Guerneville marks turning point in campaign to address crime, nuisances along Russian River

Guerneville residents and community officials gathered Monday to express their appreciation for a law enforcement campaign they credit with restoring a sense of public safety and calm after a pair of arson cases, a rash of petty crime and rising complaints about the town’s street population.

At a barbecue hosted by the Guerneville Community Alliance, an advocacy group assembled to try to address recent quality of life concerns, founder and local fire board member Mark Emmett praised the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office with direct action targeting street crime and homeless outreach.

“It’s made a huge difference,” Emmett said.

Staffing moves that freed up deputies for street patrols and proactive enforcement at trouble spots have been two game changers, Emmett said. He also credited Sheriff’s Lt. Jim Naugle, who oversees community policing in the Russian River area, with improved communication, enabling deputies to be more responsive to specific requests and concerns from residents and business people.

“It’s made a huge difference in the feedback I’ve been getting from the community,” Emmett said.

The barbecue at Guerneville River Park - attended by about 30 people, including Sheriff Steve Freitas, a CHP representative and Russian River fire officials - marked an apparent turnabout in the town’s relationship with law enforcement and its latest effort to confront a host of problems that stirred public outrage just six months ago.

That is when dozens of speakers in an auditorium full of discontented citizens assailed county and law enforcement officials, accusing them of abandoning the town to brazen drug dealers, petty criminals and an increasingly unmanageable street population.

The town hall meeting, attended by more than 400 people, came after a series of structure fires in the area, including two deemed arson, that brought citizen concerns “to a boiling point,” said Jeniffer Wertz, who works with Emmett in Guerneville Community Alliance.

One resident January described a growing sense of lawlessness in the river community while others complained of public drunkenness and public urination, open drug consumption and distribution, everyday disturbances, theft and vandalism throughout town.

“Clearly the problem wasn’t being recognized by our government in Santa Rosa,” Wertz said.

Freitas said Monday that while the town hall meeting may have seemed contentious to some, it proved a productive listening opportunity for law enforcement.

Sheriff’s Capt. Mark Essick conceded Monday that “in hindsight, the relationship had been neglected,” but said the community’s improved wellbeing is due to the collaborative efforts of community groups and those who in county health and mental health units who can help provide options for those ready to leave the streets.

“We have a tremendous amount of power as cops, but it’s a very narrow focus,” Essick said. “You need partners.”

In the past year, the Guerneville Community Alliance and another organization, the Clean River Alliance, have emerged as twin forces propelling action to improve the area.

Many of the guests Monday were associated with river group, whose volunteers regularly tackle cleanups of messy river banks and homeless encampments, collecting so much trash they’ve hauled away 45 tons this year alone, organizers said.

“That’s slacking numbers for us,” said Robin Johnson, one of the group’s regular volunteers. “I think we’re a pretty groovy, easygoing community and when there’s a problem we come together.”

Naugle echoed that assessment.

“To me,” he said, “that’s the biggest difference out here, is how completely invested these people are in their community.”

You can reach Staff Writer Mary Callahan at 521-5249 or mary.callahan@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @MaryCallahanB.