Stockton Chief Warns Of Growing Police Crisis In His City

STOCKTON (CBS13) - It's easy to find more signs of crime on this day in Stockton - a Blood stain from a fight hours earlier outside a convenience store.

"It's bad, slows things down, people get scared of coming here," store owner Adam Asunari said. "It runs customers away."

No police responded to this scene although the assault may have gone unreported.

Just weeks after Stockton's police chief swore in new officers, he is drawing the state Capitol's attention to his city's policing problems.

Already down 20 officers and expecting up to 40 more to leave over the next year because of Stockton's reduced compensation packages, he's imploring lawmakers to agree on pension reform so Stockton can offer competitive pay.

In a letter sent to the governor and legislative leaders Chief Eric jones wrote:

"We have reached the point where we struggle to retain and recruit qualified employees for police.

"This is not a good situation in a City which is already ranked as one of the ten most dangerous cities in the United States

"The Police Department … has not located a qualified experienced officer from another agency in the past several years."

Stockton's financial crisis has already made headlines with its recent bankruptcy filing. Now its police department is sending out a warning of a looming safety crisis.

"It's important that we acknowledge it, and we talk about it," department spokesman Officer Joe Silva said.

Ted Bloxham, 82, has experienced the growing crime problem firsthand. He was robbed right in front of his north Stockton home.

"He said 'Give me your necklace or I'll shoot you,' and I looked up at him and I almost laughed," he said.

But it was no joke. Bloxham was pushed to the ground in front of his own home and the suspect ripped his gold chain off his neck.

For the first time in his four decades in the city, Bloxham said he's worried about his personal safety.

"I'm worried about this one particular type of crime," he said.