Police Task Force Makes 37 Arrests on 1st Night

In its first night on the streets, a new police gang task force in Long Beach stopped 130 people and made 37 arrests while patrolling the southwestern part of the city, authorities reported Friday.

The task force, which consists of 89 officers reassigned from other duties, was set up in response to a recent surge in gang violence, including the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old girl Aug. 4. There have been at least four gang-related shootings since then.

Task force officers are taking a “zero tolerance approach,” which means that they will stop and question anyone who acts suspiciously and will make arrests and issue citations rather than giving warnings, Police Sgt. Keith Kilmer said.