New injunctions granted in North County

ESCONDIDO — A Superior Court judge on Dec. 21 granted the request of the San Diego District Attorney’s office and local law enforcement against two reputed North County gangs.
The two court orders target 29 documented members of Escondido’s Diablos and Westside gangs.
This is the third injunction against these two gangs, and it comes on the heels of recent suspected gang violence in the city, including two fatal shootings and a stabbing, police said.
The district attorney’s office first filed civil injunctions against the two gangs in 2001, and then again in 2007.
According to police, about 180 of the approximately 350 documented gang members in Escondido are already listed on injunctions.
“Previous gang injunctions in the North County have been successful in making neighborhoods safer for law-abiding citizens who are being harassed, intimidated and victimized by gang members on a regular basis,” District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a press release.
San Diego’s first gang injunction was issued in 1997 against Oceanside’s Varrio Posole Locos gang. There have now been a total of 18 injunctions filed since that time throughout San Diego County.
“Crime and calls to 911 have gone down when we get these injunctions, and we will continue to use this legal strategy in the fight against gang violence,” Dumanis added.
The court order prohibits the more than two dozen gangsters from associating with other gang members, wearing gang affiliated clothing — such as certain colors and sports jerseys — or flashing hand signs while in the areas protected under the injunction known as “safety zones,” which are broken into two parts throughout the city.
The first area encompasses Escondido Boulevard and Midway to the west and east, and Lincoln Avenue and Grand Avenue to the north and south. The second region is Juniper Street to the east, Grand Avenue to the north, Felicita Avenue to the south and Upas Street to the west.
Violators of the injunction can face criminal prosecution resulting in a $1,000 fine and up to six months in jail.