National City Police Install ‘Skywatch’ Tower to Combat Human Trafficking, Prostitution – NBC 7 San Diego

Nancy Estelano has owned San Diego Leather for 19 years, located at the corner of National City Boulevard and 4th Street.^t Street.

“When I drive to work, I have to pass girls that are on the street approaching customers, and sometimes we see cars parked right on the street doing their business,” said Estelano, general manager of San Diego Leather.

This isn’t the kind of business she wants to be involved with. Last week, a National City police officer stopped to park something on her property.

“He just said, ‘I have a trailer, can I put it in your back lot?’ Sure, no problem. I had no idea what it would look like,” Estelano said.

Police said they have installed a “Skywatch” surveillance tower to deter crime near Roosevelt Avenue.

“Wow, it’s pretty big,” Estelano said of the watchtower. “It helps them keep a record of the trafficking of girls.”

According to a study by the University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene, the sex trafficking industry generates more than $800 million for San Diego’s illegal economy, with an average of 8,000 victims per year, with the average age being 16.

It’s a growing industry in National City.

National City police told NBC 7 the Skywatch system enhances the department’s ability to monitor the area using an advanced camera system.

“I think it’s very welcome,” said Marisa Ugarte, executive director of the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition.

Marisa Ugarte is the executive director of the Bilateral Corridor Coalition, an organization that fights human trafficking. She supports the new technology but said it’s not just about fighting prostitution.

“There were gunfights between gang members and dealers fighting dealers, and there’s a school right next door. It’s a good way to let buyers know that their license plates will be visible and that their license plates will be registered,” Ugarte said.

Police also placed no parking signs along the 4th^t street.

Estelano said she is grateful to police for fighting crime in the area, but she is concerned the signs could scare away customers.

“It’s starting to hurt our business because our employees have to park, and they don’t want to park here where batteries are being stolen from cars and our customers can’t park. So we’re asking our employees to park 10 blocks away. It’s just not right,” Estelano said.

In California, soliciting prostitution is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in prison and/or a maximum fine of $1,000.