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Indian Wells council hears sheriff update on BNP thefts and Fairway Drive speed study
Summary
Lieutenant Frank Chavon briefed the council on quarterly public‑safety statistics and an investigation into organized watch theft at the BNP Tennis Gardens; traffic staff and Sergeant Robert Wiggs said a Fairway Drive speed study shows low collision frequency and that current enforcement is reducing response times.
Lieutenant Frank Chavon of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office told the council the department’s third‑quarter figures (through March) included roughly 3,755 calls dispatched, 536 calls for service, 2,388 self‑initiated field incidents and 42 total arrests. Chavon said the quarter included 11 DUI arrests, seven public intoxication arrests, and 2,038 area checks, and that priority response times have remained steady despite increased traffic.
Chavon described an organized theft ring that targeted patrons at the BNP Tennis Gardens. He said investigators linked imagery from event‑area cameras, executed multiple search warrants in Southern California and arrested three suspects, although the watch reported stolen (valued in a police description at $435,000) was not recovered and at least one suspect was removed by federal authorities on an immigration hold. “We have GPS of them being inside the store,” Chavon said of evidence the department gathered; “No watch returned.”
Traffic enforcement staff, including the department’s collision‑reconstructionist and Sergeant Robert Wiggs, presented speed and collision data for Fairway Drive. The engineering survey showed the 85th percentile at 38 mph and the posted limit set at 35 mph (reduced to 30 mph in July 2024 because of new park facilities). Over a recent month a radar trailer recorded 35,000 vehicle passes on Fairway; 56% were at or below 30 mph, 41% between 31–40 mph, and about 3% at 41+ mph. Staff said of the 248 citations written at Fairway this year to date, 92 were for speeds exceeding the local enforceable threshold (roughly 12+ mph over the limit).
Based on the data, county traffic staff concluded Fairway Drive does not now represent a significant public‑safety crisis but recommended continued targeted enforcement and community measures. Council members said residents remain concerned about traffic volume and commercial vehicles using the street; one council member asked staff to explore duplicating Palm Desert’s commercial‑vehicle prohibition on the Indian Wells segment of Fairway Drive.
The presentation closed with city and sheriff staff emphasizing ongoing coordination for special events and checkpoints; council members thanked the department for rapid response times and for work on the BNP theft investigation.
