SEAL BEACH : City to Study Plans for Safety Office at Pier
Council members tonight will review preliminary plans for a community safety office near the Seal Beach Pier.
Residents of the downtown beach area have long lobbied city officials for a police substation near the pier. The only Seal Beach police station is far from the beach, in a remote part of the city across from the Naval Weapons Station.
Because the city lacks the money to build a police substation, a number of residents and community groups are donating money and materials to build an addition to the lifeguard station. The facility would be staffed with volunteers and reserve police officers.
City officials say the safety office would serve as a base for an expanded neighborhood watch for the downtown area.
Mayor Marilyn Bruce Hastings said residents have noticed a steady increase in graffiti and burglaries in the downtown beach areas. She said she believes the presence of uniformed volunteers and reserve officers would help prevent crimes in the area.
Plans for the facility must be approved by the California Coastal Commission, but city officials hope to have the safety office in operation for summer.
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