LAPD Substation Opens at Promenade

The new police substation at The Promenade mall opened to the public Monday morning, promising to bring a greater law enforcement presence to Warner Center.

The substation is one of several in the Valley, designed to provide a base of operations for officers.

“Most of the police stations we have were built years and years ago and they are vastly overcrowded,” said LAPD spokesman Lt. Anthony Alba, after an opening ceremony at the station.

“These substations offer another place for officers to work in, and they allow the public a convenient place to do business with the department.”

The ceremony was attended by Police Chief Willie L. Williams, City Councilwoman Laura Chick and several representatives of the LAPD’s West Valley station.

The department and the city were criticized in October for using public funds to protect the mall, but mall management and department officials said the substation--located near a southeastern, first-floor mall entrance--will benefit the entire community.

“The purpose of the substation on our property is not to protect the property, but to protect the people who shop here and live and work in the surrounding area,” said Ken Stephens, marketing director for The Promenade mall.

The three officers and volunteers staffing the substation are not limited to taking questions and reports about crime at the mall, Alba said.

“People who may have an emergency or need to talk to police immediately can go to the substation, rather than drive over to the Reseda station,” Stephens said.

The Promenade substation replaced an older, smaller facility in Topanga Plaza nearby, and will operate during mall hours. The Police Department will pay the mall $1 a year for the 512 square feet of retail space.

“There is a familiarity about it,” Alba said. “It’s like going into a mom-and-pop store. You get used to seeing the same people, the same officers, and you develop good working relationships with them.”