(July 2, 2009) -- LBPD Public Information Officer Jackie Bezart shares the following with our readers.
On Wednesday, June 24th at 11:00 a.m., LBPD received a call from the 99 Cent store on Orange Ave. at Carson St. regarding a robbery to a person. Officers responded and discovered that a 75 year-old woman had been robbed of her cash and cellphone.
Officers transmitted a description of the suspect via police radio. Within a few minutes, two Senior Police Partners -- Mike Karlson, 66, and Stewart Brown, 71 -- who heard the broadcast observed a female matching that description at a nearby 7-11 store.
The Senior Police Partners maintained visual contact of the woman and radioed the location and information back to the responding officer via police radio.
Officer Roger Montel (the officer originally dispatched to the call) and assisting units immediately went to the 7-11 store...and determined that this was in fact the woman seen on surveillance video at the 99 Cent store. They took her into custody, recovered the stolen items and returned them to their rightful owner.
LBPD Public Information Officer Bezart says, "This shows the great work of the Senior Police Partners. They are another set of eyes and ears within the city to assist officers and citizens. The PD cannot do it alone. We rely on the continued support of the community and non-sworn police personnel within this department to do our jobs on the level the public has come to expect...and more importantly what they deserve."
Anyone interested in becoming a Long Beach Police Department Senior Police Partner or volunteer please can contact Evelyn Johnson in the Community Relations Divsion at (562) 570-5299
