South Gate proclaims October for breast‑cancer, crime‑prevention and domestic‑violence awareness; sets Red Ribbon Week

The South Gate City Council at a special meeting issued proclamations declaring October 2025 as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Crime Prevention Month and National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Oct. 23–31, 2025, as National Red Ribbon Week in South Gate.

The proclamations were read on behalf of the council and will be presented to the South Gate Police Department. Mayor Maria Davila and council members recognized the police department’s participation in awareness programs and invited community involvement in the month’s events.

The breast cancer proclamation noted national observances and statistics included in the text read to the council: that “1 in 8 women have a lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer” and that “each year in the United States, about 316,000 women get breast cancer and 42,000 die from the disease,” language provided in the proclamation read by Councilmember Gail Otado.

South Gate Police Chief Darren Arcawa described the local Police Department’s long‑running participation in the Pink Patch Project, a law‑enforcement initiative that raises funds and awareness for breast cancer. “It is a legacy project for me,” Chief Arcawa said, recounting that the campaign began as an effort among a few Los Angeles County agencies and has grown to include agencies nationwide. He said local officers wear the pink patch during October and noted the project’s growth to “well over 1,100 agencies nationwide,” a figure he provided during remarks.

Councilman Rios read the Red Ribbon Week proclamation and Lieutenant Ramon Amador outlined outreach plans tied to that observance, saying officers will visit schools beginning Oct. 23 to promote drug‑free messages and encourage residents to wear red ribbons in support of community antidrug events.

Laura Maldonado, program manager for the Family Violence Prevention Program, accepted the domestic‑violence proclamation on behalf of victims and service providers and reported local service activity for 2025: “So far in 2025, we have facilitated 69 support groups. We placed 27 families in shelters, and we helped 24 families with restraining orders,” Maldonado said.

Mayor Maria Davila and council members thanked police and program staff for community outreach tied to the proclamations and said ceremonial copies would be provided to the South Gate Police Department and partner organizations, followed by a group photograph.

No formal votes or policy changes were recorded for these proclamations; they were presented as ceremonial recognitions and community outreach efforts.

Photo and outreach details: Council members said staff would distribute proclamations to the police department and related agencies and that the department will post schedules for school visits and neighborhood events connected to Red Ribbon Week and Crime Prevention Month.