Long Beach Business Owners Furious Over Police Response Time-What Really Happened?

Business owners in Long Beach’s East Village are feeling helpless and abandoned after a string of vandalism incidents have hit the neighborhood over the last two weeks. Despite multiple calls to police, some shop owners reported waiting nearly four hours for officers to respond after their stores were damaged. In this article we talk about Long Beach Business Owners Furious Over Police Response Time.

Frustration Mounts Over Police Response

According to NBC, The breaking point came early Sunday morning when three more shops on East First Street had their front windows smashed by vandals. Kimberly Latham, co-owner of a nearby boutique, rushed over after being alerted by her security company only to find no police officers had arrived yet.

“I got my things together, hopped in the car and made it down here around 4:41 to find that I beat police. Police had not made it here yet,” a frustrated Latham told reporters.

Police Delays and Rising Tensions

According to Long Beach PD public information officer Hannah Ortiz, officers were delayed by other incidents around the city, including an arson attack, a shooting, and a fight downtown. However, waiting nearly four hours was unacceptable to business owners who have seen their livelihoods shattered along with their storefront glass.

Recent Vandalism Incidents

This latest attack comes on the heels of seven other East Village shops getting hit last week. Surveillance cameras caught one suspect smashing the front door of the Wabi Sabi Market on Linden Avenue early Sunday morning. Fortunately, officers arrived within two minutes of that call, but for Kimberly Latham and her neighbors, it felt like too little, too late.

Call for Increased Police Presence

As they swept up broken glass and boarded up busted windows yet again, the shopkeepers wondered why police couldn’t station more patrols in the area to deter these brazen acts of vandalism. The department did deploy a mobile surveillance camera at the intersection of Linden and Broadway, but business owners say they need actual boots on the ground.

“We are just saying, ‘Please stop the bleeding!’ Our small business community is just like dying because we are getting hit from all levels,” pleaded Latham. “We want a thriving business community and a thriving neighborhood where people feel safe to walk down it and people feel safe doing business.”

Upcoming Meeting with Long Beach PD

The shop owners are planning to meet with Long Beach PD later this week to demand increased police presence and faster response times when these crimes occur. They feel the city needs to do more to protect the small, independent businesses that give unique neighborhoods like East Village their charm and character.

Impact of Vandalism on Small Businesses

After a challenging two years during the pandemic, these vandalism incidents could not have come at a worse time. Many shops were still recovering and now have to divert funds to replace windows and upgrade security rather than growing their businesses. Without help soon, some may be forced to close their doors for good.

Community Support and Future Hope

The Long Beach community is rallying around the impacted businesses with fundraising campaigns and volunteers helping clean up. But ultimately, it is increased police response and protection that shop owners say will make residents and customers feel safe to return to support the small businesses they’ve come to love in East Village. I sincerely hope you find this “Long Beach Business Owners Furious Over Police Response Time-What Really Happened?” article helpful.