Brent Whiting, The Arizona Republic
Police wanted answers to crime and traffic problems along Bell Road in Glendale.
For starters, they needed to promote shopper safety along the 4-mile stretch between 51st and 83rd avenues.
Something had to be done to discourage thieves from breaking into cars at the many malls and businesses fronting the busy route.
Police also needed to put the brakes to other worries in surrounding apartments and neighborhoods, including public drinking, illegal drugs, trespassing and vandalism.
They came up with a strategy: cops who patrol Bell Road using both cars and bikes.
Since July 1, five officers have been assigned to a new beat that focuses on the bustling Bell Road corridor.
So far, it’s a winning solution, according to merchants and landlords along the route.
Now the squad is getting a workout for its first holiday season, a festive time when police concerns about crime and traffic are at a peak.
Shoplifting is a common problem, but traffic congestion and auto wrecks are other big issues, said Sgt. Dan Keddy, the squad supervisor.
Bicycles are more efficient for cruising parking lots and making contacts, but patrol cars are needed to deal with traffic issues, Keddy said.
The main downside to bikes is longer response times, unless traffic along Bell has become snarled, he said.
“Officers are a little disheartened right now because they can’t ride their bikes all of the time,” Keddy said. “It’s our maiden voyage for the holidays, and we want them to spend more time in their cars.”
Officer Bill Keeble, a squad member, said an important part of the job is cruising through parking lots, establishing a police presence.
“In time, we’re able to recognize things that are out of place, such as stolen vehicles or people who don’t belong in an area,” Keeble said.
Officer Jason Spillers, another member, said he’s always on the lookout for people in mall parking lots who walk around looking into vehicles, a sign of possible trouble.
“People like this may not be up to any good,” Spillers said.
The other members, in addition to Keeble and Spillers, are Officers Alan Fukumoto and Jason Wiechmann. Each of the four has at least 3 1/2 years on the force. They are based at the Foothills Patrol Bureau, 6255 W. Union Hills Drive.
Glendale Mayor Elaine Scruggs said the unique law-enforcement concerns posed by Bell Road more than justify the new patrol beat.
“This squad has been needed for so very long,” Scruggs said, adding that calls for police service along Bell Road are “intense” throughout the year.
So far, statistics are lacking on whether the squad is making a difference, but police are encouraged by the initial feedback they are getting from landlords and merchants.
Thomas Randall, a senior property manager at Arrowhead Towne Center, said comments are positive from merchants and shoppers at the regional mall along Bell, between 75th and 79th avenues.
“The service we get from Glendale police has always been fantastic,” Randall said. “This takes it to another level.”
Alan Wilkes, an operations manager at the LA Fitness Sports Club, 5536 W. Bell Road, credits the squad for a reduction in parking-lot crimes.
“It’s great to see them out there patrolling in cars and riding on bikes,” he said. “It makes our patrons feel more secure.”
Diana Wasar, assistant manger at the Eagle Crest Apartments, 6451 W. Bell Road, said residents feel safer seeing police cruise through complex.
“They stop in and check on us,” Wasar said. “We see them only here at the property, but at other places along Bell Road.”
Andrew Kirkland, the Glendale police chief, said the beat represents a commitment to community-oriented policing, an effort in which police forge crime-fighting partnerships with merchants and residents.
Kirkland said the beat is a likely forerunner to a similar special squad that may be formed for a future commercial hot spot in west Glendale.
At issue, Kirkland said, is the sports and entertainment complex that will surround Glendale Arena, southeast of Glendale Avenue and Loop 101.
Things may kick into gear when construction is completed on the nearby Cardinals Stadium, which is to debut in fall 2006, he said.