Are Police Relying More on the Community? - Central Coast News KION/KCBA

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. - Its a phrase you've heard hundreds of times after a crime in your city happens: "We need the public's help" or " We can't solve this case without information from the public."

It's happening so many times law enforcement are admitting cases are going unsolved. "Most of these crimes we can't solve without witnesses or people coming forward that have the information. A lot of times these crimes won't get solved just based on that fact," said Deputy Aril Skalland, Santa Cruz Sheriff's.

You may be asking yourself isn't it the detectives and officers job to investigate these crimes? Law enforcement I talked to say not entirely.

"People live in these communities, we don't always live in these communities, so we don't know who their neighbors are," said Deputy Stefan Fish.

Santa Cruz Sheriff's Office is running on a 20% deficit in their operations division which means 20% less Sheriffs on the street. And said they can't watch out for the community alone.

"There's not as much law enforcement as there was 10 years ago driving around so it's more important citizens take that initiative," said Fish.

There are Sheriffs Centers around Santa Cruz County in order to get the community to come forward with information. Deputies said that they don't always work but are just one of the tools law enforcement are using to get the community to speak up.

"We are getting out of our cars, lets talk to the public, lets get to know the neighborhood, lets get to know the neighborhood, lets get to know what the problem houses are," said Skalland.