The business owners of Long Beach East Village have expressed their dissatisfaction with the current approach of the Long Beach Police following a series of vandalisms and burglaries that have affected over ten businesses and nearly 30 cars in just two weeks. Julie Darrel, owner of BYO Long Beach, said that the current strategy is not effective and that almost every business on the street has been targeted in some way.
Over the weekend, several shops on the same street as BYO Long Beach were vandalized, causing more concern among business owners regarding their safety. Stephanie Stomp, owner of Envy Beauty Studio, revealed that many owners now carry tasers due to the heightened danger. She emphasized that police officers walking the neighborhood instead of just driving by in patrol cars would be more effective in ensuring their safety.
Despite recent incidents, last weekend it took nearly four hours for the police to respond to a burglary call at a store on First Street. The Long Beach Police Department explained that other high-priority calls had come in during that time, including arson incidents and a shooting, which delayed their response. However, business owners argue that having officers physically present in the area would be more effective in deterring crime.
To address the situation, the police have implemented mobile camera surveillance in the neighborhood and business owners have invested in outside security and ambassadors. Nevertheless, owners believe that nothing replaces officers patrolling the streets and walking around to observe what is happening in their community. Stomp urged the police to take a more proactive approach by walking around and observing what is happening on the ground level instead of just driving by.
