HEMET: Two-day, high-visibility enforcement nets 61 arrests, 34 citations

Hemet Police officials brought out their Mobile Command Post during the 2-day enforcement event. Hemet Police Department courtesy photo

Hemet police officers made 61 arrests during their targeted enforcement efforts. Oscar Ramirez / Hemet Valley Incidents

HEMET – In an effort to address concerns of citizens, the Hemet Police Department conducted a 2-day, high-visibility enforcement detail Tuesday, Nov. 29 and Wednesday, Nov. 30. The enforcement detail focused on quality of life concerns throughout the city.

49 people were arrested and booked into Riverside County jail facilities during the operation. An additional 12 people were arrested and released on citations. Additionally, officers wrote 18 traffic citations and 16 Hemet Municipal Code citations. Officers also conducted 28 Field Interviews.

During the community enforcement event, City of Hemet police officials partnered with other city services such as Public Works and Code Enforcement and several local businesses.

The focus of the 2-day event was to impact the escalating number of complaints generated by community members regarding “the careless use of Florida Avenue by pedestrians and bicyclists, which was evident by a recent increase in traffic collisions along Florida Avenue,” Hemet Police Lieutenant J. Davis explained.

Hemet police officers spent two days targeting areas known to produce high volumes of calls.

Officers and other city officials also focused their enforcement efforts in areas where they experience high volumes of calls for service for various issues such as trespassing, panhandling, vandalism, drug activities, and thefts.

During the event, many community members expressed their support of the department’s efforts by stopping at the Mobile Command Post that was temporarily located in the 2200 block of W Florida Avenue during the event. Many citizens reportedly stopped by to interact with the officials and encourage their efforts.

“The community was outstanding,” Hemet Police Sgt. Arellano said about the event. “Parents also stopped by so their children could meet a police officer.”

In a press release after the event, Lt. Davis said, “Hemet Police personnel are excited about the city’s future and are eager to continue to focus on quality of life issues in our community.”

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Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.