Community advocates for portable restrooms in downtown Calexico
Community advocates are looking to donate portable restrooms for farmworkers since city restrooms are still closed, but the Chief of Police wants them to follow proper protocols.
CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Community advocates are looking to place porta-potties around downtown Calexico but Police Chief Gonzalo Gerardo says it can't be done without going through the proper channels first.
Hundreds of farmworkers cross into Calexico daily, working in the fields to keep markets with fresh produce. However, these hard workers don't always have a place to go.
Several months ago, the city shut down restrooms in downtown Calexico due to COVID-19 and an uptick in vandalism.
Now, community advocates are stepping up for their farmers who depend on those bathrooms when they cross through the border for work.
Eric Reyes is one of those advocates and took to social media, sharing that the coalition is looking to place porta-potties for farm workers around the downtown area.
“We as advocates for the underserved look to see who our vulnerable populations are and farmworkers are definitely one and there is a lot of misinformation,” he said.
Chief of Police Gonzalo Gerardo for Calexico wants the community to know there is a process to make that happen.
“All we are asking is, make sure you get a permit and that the city approves it, once the city approves it is an approved project,” Chief Gerardo said.
The bathrooms can be used by anyone in downtown and Reyes says he has no problem with the process to make it happen.
"If we have to go through the protocol, we have no issues with it, if we need permits, we have no issues with it they assume that we were just going to go through with it," Reyes added.
"My job as the Police Chief is public safety and that includes that, somebody goes in there and overdoses someone falls into it or tips it over, we are the first on scene," Gerardo said.
If approved, these community advocates again hope the new bathrooms will make our field workers feel more appreciated and comfortable.
