Police
pose as prostitutes to catch clients
By Andy Reyes
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
The Long Beach Police Department, in their mission to become California’s
safest large city, hopes to stamp out prostitution through the implementation
of the “John Program.”
The John Program, which started more than 15 years ago, utilizes undercover female
officers who pose as prostitutes in order to catch men, or “johns,” seeking
prostitutes. It also exists to create a response to the more than 3,330 citywide
calls of complaints regarding prostitution activity in the area of Pacific Coast
Highway and Golden Avenue.
Detective Jim Schlobohm, of Long Beach Police Department’s Vice Detail
Section, focuses on arresting the clients who try to pick up prostitutes.
“
We get a lot of arrests,” he said. “It’s important to diminish
the amount of men looking for prostitutes because otherwise it is creating a
big problem for the quality of life of our residents.”
The Vice Detail Section employs the many detectives, sergeants and officers in
charge of conducting field and team operations in which they target prostitutes
as well as the subjects who solicit them for
sex.
According to the City of Long Beach Police Department’s Web site, the detail
implements the John Program in order to focus on prostitution abatement through
their undercover operations.
The Web site said that in 2003, City Prosecutor Tom Reeves drafted an ordinance
to crack down on prostitution and drugs by issuing a forfeiture ordinance. Under
this order, any individual caught soliciting prostitution or narcotics will be
arrested and can face losing their vehicle.
Long Beach Police Department Sgt. Dave Schillig, who has worked for the City
of Long Beach for 15 years, said the John Program is very effective and it benefits
the Long Beach residents by helping eliminate prostitution.
“
Whenever we get a call regarding [prostitution suspicions] we take it
seriously,” he said. “We assign an officer to begin investigation
behind every complaint. All we need is a resident’s description of where
they saw the activity taking place as well as a description of the girl and [male]
client.”
Schillig said since January more than 128 males and 350 females have been arrested
by decoy LBPD officers posing as prostitutes.
Vice Detail detectives also investigate illegal booking operations and pornography,
and inspect local businesses for code violations. The staff also processes business
applications and special permits for entertainment events around Long Beach.
Long Beach residents are encouraged to participate by reporting any suspicious
activity to the Long Beach Police Department’s Vice Detail Section. The
general information number is (562) 570-7219.
Callers will remain anonymous.
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