Westwood Village may set up own UCPD substation
By Lucia Sanchez
Daily Bruin Staff
A new police substation jointly staffed by university police
officers and LAPD officers may open in Westwood near Christmastime,
university police said.
The substation will find a temporary home in a vacant storefront
on Westwood Boulevard, until long-term renovation plans for
Westwood move the substation into a new parking lot structure to be
built on Broxton, said Westwood Village Management Corporation
Director Tom Carroll.
The store, formerly Jay’s Jewelers, is located next to Milano’s
Restaurant and was donated by the Village Management Corporation,
who approached the police in June about opening the substation.
"When I first came here (to Westwood) two years ago I started a
relationship with LAPD," Carroll said. "And then when Chief Chapman
came to the university he was open to the idea (of a
substation)."
The substation is part of the corporation’s plans to revitalize
Westwood with cleaner and safer streets. Carroll pointed out that
other entertainment centers like the University City Walk near
Universal Studios and Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade have
substations.
Chapman opened a substation in Ladera Heights when he was with
the Sheriff Department, and that experience was an added bonus,
according to Carroll. "Chief Chapman has been very helpful," he
said.
The new substation is in line with Chapman’s goals of bringing
more community-oriented policing to UCLA, and he said he is
enthusiastic about its opening.
"I think it will bring us closer to the community," Chapman
said. "We want to establish higher visibility in the village where
we have a responsibility because a lot of our students go there,"
he explained.
The new substation will help allay fears about the safety of
Westwood, Chapman said. "The perception that people have (of crime
in Westwood) is not realistic."
Services like alcohol and crime prevention classes will be
offered at the substation when it opens. Eventually, the police
hope the local community will hold neighborhood watch meetings at
the substation.
"Citizens will be able to elicit advice and assistance from
police officers," Chapman said.
"It creates a more convenient interface with the police so that
the area is kept safe, operates well and gives everyone comfort,"
Carroll explained. He added that he hopes people will feel more
welcome in Westwood because of the increased safety.
The substation will be open from 8 a.m. until 2 a.m. in
alternating shifts between UCPD and LAPD officers, Chapman
said.
While the Village Management Corporation would like to see the
temporary substation open soon, they still need $30,000 to begin
necessary renovations of the building. Funds are needed for both
the temporary and permanent substations.
Keeping in spirit with the community-oriented project, the
corporation is asking for funding from the local community.
"We’re raising funds right now," Carroll said. "We’re talking to
different groups around the neighborhood."