Police center opens in Westwood
Station to serve as hub for tourists, crime prevention
By Marie Blanchard
Daily Bruin Contributor
As Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan was quick to point out, it was quite fitting to officially open the Westwood Police Community Service Center on a leap year day.
"This is a leap ahead towards a safer city," Riordan said.
Puns aside, the much-awaited opening of a community service center was an important moment for many people in Westwood.
What started out as a unique partnership between the Los Angeles Police Department, university police, the Westwood Village Community Alliance and the City of Los Angeles, has resulted in the establishment of a Westwood Village Community Service Center.
The center, which is located at 1141 Westwood Blvd., will provide a wide range of services including an information center to assist visitors and tourists. Staffed by part-time Los Angeles and university police officers, the center will also serve as a base for Los Angeles police foot and bicycle patrols.
Organizers explained that the new facility's purpose is to provide a Westwood headquarters for community and police intervention, crime prevention and community policing program.
"We've been waiting a long time for this," said Rich Givens, chairman of the Westwood Village Community Alliance. Since the alliance's inception last year, establishing the community center has been a top priority, Givens said.
The center will also supply change for parking meters, distribute bus schedules and offer information about different establishments within Westwood.
"The center will not be a police station," said university police Chief Clarence Chapman. "It will provide community assistance and public safety at a local level."
University police will have a full time officer at the center who will serve as manager and coordinator of the facility. Two Los Angeles police bicycle officers will also be based at the station and will patrol Westwood about 40 hours a week.
"There is a need for visible police throughout the district," Feuer said.
"They provide security for the visitors and also work as deterrents to crime."
This center will be the sixth of it's kind to open in Los Angeles' 5th district, and one of about 100 that have recently opened all over the city.
"We are going to improve Westwood village so that it will again be the heart of L.A.," said city councilman Mike Feuer at the center's opening.
As Los Angeles police Chief Willie Williams said at the opening, "the facility will reduce fear amongst residents in the area."
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Mayor Richard Riordan (at podium) and Los Angeles police Chief Willie Williams (right) were present at the opening at the Westwood Community Service Center.
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