November 17, 2007

email re San Gabriel River Bikeway Safety/Crime Concerns

Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 11:24:17 -0800

To: "Capt. Dave L. Fender" , "Lt. Terry W. Benjestorf" , "Diego Cadena, Dep. Dir." , "Afshari, Shari, Div Head" , "Paul Maselbas, Principal Eng" , "El-Rabaa, Maged, Program Dev." , "Alma Fuentes, Bicycle Coord." , "Connie Sziebl, LB rep" , "Erin Stibal, Lkwd rep" , "Carol Oberman, lkwd office" , "Julie Moore, DPW coord" , mayor@longbeach.gov, "3d Dist Gary DeLong" , "Julie Maleki, Ofc of Councilman DeLong" , "4th Dist. Patrick O'Donnell", "5th Dist. Gerrie Schipske" , "Joy Janes, chief of staff 5th dist" , "Todd Rogers, Lkwd City Council" , "David N. Carmany, City Manager" , "Lee Whittenberg" , Dina_Zapalski@longbeach.gov, "City Mgr" ,
From: Lakewood Accountability Action Group | LAAG

Subject: San Gabriel River Bikeway Safety/Crime Concerns
Cc: (media)

I assume this task force (noted below) started due to LAAG's emails months ago re the crime problems all along the river. We feel LAAG should be part of this task force as far as making or reviewing some recommendations as we dont need more tax dollars wasted on ineffectual approaches. We know where the problems are. One thing would be to suggest a crime hotline (posted on all the overpasses visible to users) and email address for users to report suspicious people. LAAG has been doing that for months now. Most of these criminal types hang around for a while down there before striking. Police cannot get them as they cant sneak up on them in cars as cars stand out like a sore thumb down there unlike on the street. Very hard to get cars in down there secretly. (thus the cops on bikes approach)

Another idea is the "cage off" some of those water inlets right at the opening to the channel which would close off hiding areas. Those are where the criminals hide from the police cars that roll above (as police dont go into the channel bottom with cars). This could be done in a way to allow water flow. Also caging off some of the underpass "caves" like at willow as we suggested (and was done) years ago at south st. undercrossing. Path lighting would not hurt either (as we suggested) and was done at del amo underpass. Cameras on poles like at intersections and on freeways? Plenty of ideas if you know what the problems are.

LBReport.com
News

Councilwoman Schipske Says Multiple Agencies To Tackle San Gabriel River Bikeway Safety/Crime Concerns

(Nov. 14, 2007) -- Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske tells LBReport.com that multiple agencies -- including LBPD, Seal Beach PD, Cypress PD, the L.A. County Sheriffs Dept, the office of L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe and Schipske's Council office -- are preparing to tackle safety/crime-related issues regarding the San Gabriel River bikeway.

Councilwoman Schipske says that for the past four months, her staff has been working with Supervisor Knabe's office to launch the bike path safety task force...and its formal launch is expected to be announced shortly.

"We've been concerned about safety issues along that bike path for some time...and it's very unfortunate that we had another incident on Monday" Councilwoman Schipske said...referring to a story reported by LBReport.com.

On Nov. 13, LBReport.com reported that a man riding his bicycle on the San Gabriel River bike path near El Dorado Park on Nov. 12 was ambushed, hit and robbed of his bicycle and cell phone, and sustained injuries to his face

LBPD Public Information Officer Sgt. Zapalski said that the bicyclist was riding on the east side of the San Gabriel River bike path near Spring St. when he was confronted by a male subject who hit the victim and caused him to fall off of his bicycle. The assailant took the victim's bicycle and cell phone...and left with a second male subject.

The bicyclist sustained injuries to his face and was transported to a doctor by a familymember.


Lakewood Accountability Action Group™ LAAG | www.LAAG.us | Lakewood, CA
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