The walls of Peterson Properties LLC. are covered with security video. “We have a thousand cameras,” Doug Peterson said. “Across 52 properties and there is more to do.” Peterson owns those properties and he said he needs to get up to 3,000 cameras. However, one of his locations has been causing problems. “The property we’re talking about is at Central and San Pedro it’s called Central Mercado,” Peterson said. “We have over 35 cameras just for that property.” Peterson has had to hire private security there. He claims to be spending $200,000 a year for security at that property alone.”We remove the same criminal trespassers who are on that are openly using fentanyl. They are panhandling. They’re damaging the property. They’re trying to camp. They’re defecating and urinating. We call APD they don’t come out,” Peterson said. On April 3, Peterson received a notice in the mail from Vet Sec Protection Agency. “They have told us that the mission at this property has become too dangerous even for their guards who are ex-military law enforcement. Almost all of them are armed. But even for them, they said this just isn’t worth it anymore,” Peterson said. Peterson never thought a security company would walk out. But it’s a reflection of what’s going on around his property. “Walmart has closed down at San Mateo and Central. The Walgreens has closed down at San Mateo and Central. We’ve lost the CVS at Louisiana and Central. We are like the last thing that is open there,” Peterson said. “So we’re just like hanging on to try to keep these businesses open. And we’re not getting any response from APD.” So what’s the solution? “The solution is always to enforce the law. We need leaders who will enforce the law,” Peterson said. While the security company will be leaving soon, Peterson sits with frustrations he never imagined. “You do all this and still you’re villainized for, blaming others or for trying to get attention, trying to get some support from the law enforcement that we pay for. So that’s frustrating. We will continue to do what is whatever is necessary to protect our properties,” he said. We reached out to APD, in a statement they said, “Police officers are responsible for enforcing the law. APD officers have responded to 164 calls for service at that strip mall since the beginning of the year. That includes 34 criminal offenses and 11 arrests.”
The walls of Peterson Properties LLC. are covered with security video.
“We have a thousand cameras,” Doug Peterson said. “Across 52 properties and there is more to do.”
Peterson owns those properties and he said he needs to get up to 3,000 cameras. However, one of his locations has been causing problems.
“The property we’re talking about is at Central and San Pedro it’s called Central Mercado,” Peterson said. “We have over 35 cameras just for that property.”
Peterson has had to hire private security there. He claims to be spending $200,000 a year for security at that property alone.
“We remove the same criminal trespassers who are on that are openly using fentanyl. They are panhandling. They’re damaging the property. They’re trying to camp. They’re defecating and urinating. We call APD they don’t come out,” Peterson said.
On April 3, Peterson received a notice in the mail from Vet Sec Protection Agency.
“They have told us that the mission at this property has become too dangerous even for their guards who are ex-military law enforcement. Almost all of them are armed. But even for them, they said this just isn’t worth it anymore,” Peterson said.
Peterson never thought a security company would walk out. But it’s a reflection of what’s going on around his property.
“Walmart has closed down at San Mateo and Central. The Walgreens has closed down at San Mateo and Central. We’ve lost the CVS at Louisiana and Central. We are like the last thing that is open there,” Peterson said. “So we’re just like hanging on to try to keep these businesses open. And we’re not getting any response from APD.”
So what’s the solution?
“The solution is always to enforce the law. We need leaders who will enforce the law,” Peterson said.
While the security company will be leaving soon, Peterson sits with frustrations he never imagined.
“You do all this and still you’re villainized for, blaming others or for trying to get attention, trying to get some support from the law enforcement that we pay for. So that’s frustrating. We will continue to do what is whatever is necessary to protect our properties,” he said.
We reached out to APD, in a statement they said, “Police officers are responsible for enforcing the law. APD officers have responded to 164 calls for service at that strip mall since the beginning of the year. That includes 34 criminal offenses and 11 arrests.”
