Long Beach will study a proposed late-night public safety plan for Belmont Shore after councilmembers and residents expressed concerns about the popular nightlife area being unruly \u2014 while also researching ways to bring additional safety measures to the rest of the city.<\/p>\n
The City Council and community members shared their perspectives and opinions about how to best address public safety concerns, such as gun violence and homicides on Tuesday, Nov. 11.<\/p>\n
The spotlight on the need for a late-night public safety plan for Belmont Shore home to Second Street, a dining-and-entertainment hot spot \u2014 was brought forward by Councilmember Kristina Duggan, who represents the area. The proposed plan includes a midnight curfew for bars in the area and increased police presence, among other safety measures.<\/p>\n
The council ultimately voted unanimously to have staffers return in 45 days with an update on Belmont Shore\u2019s proposed plan, and in 90 days with a citywide analysis. While Duggan expressed disappointment over not keeping a focus on Belmont Shore, she agreed to move forward with the additional analysis for citywide concerns proposed by others on the dais.<\/p>\n
Public safety in Belmont Shore caught the public\u2019s eye last month when an altercation erupted at a local bar and continued outside in the 100 block of La Verne Avenue, which ended in the fatal shooting of 32-year-old Jeremy Anthony Spears.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s not the only violent crime that\u2019s happened in the area in recent years. Last year, for example, two people were killed in Belmont Shore over an 11-day period: One man was fatally stabbed<\/a> during a fight outside a Belmont Shore bar in February 2024, and days later, another person was stabbed during a fight<\/a> at Dave\u2019s Hot Chicken.<\/p>\n Besides those violent incidents, Duggan said, there have been ongoing public nusiance and safety issues in Belmont Shore for years \u2014 a major problem for her constituents in the Third District.<\/p>\n \u201cThe dynamics of the area have changed significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic,\u201d Duggan wrote in the staff report for her safety proposal. \u201cWhat used to be a familiar community hub and casual social destination has become more of a regional nightlife and entertainment center.\u201d<\/p>\n That shift in dynamics, the report added, has brought visitors to the neighborhood who \u201coften act in ways they wouldn\u2019t act in their own neighborhoods,\u201d ranging from public drinking and littering to fighting and \u2014 in the worst instances \u2013 violent altercations resulting in the deaths of Long Beach residents.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a consistent police presence; I think it\u2019s just what it comes down to, especially when bars close, parking lots need to be patrolled,\u201d said Nicky Loizides, owner of George\u2019s Greek Cafe on Second Street. \u201cWe want to revive our neighborhoods in our city. As business owners and residents, we\u2019re ready to do whatever it takes to make our city what it once was, but we need your help to make these changes real and permanent.\u201d<\/p>\n Duggan\u2019s proposal asked the city to explore the possibility of implementing a one-year moratorium on alcohol-serving bars and other establishments after midnight \u2014 since, according to a city staff report, most of the violent crimes in Belmont Shore recently have occured after the clock struck 12.<\/p>\n But since it would take about 18 months for the city to implement that kind of moratorium, bar owners in Belmont Shore have agreed to self-impose the midnight curfew for the next month to allow Long Beach time to find a longer-term solution, city officials said during Tuesday night\u2019s council meeting.<\/p>\n \u201cCity staff was able to explain that a one-year moratorium would take months to properly structure and implement. This is a very heavy lift for a temporary solution. I\u2019ve said from the beginning that I\u2019m looking for permanent solutions,\u201d Duggan said Tuesday. \u201cThe bar owners and operators all agreed to voluntarily close at midnight for 30 days while we work together with residents, businesses and city staff to develop these permanent operating requirements for businesses selling alcohol that stay open late.\u201d<\/p>\n The plan also suggests looking at the feasibility of and cost associated with reestablishing Long Beach Police Department walking beats during high-traffic hours and reactivating the police sub-station in the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThese patrols and this sub-station once served as a visible and effective deterrent to crime,\u201d the staff report said, \u201coffering a sense of safety for residents and visitors while providing officers with closer engagement with residents and businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n But they were discontinued, she added \u2014 and never restored.<\/p>\n