NATIONAL CITY, Calif. — While dozens of arrests were made earlier this year in a sex-trafficking crackdown in both National City and San Diego, the problem continues to plague both cities.
The National City Police Department is now using a video surveillance tower to try to crack down on the persistent problem of prostitution in the area along Roosevelt Avenue. However, some are questioning whether it will really make a difference in the long run.
"For sure there a fewer... there used to be a lot," said Jeffrey Maulupe, who has noticed that since this unmanned surveillance tower, recording activity around it, went up, foot traffic, especially of sex workers, has gone down.
But he questions how long its impact will last.
"Cameras aren't going to do nothing," he added. "I feel like everybody needs to be patrolling more."
Patrols in this area appear to be more frequent.
"This tower is an incredible thing because it provides a look-out," said Marisa Ugarte of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition, dedicated to fighting sex trafficking.
She is a passionate supporter of National City's move to use this video surveillance technology.
"It means, I am watching you and to me that is very important from the buyers' point of view, because they're going to record their license plates and we're going to get the visuals of the pimps on those streets."
Ugarte said she'd like the City of San Diego to try a similar strategy to help combat prostitution in hot spots like Dalbergia Street in Barrio Logan.
While she's applauding National City's local effort, she is blasting certain statewide legislation, like the 'Safer Streets for All' Act, which she says makes it more difficult for law enforcement to make arrests and to protect sex-trafficking victims.
"Law enforcement can not go and address a minor who they suspect is there," Ugarte told CBS 8. "They cannot address a victim who is being trafficked, because it is against the law now. You have to wait until somebody gets into a car and there is an exchange of money."
Ugarte added that more needs to be done to make purchasing a minor for sex a felony in California.
Newly proposed legislation, known as Senate Bill 1414, would exempt 16 and 17 year-olds from that group: only protecting those 15 and under.
"How dare you?" Ugarte said, criticizing this proposed bill, which she says should protect everyone under the age of 18.
Senate Bill 1414 is still making its way through the state legislature.
Watch Related: Chula Vista holds 11th annual binational conference to combat human trafficking (Aug 1, 2024)