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SANTA BARBARA, CA — On 04/03/09 at approximately 3:00 p.m., officers responded to a large crowd of suspected gang member gathering at the Franklin Center, 1136 East Montecito Street. Upon arrival officers estimated that approximately 20 suspected gang members or associates were present around the Franklin Center. Officers told the crowd to disperse and some did. The remaining individuals dispersed into smaller groups and remained in the vicinity of the Franklin Center.

In the meantime, other officers contacted the reporting party at the Franklin Center. Officers were told that possible rival gang members were brought to the Franklin Center to seek treatment. The suspected gang members outside became aware of this and began looking through the windows of the center to verify who was inside. Hand signs and gestures were exchanged between the individuals outside and inside the center. The subjects outside began to position themselves at the entrances and the exits to the clinic. Clinic personnel closed the blinds and locked all the doors to the facility and called the police. Police made arrangements to escort those suspected gang members inside of the facility out to their vehicle. Police informed them not to say or do anything while being escorted to their car. Officers escorted them to their car and watched them drive away.

Officers were in the process of dispersing those remaining in the area of the Franklin Center. One officer observed a suspected gang member taking photos of the officers. The officer then began to take photos with his cell phone. One of the subjects in the group, later identified as Saul Antonio Cruz, 19 years of age, saw the officer taking pictures. Cruz reached for the officer?s phone, grabbed it, and attempted to take the cell phone from the officer. Cruz was taken into custody and booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for Attempt Robbery, Resisting /Delaying an Officer, Battery on a Peace Officer, and Participation in a Criminal Street Gang. Another officer was in the process of telling people to leave the area when he noticed an individual that wasn?t complying. The officer approached the 16 year old male juvenile and again instructed him to leave the area. The juvenile then pushed out his chest, stepped forward, and pushed his weight towards the officer ?bumping? the officer. The 16 year old juvenile was taken into custody and booked at Juvenile Hall for Battery on a Peace Officer.

Other officers noticed a group of five individuals walking away from the area. Officers were aware that these individuals had been part of the crowd outside of the Franklin Center. Officers yelled at the group to stop but they continued walking away. One in the group said, “I can’t hear you.” Officers yelled a second time and the subjects, now approximately a block away, refused to stop. Officers ran to their location and ordered the group to stop and sit down–all but two complied. One of the individuals, later identified as Joaquin Perez, age 18, had to be physically taken to the ground and arrested. Perez was booked into Santa Barbara County Jail for Resisting/Delaying an Officer. The second subject, a 15 year old male juvenile, was also taken to the ground and arrested after failing to comply with additional orders to stop and challenging an officer to fight. The 15 year old was released to the care of his mother. Officers recommended that Juvenile Probation file a petition against the juvenile for Resisting/Delaying an Officer and Challenging to Fight.

Initially 3 officers were sent to the call and a total of 8 officers responded to deal with the incident. There were no officer injuries reported. The police department would like to commend the actions of the Franklin Center personnel. Their actions in locking down the facility and promptly calling the police contributed to the protection of all patients inside of the clinic.

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