9:45am | Speaking Thursday night to residents at a “town hall” held in response to five shootings this month within the West Division, Commander Josef Levy said police have upped their patrols, and promised that noticeable change — in particular, reduced gang activity — is coming in the near future. “I’m asking all of you to give me three months,” said Levy, who was named West Division commander in mid 2010. “Three months and you’ll see a significant difference.”
Several persons in attendance referred to a recent rise in gang activity. “From my observations, this community’s in the middle of a gang war,” said one resident. But Levy said there is no “crisis situation. […] There is definitely not a gang war.” Levy did say that the “vast majority” of shootings in Long Beach are gang-related, and he admitted that gang activity is a problem in the area, particularly the area around Washington Middle School, which 1st District Councilmember Robert Garcia (who helped organize the meeting) called a “neighborhood in transition.” “You know as well as I do there is gang activity in this area,” Levy said. “[…] Over the next few weeks, you’re going to start seeing people involved in gang activity disappear. […] We have already begun to walk every street in this area.”
According to Levy, the crime currently “plaguing the city” is robbery — in particular, chain-snatching. “It’s happening all over,” he said.
Levy posited the high price of gold as a causal factor, and suggested that proactive residents could reduce or eliminate this crime. “If you don’t show and flash the gold, you won’t be a victim,” he said.
Community involvement was the theme of the evening. Levy stated while police will continue to employ new strategies, residents also need to ask themselves, “What am I going to do?” about the various problems in their neighborhoods. Garcia urged residents not to hesitate to call the police regarding suspicious activity, even if they are unsure as to whether it merits law-enforcement attention. Deputy Chief Robert Luna emphasized the need for community involvement. “In every neighborhood, you have to have that police/community partnership,” Luna said.
Another attendee calling for community participation was Shivaun Williams, principal of Washington Middle School. Williams asked anyone spotting a middle-school-aged child wearing khaki pants and a blue shirt outside of school between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a weekday to call her personally at (562) 591-2434. “Our children need to be in school,” she said.
Many residents expressed dismay that word of meetings such as Thursday’s is not more effectively disseminated. Garcia noted that the next such meeting is scheduled for February 22; and Levy noted that residents can contact the LBPD to get on an e-mailing list so as to be kept informed.