Huntington Park, home to over 58,000 residents, is a small but lively community that is known for having one of the highest crime rates, placing it among the most dangerous cities in California. As concerns over the safety of our residents grow, a question still remains… is crime in Huntington Park increasing or finally starting to decrease?
To fully understand how our community feels, we reached out to teachers and students about their sense of safety, the security at our school, and their personal experiences with crime in the area.
Despite Huntington Park’s reputation, some students do in fact feel safe strolling through the neighborhood. “I do believe HP is a safer place than other cities in LA because I barely see any tents on the sidewalk compared to downtown or South Central,” said Daniela Bravo, a senior at Huntington Park High School.
However, others express concerns, particularly regarding walking home. Another senior who wishes to remain anonymous, shared her traumatic experiences walking home.
On September 10th while walking home with her younger sister, she recounted, “As we were walking, I heard somebody screaming for help. I turned my head, and that’s when I saw someone about to get stabbed in the alleyway we always pass by. I froze, my first instinct was to tell my sister to run. We were both three minutes away from our home… We both made it home safely, but we were crying and shaking because of how scared I was.”
This scary moment shows that despite some residents feeling safe, others have witnessed firsthand crimes that can occur, making people feel unsafe in their own neighborhoods.
Another senior, Susana Angeles, voiced similar concerns. While she believes Huntington Park is a safer place compared to other low-income neighborhoods she still has her worries. When it comes to walking home, she has mixed feelings.
“Walking home sometimes feels safe… But on the other hand, walking in the opposite direction of where I live makes my stomach turn, especially when I pass by the Home Depot next to my school. I’ve had grown men give me unwanted stares and call me inappropriate names as I walk past them. I start to panic, especially since that area is mostly full of men. I try to avoid walking alone in that area because I feel like it’s unsafe.”
In addition to these experiences, another student Christopher Arana, a senior who has only lived in Huntington Park for only a few months shared his thoughts. In his short amount of time living here, he has witnessed many crimes.
“I’ve seen assaults occurring right outside my house, i’ve seen people under the influence of drugs that aren’t necessarily legal, and i’ve heard gunshots, all within the few months of living here.”
While Christopher feels moderately safe walking home, he still remains cautious because anything can happen. “The route I take is filled with people, making me feel comfortable. However, I do still tend to pay attention to where I’m going and not walk around so freely knowing what happens around this city.”
Teachers in the community also have varied opinions on safety. “From my experience, I feel safe when I’m in the neighborhood. I can walk the streets, I can drive around, and I feel safe” said Mr Bonsteel, a long-time teacher at Huntington Park High School. His experiences reflect a level of comfort that many others in the community feel, despite the area’s high crime statistics.
“But when it comes to the safety of the school, concerns still remain. Security wise, I think we need to bring back school safety officers. “
While Huntington Park may carry a reputation for being dangerous, those who live and work here have different opinions. For some, like Daniela Bravo, it’s a place of safety and peaceful community. For others, especially those concerned about school security, improvements are needed. The debate continues, but one thing is clear, Huntington Park residents care deeply about the well being of their community and others around them.
By Evelyn Salgado, Staff writer
Photo credit: LoopNet.com (Pacific Blvd Huntington Park, CA 90255)