LAPD shifting more cops to street patrol to help with the coronavirus

The Los Angeles Police Department will shift half the detectives working in its community stations to daily patrol in order to ensure public peace.

Mayor Eric Garcetti made the announcement Monday evening, saying that the city’s detectives will start working on the streets to “help supplement our patrol officers.”

Some detectives already are out there, the mayor said, to “make sure that any challenges that arise in our neighborhoods and grocery stores” are dealt with and to help people “feel secure in the city.”

LAPD Assistant Police Chief Robert Arcos said that at a minimum, that would provide at least 300 additional officers to patrol and potentially more.

The moves comes after L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva shifted deputies in other units to beat patrols to allow the department to prevent problems at places such as Costco, where large crowds of shoppers often wait.