Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Providing Cameras to Street Vendors in First-of-Kind Program
gvw_david_taub
By David Taub, Senior Reporter
Published 2 years ago on
March 30, 2022

Share

One year after the murder of Fresno street vendor Lorenzo Perez, the city is taking action to prevent future criminal acts.

In a $20,000 pilot program called the first of its kind, 20 cameras will be installed on street vendor carts.

“There’s no other city in the state of California that is doing anything close.  I consider this to be first in the nation,” Councilman Luis Chavez said.

The idea came from the vendors themselves, who organized last year after Perez’s death.

The camera program “gives (street vendors) another layer of safety while they’re out working 12 hour days in our community,” Fresno City Councilman Miguel Arias said at a news conference Wednesday morning at the Mosqueda Community Center.

“If you plan on assault, stealing from our mobile food vendors, expect to be caught on camera. Expect to be arrested, be held accountable because the days of our mobile food vendors simply being vulnerable are no longer here,” Arias said.

Recordings will be maintained on a cloud system, accessed by the individual vendors.

The goal is not only to record possible crimes, but to deter them as well. Arias relayed a story from one vendor who noticed students behaving much better when buying items from his cart.

The money will used for cameras, software and storage space for the videos. Ironworkers Local 155 helped attach the cameras to the carts.

Vendors Organize

Following the death of Perez, vendors organized an official trade group to discuss safety, as well as build a better relationship with the city.

Police arrested a man in the March 2021 killing of Perez. His court case is ongoing.

Lopez’s murder was the second of a food vendor in recent years. There have been several other incidents of robberies and other crimes.

As a condition to receive a city-provided camera, vendors must meet local business and safety standards.

Chavez said there is an added benefit with the city working with food vendors so they can “come out of the shadows.”

“We actually are now putting our money where our mouth is. And helping them with the support services,” Chavez said.

Another goal is to organize a community kitchen for vendors to prepare healthy foods. The city has committed $5 million.

“Mobile vendors by virtue of them being mobile, have an opportunity to play a very important impact in increasing access to healthy foods. We want to encourage them,” said Veva Islas, director of advocacy group Cultiva la Salud, and also a Fresno Unified trustee.

Islas’ goals are more aspirational. The vendors’ wares on display included Takis, pork rinds and the ever-popular elote.

Justified City Expense

The funds for the pilot program come from the council operating budgets of Arias and Chavez.

Asked why the city is covering the costs for the cameras, Arias said it is similar to other subsidies the city grants, especially during the pandemic.

“Some of them were parklets that the city funded for outdoor dining. Others have been in relief in helping them pay their mortgage, rent. We’ve been forgiving some of the folks who owe back rent,” Arias said. “A thousand dollars for a mobile food vendor to have security and make sure that they’re not robbed is a very small investment.”

Fresno City councilmen Miguel Arias (left) and Luis Chavez enjoy elote at a food vendor cart retrofitted with a security camera. (GV Wire/David Taub)

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

DON'T MISS

Fresno Unified’s Self-Protection Racket Is Hurting Our Kids

DON'T MISS

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Tackles Animal Overpopulation with New Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

DON'T MISS

Supermom Carmi Is Ready to Be Embraced by Her Forever Family

DON'T MISS

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

DON'T MISS

Corrupt Process? Bullard, Edison Parents Blast Handling of Superintendent Search

DON'T MISS

Deputies Arrest Fresno Urban Peace Graduate After Finding Him With 25 Guns

DON'T MISS

Fresno Mayor Dyer Is the Man in Japan

DON'T MISS

Trump Media Group CEO Nunes Headlines Fresno GOP Event

No data was found
David Taub,
Senior Reporter
Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

Facebook News Tab Will Soon Be Unavailable as Meta Scales Back News and Political Content

4 hours ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

4 hours ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

5 hours ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

5 hours ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

5 hours ago

Biden’s Fundraiser with Obama and Clinton Nets a Record $25 Million, His Campaign Says

6 hours ago

Fresno Unified’s Self-Protection Racket Is Hurting Our Kids

6 hours ago

Rockin’ Out or Laughing, the Valley Has Its Pick of Weekend Events

7 hours ago

Ex-Correctional Officer at Women’s Prison in California Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Inmates

9 hours ago

Caitlin Clark and Iowa Draw Nearly 5 Million Viewers for Second-Round NCAA Win

9 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Riverside Golf Course Introduces Military Veterans to the Game

PGA HOPE, now underway at Fresno’s Riverside Golf Course, is designed to introduce golf to veterans and active duty military members t...

3 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Fresno's Riverside Golf Course
3 hours ago

PGA HOPE at Riverside Golf Course Introduces Military Veterans to the Game

4 hours ago

Cronenworth’s Big Hit Helps Lift the Padres to a 6-4 Win Over Melvin’s Giants

4 hours ago

Shohei Ohtani Reaches 3 Times in Home Debut as the Dodgers Rout the Cardinals 7-1

4 hours ago

Facebook News Tab Will Soon Be Unavailable as Meta Scales Back News and Political Content

4 hours ago

Stock Market Today: Wall Street Rises to More Records to Close Out Its Latest Winning Month

5 hours ago

A Fresno County First: Kerman Council Passes Amended Gaza Cease-Fire Resolution

5 hours ago

UN Top Court Orders Israel to Open More Land Crossings for Aid into Gaza

5 hours ago

How Involved Is Southern California Consulting Firm in FUSD Executive Dealings?

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend