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After spike in burglaries, Cerritos reports early reductions following targeted patrols and tech upgrades
Summary
Council heard that a suite of responses — priority responses to residential burglaries, dedicated overtime patrols, automated license‑plate readers, volunteer patrols and a new private security pilot — coincided with a 12.1% decrease in residential burglaries from Nov. 5, 2024 to Jan. 5, 2025; deputies are training for an approved drone program as part of the response.
Captain Drew Strong briefed the City Council on Jan. 9 about a multi‑pronged response to an increase in residential burglaries experienced in 2024. The sheriff’s office and the city launched a coordinated effort in November to prioritize residential burglary calls, deploy overtime saturation patrols and use new technology.
"From 11/05/2024 to 01/05/2025, we experienced a decrease of 12.1% in residential burglaries," Captain Strong reported, and he said response times to residential burglary alarm calls improved from 14 to 7.3 minutes over the same period.
Measures implemented included $50,000 in overtime for two‑person patrol cars assigned to alarm calls and saturation patrols, installation of automated license‑plate reader cameras in key commercial areas, volunteer patrols in impacted neighborhoods, probation and parole compliance checks, and a private‑security pilot the city has funded. Strong also described progress on an LASD‑approved drone program: deputies selected for the program have study materials and are aiming to take FAA testing and field certification early in 2025.
Strong highlighted a Dec. 3 arrest tied to a pharmacy burglary that led to felony charges and credited coordinated policing and community reporting for improved outcomes. Several councilmembers thanked Strong and the deputies for their rapid implementation and the preliminary results.
