Councilmember Todd Gloria looks forward to expanding the success the team has had in North Park to enhancing safety within the 92103.

By Margie M. Palmer | SDUN Reporter

Hillcrest residents will soon see additional police presence patrolling the business corridor along University Avenue. Western Division Police Captain Walt Vasquez said that the department’s bike team, a dedicated group of seven officers will have maneuverability beyond what’s afforded in patrol cars. The target start-date is Sept. 17 in Hillcrest.

This is not the first time such a proCouncilmember gram has been implemented to enhance safety in District 3. North Park’s bike team, which operates Wednesdays through Sundays, has been patrolling that business district during peak, high pedestrian-traffic evening hours for approximately a year.

Councilmember Todd Gloria said that the visibility of such a team has reversed a previously seen increase in crime within that neighborhood.

Vasquez, however, points out that the implementation of the program within Hillcrest is not due to increased crime or a spike in problematic situations, but is more about maintaining safety and quality of life.

“We want to ensure that everyone has a really nice time when they’re out in the evening hours and enjoying themselves,” Vasquez said. “One of the theories is that when you get a large amount of people in a given area at a given time it could bring in concerns of disturbances, and the bike team is able to address these types of issues to help maintain a safe environment.”

The goal, he said, is to have one Sergeant and six officers who will be working on the same days and during the same shifts. Currently, the patrol is scheduled Wednesday through Saturday between 5 p.m. to 3 a.m., although the hours and days may change based on community needs.

Councilmember Gloria said his office has been working with community leaders and philanthropists to help raise $3,000 to ensure procurement of two additional police bikes, which will be used by members of the Hillcrest bike team during their patrol. “Interestingly enough, a Hillcrest resident donated the funds to purchase equipment for the North Park bike team, and we wanted to use that same type of philanthropy to help out the Hillcrest folks,” Gloria said. “My role in this has been to express the community’s desire for this and to help make that happen.”

Vasquez said he believes that the bike team will be a “huge benefit and a huge plus” to local residents.

“The team has had enormous success in other entertainment districts throughout the city, including Pacific Beach, North Park and the Gaslamp District,” he said. “We’re looking forward to replicating that success in the entertainment district of Hillcrest.”