Oceanside will pay $1.3 million for another year of a contract with Gatekeepers Security Services, Inc., first approved in September 2022 for a pilot program to improve downtown neighborhoods.
Uniformed officers employed by Gatekeepers patrol the beachfront and business district 24 hours a day, seven days a week, serving as the “eyes and ears” for the city’s Police Department and its homeless outreach team.
On average, the security team logs 1,000 contacts per month with about 150 individuals, some repeatedly, for issues such as public intoxication, illegal camping, theft, vandalism and loitering, according to a city staff report.
“The goal … is to reduce crime, property damage and other activities that have the potential to impact downtown residents, businesses and visitors,” the report states.
An important part of the program is to connect vulnerable populations such as the homeless with resources they may need. The private security guards do not carry firearms. They patrol problem areas in vehicles, on bicycles and on foot, making frequent contact with business people and the public.
When necessary, the guards can detain people under a citizen’s arrest until officers arrive to take control.
Downtown residents and business owners say the additional security has reduced crime along the beachfront, the Oceanside Transit Center, the Pier Amphitheater, and the Junior Seau Beach Community Center.
The Oceanside City Council voted unanimously Dec. 18 to extend the contract, which is administered by the downtown business group MainStreet Oceanside.
MainStreet pays a little more than $300,000 of the contract costs, and the balance is covered by the city with revenue collected under Measure X.
Oceanside voters first approved Measure X in 2018, a seven-year, half-cent sales tax hike specifically to pay for improved public safety, aid for the homeless, road repairs and other infrastructure needs.
In November 2024, voters renewed Measure X for an additional 10 years.
