Private security to patrol Lakewood neighborhoods
Council adopts $400K spending program in response to "The Purge", other high-profile crime.
By Brian Maquena
March 22, 2022
LAKEWOOD, CALIF. — City Council on Tuesday approved a $400,000 spending program that, among other things, hires private security guards to patrol Lakewood neighborhoods at night.
“When our residents go to sleep at night, we want somebody looking over their homes and property so they can rest easier...our deputies are not always able to do that,” said Councilman Todd Rogers, who portrayed Lakewood as safe while approving a “bold” spending program in response to recent area-crime plastered across local TV news channels.
The $400,000 spending program unanimously adopted at Tuesday’s Council meeting will pay for the following:
$175,000 for a private security pilot program;
$75,000 for increased LA County Sheriff’s Department patrols;
$85,000 for 10 license-plate reading cameras;
$20,000 for about 400 security cameras via a rebate program;
$30,000 for a radar trailer/mobile message board to provide public safety messages and help with the license-plate camera network;
$15,000 for community public safety events.
Also discussed was a possible ordinance, in the future, to regulate catalytic converters with an owner’s identification, as well as a city prosecutor for misdemeanors. However, officials noted that Manhattan Beach was recently denied by District Attorney George Gascon in its bid for a similar city prosecutor.
Last week, the Lakewood Populist broke the story about vandalism and catalytic converter thefts happening right behind the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station. Sean, who spoke to Council on March 8 about the situation, said video of a gang of masked, bat-weilding youth—who smashed vehicles after sawing off the catalytic converters—reminded neighbors of “The Purge” movie.
The City Clerk declined to provide the Lakewood Populist video of the incident that Sean provided to City Council. The Lakewood Populist later discovered another video showing the youth robbing a female resident of her catalytic converter as she yelled at them from inside her house.
One bat-wielding youth raised his bat by the woman’s door, preparing to club her in case she walked outside her home. That video, delivered by the Lakewood Populist to local TV news affiliates, went viral and has been seen by hundreds of thousands if not more.
The county’s Sheriff’s Department cannot allow cities to hire increased permanent patrol positions due to limited staffing, per a city report. As a result, the city opted to hire private security to augment deputies.
This private security force will work during overnight hours with the goal of nearly doubling the number of patrol vehicles on Lakewrood’s streets overnight. The private security force will not carry out law enforcement actions, but will observe and report to deputies.
The pilot program is set to run for three months.
“The Sheriff’s Department is clearly understaffed and underfunded,” said Rogers, justifying the city’s use of private security guards to patrol neighborhoods.
Increased deputy patrols will be added during nighttime hours. Deputies will be assigned to neighborhoods and shopping centers to deter crime and handle criminal activity, working in conjunction with the private security patrols.
The automated lice plate reading cameras will be installed at major thoroughfares. They will use cellular connectivity to transmit data.
The city will offer a rebate program for home security cameras. The recommended rebate will be $50 and up to two per household. The goal is to have 400 cameras up throughout Lakewood.
The radar trailer will double as a message board and license-plate camera. It will provide public safety information, such as those related to stolen vehicles.
Other public safety programs under the program will include catalytic converter etching events, promoting public safety programs such as Crime Stoppers and “See Something, Say Something”, the Neighborhood Watch program, Volunteers on Patrol program and other methods using citizens to provide public safety.
Lakewood is also looking at receiving Measure H funds in conjunction with Hawaiian Gardens and Signal Hill for an additional homeless outreach specialist.
Lakewood is also lobbying for anti-street racing legislation. The failed California Speaker Anthony Rendon lives in Lakewood and has watched his city burn as he is able to give fancy speeches in Sacramento and on CNN. (He likes to take pictures of big taxpayer checks that he “rewards” to taxpayers, such as Lakewood residents.)
See the Lakewood Populist’s video on how Lakewood has fared under Rendon.
Officials appear to downplay Lakewood crime
Ever since “The Purge” crime stories have gone viral, city officials have tried to portray Lakewood as safe and getting safer despite evidence to the contrary.
In an LA Times article about “The Purge” crimes, Communications Officer Bill Grady described Lakewood as “generally a quiet and safe residential community with low crime rates.”
However, Grady did say the viral video was disturbing.
“From a data analysis perspective, crime rates here remain low...with overall crime actually falling,” said City Manager Thaddeus McCormick at the Tuesday meeting, adding that public feeling over safety isn’t always reflected in the data.
However, Lakewood resident Michelle Hamlin said the statistics are skewed due to legislation that no longer allows certain crimes to be tracked as before.
“They redefined crimes,” said Hamlin, referring to state legislators. “We are experiencing more crime, but we are being told we cannot file the report.”
In spite of residents’ concerns expressed on KTLA 5 News regarding the smash and grab at the Lakewood Mall’s Home Depot, among other crimes, city officials continue to portray Lakewood as safe. Moreover, Councilmembers and city staff argued that Council has been upholding Lakewood’s public safety all along.
Rogers said that the strategies presented in the $400,000 spending program weren’t a new a public safety approach, but a continuation of Lakewood’s dedication to public safety.
However, were it not for the Lakewood Populist, Sean’s pleading with Council on March 8 for help against "The Purge” in Lakewood would not have been made public as city officials no longer televise the public comments segment at the end of Council meetings. And, without the Lakewood Populist finding the viral video plastered across Fox 11 News morning and evening telecasts, KTLA 5 News, NBC 4 News, ABC 7 News, the LA Times and more, it is doubtful that any such “bold” spending program would had materialized.
In fact, the city’s public safety committee—led by Rogers and Mayor Jeff Wood—held an emergency meeting on March 17 where the $400,000 spending program was created. This was AFTER “The Purge” in Lakewood video had already been broadcast across Los Angeles County TV news channels.
However, Rogers demonstrated Tuesday why so many admire his leadership. A former Sheriff’s Department captain, Rogers ably described how the new public safety program would operate and, even though he detailed on how certain crimes were decreasing in Lakewood, he admitted that there was a significant increase in aggravated assaults in Lakewood.
Rogers told of how even he, too, has had to confront a home intruder and those committing crime in his driveway.
“We don’t have a moat around our city,” Rogers said.
Hamlin and Rogers are squaring off this year for Lakewood’s District 1 election seat. While the Lakewood Populist supports Hamlin, it is up for Lakewood citizens to decide on whether a change is needed or not.
Lt. Briseno, who has recently taken over as Acting Captain of the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station, said that residents can call the station and vehicles will be dispatched.
However, Gregory Slaughter—a retired Santa Monica Police Department lieutenant now running against Vice Mayor Steve Croft for District 2—said the wait time in Lakewood for Sheriff’s deputies is unacceptably long, taking as much as two hours when reporting burglaries. Other residents have voiced similar concerns.
Mayor Wood encouraged residents to fight crime by getting involved.
“Look for those opportunities…to know how to report something,” said Wood. “This is starting a dialogue.”
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