that he expressed his concern verbally to Stephenson in May.

"The speculation was based on a reliable source. Why did it take nine months to get these tools in the hands of our police department? It's unconscionable."

Patterson refused to reveal who told him Garcia's son had been in a gang. Stephenson could not be reached for comment.

The city's annual budget process and scheduling conflicts contributed to the delay in approving the ordinances, Garcia said.

The ordinance will be implemented as need arises in those areas determined by computer models to have excessive gang-related activity, Ogden Police Chief Jon Greiner said.

Police will take a zero tolerance stance in those areas toward gang recruitment and loitering.

Individuals found engaged in overt gang-related activity, such as wearing distinctive clothing and tattoos, making gang signs or congregating in large groups would be issued a warning by police and asked to leave the area.

If they returned they would be cited for a class B misdemeanor, which carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, Greiner said.

City residents would be notified of designated crime hot spots through the media and possibly notices included with utility bills, he said.

As many as 15 officers, including members of the police department's gang enforcement unit, will receive special training over the next four months to become familiar with the ordinances, said Greiner.

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