Law Enforcement Pound the 'Foot Beat' in Search of Prostitutes, Johns

Drivers-by and business owners along Long Beach Boulevard last week were in for a huge surprise as personnel from different law enforcement agencies from across the county took to patrolling the major thoroughfare by foot to launch what may be the city of Lynwood’s first, but not last, Prostitution & John Abatement Foot Beat.

Conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Major Crimes Bureau – who was joined by Sheriff’s personnel from Century, Compton and East Los Angeles Sheriff’s stations, from the Countywide COPS Bureau, the Lynwood COPS Team, and by the Reserve Forces Bureau – this Prostitution & John Abatement Food Beat has been deemed a huge success, said Lt. Todd Deeds, of the Century Station. 

Personnel from the Probation Department of Los Angeles, from the Department of Children and Family Services and from the City of Lynwood’s Business License, and Parking and Code Enforcement Divisions were also part of the “Foot Beat” task force that took place along a long stretch of Long Beach Boulevard, between Tucker Street in Compton and the Glenn Anderson (105) Freeway in Lynwood.

“It has been done in Compton, but never in Lynwood, at least not like this,” said Lt. Deeds. “In the post briefing of the effort, the Foot Beat was called a huge success by all of the personnel who participated. There were 20 arrests in total, ranging from prostitution to drug offenses to outstanding warrants. What’s more, two 18-year-old males were arrested for the sex trafficking of a juvenile. If those two arrests were the only thing we did out there and nothing else, then it would have still been worth it because a young girl was rescued off the streets.”

According to Lt. Deeds, there were about 40 Sheriff’s personnel/deputies patrolling Long Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2014 from 3-7 p.m. The Major Crimes Bureau has been conducting task forces like this in other cities, including in Compton, but never of this size. Lt. Deeds said. “We had a lot of personnel out there patrolling the thoroughfare,” he said. 

“We believe it was very effective. The community and business owners were very receptive to what we were out there trying to accomplish. We are definitely looking at doing it again in the very near future.”

Despite the installation of live surveillance cameras above all of the city’s major thoroughfares, monitored by deputies at Century Station, that portion of Long Beach Boulevard has continued to be riddled with sex trafficking problems – which have continued to affect the quality of life for residents and business owners in the area alike, and not to mention students, parents and teachers from Helen Keller Elementary School located off of Carlin Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. 

The city of Lynwood and Century Station have been and are continuing to look at alternatives to mitigate the sex trafficking problems that affect that area of the city. 

“It hasn’t been easy, but we’re working on it,” said Lt. Deeds. “We won’t disclose when we will be conducting another Foot Beat in this area again, but we will be looking to conducting it again in the very near future. This task force is a new way of showing the people involved in the sex trafficking business and other business owners that we mean business and that we’re going to be enforcing the laws.”

The Foot Beat resulted in several arrests, including two major ones, which was a major win, said Lt. Deeds. Equally significant was the fact that the Sheriff’s personnel were also able to connect with passers-by and business owners who often walk in or operate in fear throughout the day. 

“Some days are really good and some days are really bad,” said one business owner. “Seeing the deputies walking around, just with their presence, it brings peace to the neighborhood – it’s not the same when they’re driving by. This way, they get to know us and know exactly what we go through every day. We would love to see them out here more often.”