Cerritos reports drops in many crimes but four homicides this year; officials weigh park cameras and patrols after Aug. 31 shooting

Cerritos City officials on Wednesday reported declines in several categories of crime but warned that homicides have increased to four so far this year and that an Aug. 31 shooting near Castillo Sports Center remains an active investigation.

The city's sheriff's captain at Cerritos Station, Captain Strong, told the Community Safety Committee the department is increasing park patrols and plans to move city-contracted cameras to trouble spots. "This year, we had 4 compared to the same time last year. We had 1," he said, describing the rise in homicides and noting investigators do not believe the most recent incident involved local residents.

The rise in homicides was one of several statistics the captain presented. He said the department recorded a 69% decrease in residential burglaries from June 1 to Sept. 15, falling from 62 to 19 incidents, and that overall Part 1 crimes are down about 30% year to date. "From June 1 to September 15, we went from 62 residential burglaries to 19. That's a 69, almost a 70% decrease in residential burglaries during that period of time," Captain Strong said.

Why it matters: the data show mixed trends for public safety in Cerritos — sharp declines in some theft categories and successful narcotics enforcement, alongside a recent fatal shooting that has residents and committee members pressing for more visible deterrents in parks.

Details from the sheriff's presentation and committee discussion

- Active homicide investigation and park response: Captain Strong described the August incident near the Castillo Sports Center, said a homicide bureau is working the case and that patrols at the parks have been increased. He said there are currently no cameras at that sports-field location but that the department is "working on moving our city contracted cameras to that location in the near future." The captain cautioned against discussing investigatory details publicly.

- Crime trends: Captain Strong reported zero reported rapes year to date (compared with three last year), declines in robberies and larcenies, a 41% drop in grand theft auto, and a 42% fall in petty thefts; he said overall larcenies over $950 are down about 8% and that Part 1 crimes are down about 30% overall. He also reported three arsons this year compared with zero the prior year, characterizing those as isolated incidents (for example, transient-started small fires) and saying they do not currently indicate a broader threat.

- Burglaries and response times: The department said it has reduced response times for audible alarm burglaries from 14 minutes to seven minutes, credited a special problems team and contracted security personnel, and noted use of automated license plate readers (ALPRs) in phased deployment. Committee staff said roughly 35 ALPR/"ALPR-style" cameras are installed to date as part of the program and that the city is completing phase 3 of the rollout.

- Technology and enforcement tools: The sheriff's office described use of drones in specific incidents, deployment of an AI-linked camera at a local pharmacy that connects to dispatch, and a recent narcotics search warrant in the 18000 block of Vicky Avenue that recovered two pounds of crystal methamphetamine and about a half-pound of powder fentanyl. "That was based on a WeTip. We follow up on them," Captain Strong said.

Public comment and park safety questions

David Pileman, a resident and regular meeting attendee who said he was representing two neighbors, told the committee the Aug. 31 shooting occurred "near the entrance of the, Castillo Sports Center, specifically near the first base dugout of the softball field just east of the Bloomfield entrance." He and neighbors asked whether the city and county have technology to distinguish fireworks from gunfire, whether cameras could be installed or relocated to the creek and park entrances, and whether the parks could be closed or vehicle access blocked during overnight hours.

Deputy City Manager Ryan and the sheriff's representatives said a range of constraints affect camera placement in riverbeds and flood-control channels: those areas are under the jurisdiction of the county's flood-control agency, so cameras there would require coordination. "Cameras in the creek, that is something that we have not looked at'as you may know, the riverbeds are the jurisdiction of the county flood control, so we'd have to work with them," Ryan said.

Officials otherwise emphasized data-driven patrols and outreach: Captain Strong said the department's crime analyst supplies regular data on hours and locations for concentrating patrols and that the department is working with security contractors to re-position cameras and increase patrols in hotspot areas.

Other topics discussed

- Retail theft and prosecutions: The sheriff's presentation said prosecutions for petty theft have increased and that petty thefts are down 42% year to date; overall theft categories he cited were down 26%.

- Homeless encampments and humanitarian approach: Officials said the city and sheriff's deputies have recently cleared two major encampments (one behind Plaza 183 shopping center and another along the Union Pacific right-of-way), described a 14-day notice process for clearing private property, and emphasized offering services to people in encampments rather than relying solely on enforcement.

- Electric bicycles and enforcement limits: Sergeant Whelan reviewed e-bike classes and enforcement limits from state rules the department described: class 1 and 2 e-bikes are restricted to 20 mph, class 3 to 28 mph; helmet rules differ by age and class; no registration or insurance is required. He said the department is not yet compiling local incident data for e-bikes and called enforcement challenging because officers cannot always visually distinguish classes in the field.

- Neighborhood Watch and community steps: Vice Chair Wilson urged expansion of block captains and community reporting, noting local neighborhood events and the role of resident reporting in several recent investigations.

Formal committee actions and minutes

The committee took several routine votes by voice on administrative items. A motion to excuse members Ham and Kim was moved by Member De Leon and seconded by Member Vora and was approved by voice vote. The committee approved meeting minutes for March 18 and May 15 and later voted to "receive and file" the crime-and-public-safety report; those motions were made and seconded on the record and passed by voice vote.

What comes next

Officials said they will continue to evaluate camera placement, coordinate with the county on creek and flood-control locations, proceed with ALPR phase 3, and maintain increased patrols in identified hotspots. Staff and deputies reiterated that residents should report suspicious activity and utilize WeTip and other reporting lines to support investigations.

Ending note

Committee staff said written correspondence submitted before the meeting was entered into the official record and is available through the city clerk. City staff and the sheriff's station asked residents to report mail theft, suspicious activity, and encampments so patrols and follow-up operations can be targeted.