Lakewood police to increase presence at city events following gun-related incidents
Lakewood police will increase their presence at city-sponsored events following a shooting at a recent movie night at Fort Steilacoom Park.
Lt. Chris Lawler told The News Tribune on Monday the decision was made in light of recent incidents and pointed to the shooting in Ft. Steilacoom Park on July 9.
There was a fight during which shots were fired by one of the involved parties, and at least two people ran toward the parking lot full of attendees watching the Disney movie, “Coco,” according to a witness.
The city rescheduled the movie night. No one was injured. Lakewood police are working to identify the suspects.
Police were not present at the park until an emergency call was made.
In the past, police were at some events but not routinely and usually a request from the city if there was a concern, Lawler said.
During the heat wave last month, a 20-year-old man was fatally shot after confronting someone picking fights at American Lake Park. Police were present at the lake on the day of the shooting.
Officers will be at events like farmers markets, movie nights, concerts and all city events, a Lakewood bulletin said.
Asked about the cost of the increased presence, Lawler said, “The cost of providing additional security is all being done within our budget. No other departments will see less resources.”
The department will determine the number of officers based on the size of the event, expected attendance and any intelligence on specific safety concerns, Lawler said.
The city has also created an “emergency page,” to provide information during an incident that “poses a danger to the general public,” according to the city bulletin.
Lakewood tracks quarterly crime data. Compared to the first quarter of every year since 2016, 2021 has seen the lowest reported crime rates, with 1,428 total incidents. The highest first quarter in the last five years was 2017 with 1,671 incidents.
In crimes against a person, like assault, kidnapping and homicide, the police department reported 315 incidents in first quarter of 2021 — a 21 percent decrease compared to the first quarter of 2020.
This story was originally published July 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
