Police Substation Approved for Rossmoor Shopping Center

Council members this week endorsed the creation of a police substation at the Rossmoor shopping center, one of the city’s most troubled areas.

But questions remain about how soon the city could equip and staff the location.

Owners of the Rossmoor Center have offered to remodel an empty storefront for police to use rent-free. But the city must train about 40 additional volunteer community service officers and hire a dozen new reserve officers to patrol the area full-time, according to Mayor Marilyn Bruce Hastings.

The mayor was instrumental in building support for the 7-month-old police substation at the Seal Beach Pier, constructed with $134,000 in donations raised by the newly formed Community Safety Foundation.

Hastings said foundation members will work to raise funds to train and equip new police volunteers for the proposed Rossmoor substation, which could open by September.

Police Chief William Stearns said Rossmoor Center is second only to the pier area in the number of crime-related problems.

“Some of the people, we have identified as gang types. Some are actual gang members and others are pseudo-gang members,” Stearns said. “Our calls out there have ranged from loud stereos right up to assaults with deadly weapons and armed robberies.”

Hastings initially was concerned that the storefront location offered would not give officers enough visibility. “We’ll compensate for the reduced visibility by increased foot patrols,” she said.