Glendale PD partners with Westgate to form ‘Entertainment Squad’ to bring crime down in the area

GLENDALE, AZ — As you head to the West Valley to do your holiday shopping, you may notice more security in the area surrounding the Westgate Entertainment District.

The city of Glendale has more police officers patrolling that specific area. The department says they were added within the last year in an effort to keep families safe.

It’s called the Entertainment Squad, a dedicated group of officers now with a command post on-site.

Over the years, ABC15 has reported on a number of shootings and assaults in the area, including in 2020 when a gunman opened fire, shooting and injuring three unsuspecting people. Marta Kenny with YAM Properties tells ABC15 the squad was not a direct response to that.

“Because we’ve really been working on this since we purchased the property in 2018,” Kenny said. “We always consider ourselves ahead of the game. We’re doing improvements in technology, improvements in staffing. It wasn’t a response. I mean, it was an unfortunate event, but with the volume of people we get in this type of environment, you have to be prepared.”

The area has grown exponentially over the past few years and there will be more to come, like plans for a $1 billion resort which will include a Mattel Adventure Park and retail corridor set to open in its first phase beginning in 2025.

Glendale police say they’ve always patrolled the area and have always had off-duty officers on big nights and during peak hours.

But this new squad is dedicated specifically to Westgate, the Tanger Outlets, State Farm Stadium, and all of the restaurants and entertainment venues surrounding it.

“The idea being when something happens, they can respond within seconds,” said Jose Santiago, a spokesperson for the Glendale Police Department. “We are always patrolling as a whole throughout the city, but sometimes those minutes, changing minutes into seconds, can be vital when it comes to those types of crimes.”

Santiago says officers are also able to tap into the city’s new real-time crime center using Westgate’s security cameras to track suspects in real time.

According to data from Glendale police, crime has gone down in the area since the implementation of the Entertainment Squad.

Data shows there has been less than a 1% drop in crimes like shootings and assaults, but a 65% drop in shoplifting and other forms of theft.

“The concept being if people see more of a presence, crime tends to diminish,” Santiago said.