GPD Update, New Hires, and the Silencing of Public Concerns

Last night, Glendale Police Department provided an update to residents concerned with rising crime in our city. The GPD's latest stats show a mixed bag: while robbery and burglary did increase from 2022 to 2023, we've seen a significant decrease in 2024. A glimmer of hope, perhaps? Or just the calm before the storm?

The department also reported 26 new hires—officers currently in training who will be hitting the streets soon, once they've been fully qualified. In a city where crime rates are on the minds of many, this is a step in the right direction. Additionally, there's been a hefty investment in the Real Time Intelligence Center, enhancing surveillance capabilities to catch criminals more efficiently. The GPD is making it clear they’re focused on reducing speeding, solving a recent (and thankfully rare) homicide, and boosting their technological arsenal to help protect us more effectively.

While the updates on crime and safety were welcome, there was another hot topic simmering under the surface—one that wasn’t allowed to boil over in last night’s discussion. Residents expressed growing concern over the recently installed bike lanes on North Brand Blvd., a topic that has become as controversial as it is divisive. It seems some city officials are more interested in silencing these concerns than addressing them.

Council member Ardy Kassakhian, in a move that many would call censorship, ensured the bike lane topic stayed out of the discussion by having the city manager leave if the topic were brought up. Yes, you heard that right—if the citizens dared to mention bike lanes, the city manager would vanish faster than you can say "public accountability." Why does Kassakhian want this topic stifled when it’s clearly a pressing matter for the public? Could it be that the council doesn’t want to admit they've made a misstep in their grand urban planning experiment?

Dan Brotman even went as far as to label those opposed to the bike lanes as "hateful anti-LGBTQ extremists" in a rant at the August 13 council meeting. Because, of course, if you’re not a fan of bike lanes clogging up North Brand Blvd., you must obviously have an agenda against LGBTQ rights. Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it? This absurd leap in logic is almost impressive, if it weren’t so damaging and divisive. Thankfully, Dr. Alex Balekian, candidate for California’s 30th Congressional District (which encompasses the whole of Glendale) delivered the ultimate smackdown of this divisive rhetoric. Watch that here.

So, we have a local government seemingly more concerned with squashing public discourse than actually addressing public concerns. While the Glendale Police Department is busy fighting crime and upgrading their tech, our city officials are playing a different game—a game of deflection and distraction.

The question remains: why is the city council so afraid of a little public discussion? And more importantly, when will they start listening to the very people they’re supposed to serve? Until then, it looks like the bike lanes—and the controversy—are here to stay.