In an effort to thwart the increase of gang violence on several California high school campuses, Assembly Majority Leader Alberto Torrico, D-Fremont, introduced the "Cops on Campus" program Tuesday morning.
The assemblyman made the announcement at Independence High School in San Jose, a campus that has had its share of gang issues in the past.
He was joined by brothers Cesar Torrico, principal at Franklin Elementary School in San Jose, and Fabian Torrico, a veteran of the San Jose Police Department.
"As I've traveled the state over the last year, I've spoken to hundreds of county sheriffs, local police departments, city council members and high school administrators and students," Assemblyman Torrico said. "And I was astounded to hear that crime clusters around high school campuses. And the reason for that is gangs are using high schools to recruit new members and sell their products drugs."
The assemblyman's Cops on Campus program will put uniformed police officers on 100 California high school campuses.
He said schools will mostly be eligible due to poverty levels around the campus, single parent households in the district, and the population of English as a second language students, among other criteria.
