By Barbara Ortutay
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
In Westwood, the jurisdictions of campus police and the LAPD
overlap, resulting in a unique relationship between the two police
departments.
Serving as a “home base” for both agencies, the
Police Community Service Center on Broxton Avenue celebrated its
opening July 7. The center moved after four years at its original
location, on Westwood Boulevard near RiteAid.
“We had a vision to bring the community center to the
heart of Westwood,” said Robert Walsh, executive director of
the Westwood Village Community Alliance, a group of local business-
and home-owners seeking to promote business in the area.
“Westwood has always been safe, but there was always a
sense that it needed to be safer for residents and to attract
costumers,” he continued.
The center, which focuses on community policing, is staffed by
Community Service Officers from UCLA, and managed by UCPD Crime
Prevention Officer Ricardo Bolaños.
In addition, four UCPD officers and four LAPD officers rotate in
and out of the center, sharing responsibilities and patrolling
Westwood.
“We do crime prevention, alcohol and car safety,
women’s safety, a lost-and-found service, as well as KidCare
ID program,” said University Chief of Police Clarence
Chapman.
A service to parents in the area, the KidCare program
fingerprints and identifies children in case they get lost.
The center was created in February 1996. At that time its goal
was to become an integral part of the business district in
Westwood, according to Chapman.
“We have established ourselves as a flagship for these
kinds of programs,” he said.
Along with local businesses, the Westwood Village Community
Alliance and the city of Los Angeles, UCLA administrators also
supported the move.
“We provide police officer and crime prevention support to
the center as our commitment to the Westwood community,” said
Allen Solomon, associate vice chancellor of administrative
services.
“We are pleased that our efforts have contributed to the
health of the Westwood community, which has in turn contributed to
the health of UCLA,” he continued.
The main reason for the move, according to officers at the
ceremony, was to bring the center closer to the heart of Westwood.
At 900 square feet and with more windows, the new location is
larger and brighter than the previous one. Chapman said the old
office was dark and hard to get to.
KNBC weatherman Fritz Coleman MC’d the opening ceremony,
which was also attended by Fifth District Councilman Michael Feuer
and Capt. Wallace Graves from LAPD’s West L.A. division.
The center is located at 1036-B Broxton Ave. It is open
Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.