Resident urges increased night patrols as police report multiple arrests after shot‑fired calls

A Chowchilla resident told the City Council on June 9 that recent vandalism and threats in neighborhoods have left Asian, Hispanic, Black and senior residents and local businesses feeling unsafe, and urged the city to increase nighttime patrols and neighborhood‑watch participation.

Titus Shields, a Chowchilla resident, cited vandalism of City League soccer goalposts, incidents of reckless gunfire, repeated targeting of local businesses and an episode in which a person was threatened while walking a dog. He asked for more community involvement and for citizens to report suspicious activity to the police.

Police Chief Jeff Palmer reported that since the council’s previous meeting the department had handled 1,201 calls for service and conducted 490 proactive activities. Chief Palmer said those responses resulted in 20 misdemeanor arrests, eight felony arrests and 41 citations. He described one arrest tied to a business break‑in near the county line and two arrests following separate shot‑fired reports; officers recovered a firearm in one of those incidents and another involved the seizure of an unregistered firearm.

Fire Chief Fred Gaumnitz’s report on incident volumes for May showed the fire department responded to 133 calls totaling 518 individual responses, including fires, hazardous situations and medical calls; the Chowchilla Volunteer Fire Department Association awarded two $400 scholarships to local graduating students pursuing health careers.

Council members did not record a formal direction beyond noting the reports. The public comments and the police report together underscored residents’ concerns about nighttime safety and prompted council and staff to note the importance of ongoing enforcement and community vigilance.