Police in Tracy, California, finally arrested a serial grooper this month — but only after multiple women were attacked in their own neighborhoods, raising the same question working Americans ask every time: how long were complaints piling up before someone acted?
According to CBS News, the Tracy Police Department launched its investigation in late April after receiving reports that a suspect was approaching women from behind while they jogged, groping them, and then fleeing the area. Police identified 20-year-old Edgar Avalos of Tracy as the primary suspect. When officers contacted Avalos at his home, he admitted to the reported crimes. He was arrested and booked into jail.
Tracy Police Chief Sekou Millington offered the standard assurance: "Our officers take these reports seriously and are committed to thoroughly investigating them and holding those responsible accountable."
Fair enough. But the question isn't whether police eventually did their job — it's what took so long, and how many women had to be violated before the system responded with urgency. CBS News reports that "each victim shared similarities," suggesting a pattern that had to build up before it warranted the attention it deserved from the start. The general investigations unit reviewed reports and canvassed the area, eventually tracing the suspect's movements back to the vicinity of where he lived.
What CBS doesn't report is just as telling: How many incidents occurred before the late April investigation began? Were there earlier complaints that didn't trigger action? Was Avalos known to law enforcement? In an era of progressive prosecutors and soft-on-crime policies that routinely prioritize the comfort of offenders over the safety of ordinary citizens, communities across the country have learned the hard way that one complaint often isn't enough. The system waits for a pile of victims before it moves.
Tracy is a working-class city in San Joaquin County. The women who were attacked were doing what Americans should be free to do without fear — jogging in their own neighborhoods. The right to walk your streets safely isn't a partisan issue. It's the most basic function of government.
Police are now asking anyone who experienced similar behavior to come forward. That appeal itself suggests there may be more victims who hadn't been heard — or hadn't been listened to — until the headlines forced the issue.
The arrest is good news. The open question is whether it took more victims than it should have.
