Photo courtesy of PPCC
By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor
Palisadian Frank Renfro spoke at the latest Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting on April 11 regarding security issues in town and the possibility of implementing mobile security trailers.
Camera installation has been previously discussed by PPCC and the Park Advisory Board to boost security in public spaces in Pacific Palisades and assist Los Angeles Police Department with enforcement. PPCC and its partners researched different cameras: Their discussion leaned favorable to Flock’s Safety Condor Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera, which is ideal for open areas, like intersections and parks, according to the company.
At the April 11 meeting, President Maryam Zar reported that Recreation and Parks told PPCC that particular camera installation could not be done, and the Flock cameras would be “prohibitively expensive.”
While community-wide cameras no longer seemed possible, PPCC considered foot patrols, while Renfro reached out and suggested a third option: mobile security trailers.
“Mobile trailers are something that [LAPD Senior Lead Officer for Pacific Palisades] Brian Espin and others at LAPD … have long told me they would really like,” Zar said. “I thought I would bring Frank because … he’s very well informed about the tools there are available to the entire landscape of security, and also because he’s a Palisadian. He has been following what has been going on at the park and … he has cared enough to reach out at every turn.”
Renfro said during the meeting he works in the security business, and is invested and interested in the security and safety of the Palisades. He explained that mobile security trailers have become more popular in the last decade or so, as technology has advanced, and wanted to introduce the idea as a potential resource or solution.
“What they are meant to do is deter crime,” Renfro said during the meeting.
Renfro explained that mobile security trailers run off of 4G, a cellular communication, and do not need to be wired or connected to wireless internet. The trailer would also be solar-powered, so it would not need to be connected to electricity—alleviating a number of challenges.
“You can set them up and have them operational in about 30 minutes,” he said.
The trailer would be equipped with surveillance cameras and provide advanced monitoring solutions that can be adjusted to the needs of the community.
“You can automate it, you create the rules for [it],” Renfro explained. “For example … if a person crosses this line at the edge of a property … at 10 p.m., that will trigger a response or whatever we tell it to do.”
This can look like an automated response, a flashing light or direct communication with a remote guard.
“There are different levels that it can escalate to, depending on whatever the rules you want,” Renfro said.
Privileges can be granted to different entities—for example, LAPD or PPCC could be granted access to the livestream or previously recorded footage of the surveillance cameras.
Renfro recommended working with LiveView Technologies, which he said offers “the top mobile security trailer in the country.” Depending on a number of variables, the price of LVT mobile security trailers can range from $2,500 to $4,000 per month. Renfro said there are less expensive options that he could provide information for, if needed.
“There is a fundraising component to all of this and … I think at the next meeting, we’ll talk about all of the options we have on the table and figure out what we want to fundraise for,” Zar said.
The next PPCC meeting is slated for Thursday, April 25, at 6 p.m. via Zoom.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
