Serving and Protecting the Downtown: Conversations with Commander Jay Johnson

To improve communication regarding public safety between the public and private sectors, the Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) dedicates a portion of its monthly newsletter to the Long Beach Police Department.

This month, we asked South Division (Downtown) Commander Johnson to discuss how Downtown businesses, residents and commercial property owners can help the police department better serve our urban center.

Stakeholders in the Downtown consider public safety as everyone’s top priority. For Johnson, the key is participation. “We need to get people involved,” said Johnson. “Business and property owners should not be afraid to call the police when they see criminal activity.” These kinds of phone calls are never a nuisance, Johnson explains, but are extremely helpful to the police department in preventing and solving crime.

Commander Johnson also believes that enhancing the communication between Downtown businesses and residents is a great benefit to the district, and the South Division as a whole.

Engaging the many (new) Downtown residents into an active community of watchful inhabitants, who know their beat cop by name, and who also have a relationship and communicate with local business owners, will pave the way for all parties to address issues that may have previously gone only through PD.

“Our goal is to establish symbiotic relationship between the various stakeholders in the Downtown and ask them to resolve issues without our involvement,” Johnson said. As these direct conversations occur between concerned parties, the police are freed up to handle the more pressing issues of crime prevention. Johnson also believes in the importance of establishing neighborhood and business community watch programs, and has committed the deployment of his officers to play an active role in those gatherings.

As for Downtown business and property owners, Commander Johnson had a few other helpful tips.

• Program the Long Beach Police alternate emergency number, (562) 435-6711, into your cellular phone. Calls to 9-1-1 from cell phones go to California Highway Patrol, not the local Police.
• Keep the windows of your business clear of advertising material and decorations, which can screen an intruder from outside view. 
• Avoid working alone, and have a phone that is easily accessible inside the business.
• Be sure security cameras are in good working order and maintained regularly. Consider upgrading to a digital system, which greatly assists in apprehending suspects. 

For additional information on what Downtown Stakeholders can to do help and be involved, please contact the Long Beach Police Department at (562) 570-7206.