Southeast / Long Beach : New Patrol Pedals Safety in Business District

Police in Bell Gardens have decided that two wheels are sometimes better than four when it comes to patrolling the city’s busy Eastern Avenue commercial district.

Last week, the Bell Gardens Police Department opened a community substation at 6808 Eastern that will house a new two-person bicycle detail.

Department officials hope that by taking officers out of squad cars and putting them on the street, they will be able to keep better tabs on the drug dealers, gang members and petty thieves that plague the area along Eastern between Florence and Gage avenues.

“This city is small, only 2.8 square miles, but we have our share of problems,” said Sergeant Mike Crose, who oversees the bike detail. “We want to make our business area safe.”

Officers Louis Borunda and Steve Parker were selected for the bike patrol among a group of officers who volunteered for the job, which officially began Tuesday. Their busiest days will be Thursdays through Sundays, when they will patrol the commercial district full time from noon to 10 p.m.