Officers Sickened, Police Post Closed

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Officers Sickened, Police Post Closed

Health: Mold had been found in the crowded, aging Long Beach facility, and

experts will seek to determine whether it's to blame. Police chief wants new

building soon.

By HECTOR BECERRA

TIMES STAFF WRITER

April 12 2002

Long Beach police officers and other employees were removed from the North

Patrol substation Thursday, and the facility was closed, after several

officers became seriously ill, authorities said.

The closure of the substation at Scherer Park comes after the discovery of

mold in several parts of the facility, said Long Beach Assistant City

Manager Gerald . The more than 100 officers and other police employees

will be temporarily moved to the West Patrol Substation at 1835 Santa Fe

Ave.

A city safety officer found the mold Tuesday and a company tested the air

quality of the facility after reports of 17 officers becoming ill in the

past month, acting Police Chief Bretza said. Mold was found in modular

buildings that house bathrooms and locker rooms. The substation, composed of

a small building and several trailers, is about 20 years old.

City and police officials stressed on Thursday that the mold may not be

responsible for the illnesses. However, it will be two weeks before tests

reveal whether there are harmful spores, bacteria or fungi in the

substation.

" We're not sure whether there's a relationship between the illnesses and the

building, " said. " But we want to make every effort, if we do have a

problem, to address it. We want to err on the side of caution. "

Bretza said he believes conditions at the substation have played a role in

the illnesses. In the past month, four officers have contracted pneumonia,

three bronchitis and 10 others a variety of upper respiratory illnesses,

Bretza said.

He said the building's floor crumbles and there is often flooding because of

the plumbing or leaky roof. Stagnant water under modular units has caused

noxious odors.

" It's also extremely overcrowded. There's over 100 people in a very confined

space, " Bretza said.

said an environmental impact report issued about two years ago

confirmed problems at the substation.

Conditions at the substation, at Del Amo Boulevard and Atlantic Avenue, were

noted as a reason for moving officers to a new facility, said. The

Long Beach Police Department will probably begin construction of a large

police station at Scherer Park this summer. In the meantime, construction of

a smaller substation to temporarily house officers at the closed substation

could begin in the next few months, said.

He said that even if tests do not show that the building sickened the

officers, several changes will be made to the old substation.

" I'm very worried about my officers, " Bretza said. " I really have to commend

our officers for working in such deplorable conditions for so long. I'm

hoping the new building gets built as soon as possible. "