Ocean Beach bid adieu to the police trailer in the pier parking lot, which was a community landmark for about 20 years. It recently was removed and replaced by more parking. 
“Due to updated police technology and a heavily impacted parking situation, we are bidding farewell to the trailer, and celebrating the six new parking spots in the OB Pier lot,” reported OB MainStreet Association on its website. “The trailer has come to the end of its useful life.” 
OBMA executive director Denny Knox noted the police trailer was “originally intended as a temporary SDPD substation until more permanent facilities were built in the renovation of the OB lifeguard tower.”
San Diego Police Department Western Division commander, Rudy Tai, said the trailer was a convenient operating base during its time for police working crime issues in OB, especially along the boardwalk.
“The trailer was not leased by the City but by OBMA, which financed the electrical and sanitation hookups,” said Tai. “[OBMA’s] been very gracious to allow us to use it.”
Noting the trailer had become “dilapidated,” Tai added it has been used recently more for storage rather than office space.
“We need a place, a break room for officers to write their reports and be more visible,” said Tai, pointing out laptops today allow officers “to do everything mostly in their vehicles, which is much more convenient.”
Reacting to the demise of the police trailer, Tom Perrotti, of Ocean Beach Community Development Corporation, said: “I’m sure the local folks will appreciate having a few more parking spaces. As long as this is OK for sound police presence, it sounds like it’s a win-win.”
OBCDC is a nonprofit dedicated to improving the local environment, providing quality affordable housing, and promoting sustainable practices while maintaining OB’s unique character.
Knox noted the business improvement district has “been in discussions with a number of captains about the possibility of discontinuing the funding of the trailer. It wasn’t until recently that we felt SDPD was ready for us to pull out the trailer.”
Added Knox: “We’re sorry that a more permanent facility for SDPD and the OB lifeguard tower hasn’t yet come to fruition. Hopefully, it will.”
In 2017 then-District 2 Councilmember Lorie Zapf requested $200,000 in seed money from the City budget to begin preliminary engineering and design for a new Ocean Beach Lifeguard Station.
Tai said it would be great if police could secure some space in a future new OB Lifeguard Station.
“We work very closely with lifeguards,” said Tai. “We need a place to go to on a regular basis as we do a lot of visible patrols, on foot and by bicycle, and also need space for our beach team, which will be starting sometime in May.”
SDPD Western Division serves Hillcrest, La Playa, Linda Vista, Loma Portal, Midtown, Midway District, Mission Hills, Mission Valley West, Morena, Ocean Beach, Old Town, Point Loma Heights, Roseville-Fleetridge, Sunset Cliffs, University Heights and the Wooded Area of Point Loma. Western Division serves a population of 129,709 people encompassing 22.7 square miles.