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SAN DIEGO – A spike in crime has the San Diego Police Officers Association calling out city leaders.

Over the past few days, there have been a number of shootings in San Diego, from freeways to public parks to popular tourist destinations. Some police officers are now saying enough is enough.

With chaos in the parks, the San Diego Police Officers Association is raising the alarm over the 12th murder at a park in the city of San Diego.

“That’s very dramatic,” Jared Wilson, president of the police union, said. “It’s in comparison to 2019 when there was only two murders, citywide in parks. Any murder in a city park is too much.”

The latest occurred Friday at Teralta Park. Officers noted 11 other deaths at local parks since May of last year.

“Violence is escalating in the streets and we’re not able to keep up with it with the staffing we have, with the resources we have – a lot of the low-level offenders are released immediately and it’s tragic,” Wilson said.

Just last week, officers responded to two shootings on Interstate 8, one involving a California Highway Patrol officer. The other was a road rage incident with a suspect still on the loose.

Recent shootings also happened at Belmont Park and police responded to a shooting at Shelter Island over the weekend.

“To be a big city cop is very difficult now and the level of scrutiny is very high which is on some level appropriate, but we need more officers,” says Wilson.

The SDPOA called out Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe who chairs the Public Safety and Livable Neighborhoods Committee. They want her and the rest of the council to do more to curb violence.

“She has brought forth in her work plan for the year the Protect Act, when she has not prioritized anything else. We’re raising an alarm and a red flag to say no your priorities are wrong, you need to fix this,” Wilson said.

Montgomery Steppe released this statement to FOX 5:

“There is a pattern of disregard for communities South of the 8, which has undoubtedly contributed to the cycle of violence in our communities. The SDPOA’s ignorance to the compound deprivation of these communities, which they have taken an oath to serve and protect, exacerbates our current dilemma of growing violence in our city. ”