Taking to the Streets to Do Their Jobs

Wearing uniforms, badges and whistles, they stand in the street directing thousands of motorists attending Angels and Ducks games, conventions and city events.

That’s not the only place residents can find the cadre of college students, retirees and aspiring police officers who serve as city traffic control assistants.

They are often called to crime scenes and fatal accidents, when traffic signals fail and during emergency road closures. They help alleviate traffic congestion in construction zones, call tow trucks for stranded motorists and take their share of verbal abuse from irate drivers stuck in traffic.

For more than 20 years, the city has used traffic control assistants, freeing patrol officers to concentrate on police work.

“They act as another set of eyes and ears for us,” said police Sgt. Ed Dougherty, who oversees the workers.

The need for more traffic control workers is constantly growing since the number of city events is increasing. The department is always looking for more people to handle the estimated 300 events held annually, Dougherty said.

There are 25 part-time workers, whose pay is $8 to $10 an hour, and four full-time employees, including two supervisors.

Traffic controllers are trained before they hit the streets, but the job can be dangerous.

“You’re always dealing with the unknown: drivers who are intoxicated, preoccupied or just not paying attention,” said Paul Munoz, a traffic control supervisor.

“It takes a sense of adventure, and you have to have a personality that works well with the public,” said Munoz, a 22-year traffic-control veteran. “It’s a lot of responsibility directing cars.”

Information: (714) 254-1893.