FRESNO, Calif (KFSN) -- Farm workers across the Central Valley are some of those who are hardest hit by this unprecedented drought. Now a group of South Valley officers is reaching out to them to prevent an increase in drought related crimes.
"We don't have too much hours of work and they are cutting our hours of working," said Migel Garicia.
Garcia, who is a field worker, told us he's often sent home early these days because there just aren't enough farming jobs in Avenal. "Everybody needs to pay bills right? Everybody needs to pay rent," said Garcia.
On patrol police chief Jack Amoroso has seen more families than ever struggling to survive during this drought. He showed us some of the roughest parts of town where farm workers live and now, can't even afford. "The drought creates a situation of unemployment and the unemployment creates a situation of people trying to determine how they are going to feed their families," said Amoroso.
Officers expect to see a spike in car break-ins and home burglaries as the drought dries up farming jobs. "More of a crime of opportunity, I don't see a significant amount of violent crime increase because that's not what these people would do to feed their families," said Amoroso.
Police are working with families with non-profits to help train them in other careers and connect them with vital services provided by Proteus and Kings Community Action.
"We have been very successful training truck drivers; we have been very successful training solar workers," said John Bailey with Proteus.
"We are here to provide them with services that would help them to maintain a lifestyle that anyone of us would want to have for our families, that includes food assistance, utility assistance," said Jeff Garner with Kings Community Action.
But chief Amoroso says it's been hard convincing undocumented farming families to come forward because so many are afraid of deportation. "I don't care what their immigration status is. They are citizens of Avenal so we have to take care of their needs," said Amoroso.
http://www.kcao.org/assistance/