West Covina police outline HOPE team outreach, ask council for more officers and vehicles

Chief Tony Cortino told the West Covina City Council on Jan. 21 that the city’s HOPE team has focused on outreach, enforcement and coordination with a contracted homeless outreach provider and city departments to address encampments and unhoused residents.

The presentation summarized the team’s mission and 2024 results and requested expanded staffing and equipment. "The mission of our HOPE team is to provide an enhanced level of safety for our community and businesses by addressing criminal activity in our city parks and surrounding neighborhoods and addressing homelessness issues citywide," Cortino said.

Nut graf: The council heard that two HOPE officers and one supervising sergeant—supplemented by two contracted civilian outreach coordinators from Licata—made thousands of contacts in 2024 but currently cover only daytime weekday hours. Staff recommended adding officers and vehicles so the team can patrol evenings and weekends.

Cortino said the unit now operates Monday–Thursday, 6 a.m.–4 p.m., with Licata on the street Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m. He said the two HOPE officers recorded 1,663 initiated contacts in 2024, removed 187 encampments, arrested 133 people for violations, issued 35 citations and, working with Licata and LAHSA, helped house roughly 123 people in 2024. Cortino told the council LAHSA’s 2024 unsheltered count for West Covina was 55; the HOPE team’s on-the-ground estimate is about 45.

The chief outlined procedures: outreach and offers of services first, use of trespass letters and municipal code enforcement on private property, a reasonable period to collect belongings, and disposition of property per California civil code when items are wet, soiled, perishable or otherwise unsafe. He said property that is not unsanitary must be stored for 90 days.

Cortino recommended budget changes to expand the team. He estimated adding four HOPE officers would cost roughly $639,000 a year (about a 1.8% increase to the police budget and a 0.4% increase to the overall city budget) and asked council to consider two to three additional vehicles including a pickup to support encampment work.

Council members and the chief discussed expanding Licata’s hours to weekends, patrol coverage at night (handled now by patrol officers), coordination with public works and code enforcement for cleanup, and options for grant or county funding such as Measure A or Measure H. Council members praised the unit’s work and asked staff to pursue additional funding and operational options.

Ending: The council did not take a formal vote on staffing at the meeting; Cortino and staff were asked to return with more specifics and to pursue funding sources, including county and grant programs.