City officials, community leaders and volunteers gathered Monday to celebrate the Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol’s one-year anniversary.

Locals launched the patrol in response to five attacks outside the San Diego Pride festival in 2006, as well as subsequent attacks in the surrounding neighborhoods. According to the patrol, street crime in Hillcrest decreased by 30 percent in December 2006 and January 2007.

“The reality is, there is a bulls-eye, a target on every gay man or woman who lives [openly],” said City Attorney Mike Aguirre, who honored co-founders Bob Lehman, City Commissioner Tom Felkner and longtime activist Nicole Murray-Ramirez with a certificate of recognition Monday. “This is a time to celebrate the community coming together to provide security, and respond to the threat of the security of the people in Hillcrest and surrounding communities.”

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, Police Chief William Lansdowne, District 3 Councilmember Toni Atkins, and Matt Foreman, the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force attended the event, held at the Bamboo Lounge in Hillcrest, along with representatives from the offices of Supervisor Ron Roberts, Sen. Christine Kehoe and Rep. Susan Davis.

The patrol recognized Lansdowne, Mayor Jerry Sanders and Murray-Ramirez with Stonewall Founders Awards, and recognized volunteers Michael Moulton and Lonnie Brunini for their service.

The grassroots safety organization has 24 active volunteers who patrol Hillcrest, North Park, University Heights and Adams Avenue.

The Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol received word from the San Diego Police Department that street crime, including attacks and muggings, decreased by 30 percent in Hillcrest in December 2006 and January 2007, said Ben Gomez, a logistics coordinator for the patrol.

“I think a lot of the impact that isn’t seen is in creating awareness with people and teaching them to be more alert to prevent an incident from happening in the first place,” said Lehman.

“We’re not taking credit – hopefully we helped, but the visibility has brought more police to the area, and when we’re patrolling, it’s one less police car that needs to be here.”

Volunteers from the patrol have attended town hall meetings and talked with residents about trouble areas in neighborhoods. In North Park, where street crime has been steady, community members have gone on ride alongs with Stonewall to point out where crime is worse.

“The advantage we have over the police department is that we live in these neighborhoods, so we know when something isn’t right,” Lehman said.

The patrol increased its presence along Adams Avenue in July, when someone shot and killed one man and shot and wounded his female companion in the 2900 block of Suncrest Drive.

Volunteers from the patrol have also helped in other neighborhoods. Recently, Stonewall volunteers handed out flyers in Pacific Beach with information about a shooting suspect. And, Gomex said, the patrol has received calls from residents in neighboring cities wondering why Stonewall doesn’t patrol in those areas.

“We hear constant ‘thank yous’ and ‘I appreciate what you’re doing’ from community members,” Gomez said. “We get a lot of support from the community.”

The San Diego Police Department reported 73 violent crimes in Hillcrest, 150 in North Park and 34 in University Heights from January to August 2007. Violent crimes include murders, rapes, armed robberies, armed street robberies and aggravated assaults.

In 2006, there were 116 violent crimes reported in Hillcrest, 233 in North Park and 42 in University Heights.

From January to August 2007, there have been 15 street armed street robberies in Hillcrest, 39 in North Park and five in University Heights. In 2006, there were 43 street armed robberies in Hillcrest, 74 in North Park and eight in University Heights.

From 2005 to 2006, there was little change in violent crimes reported in the neighborhoods.

Lehman said the San Diego Police Department has been very cooperative and proactive about patrolling the neighborhoods. The Stonewall Citizens’ Patrol reads crime statistics every week and adjusts its patrol accordingly.

“If we stop just one attack, in my opinion, it’s worth it,” Lehman said.