By Mary O’KEEFE

The Glendale Police Dept. has announced the appointment of Lt. Scott Bickle (shown at right) as its new North Area Commander.

In 2009, GPD divided Glendale into four specific sections of patrol areas. Montrose and far north Glendale are part of Command Area Four.  Bickle fills the position that was vacated by Lt. Ian Grimes after his recent retirement.

Bickle brings the wealth of 23 years of experience to the area. During his career with Glendale police he has worked as a patrol officer, in the special enforcement unit, the narcotics and gang units and has been a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) member since 1998 and continues with the team.

About two years ago when heroin arrests were increasing in Crescenta Valley, Bickle was working with the narcotics and gang unit. He worked the area and got to know not only those that were eventually arrested for bringing the majority of heroin into the area, but also learned about the community.

“I found the community works with the police,” he said.

He is familiar with Glendale, La Crescenta and the Tujunga area, and has worked with law enforcement monitoring medical marijuana dispensaries. He has worked with detectives from Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station and California Highway Patrol.

Bickle has a lot of energy and is ready to meet and greet the CV community. He oversees the officers that work the North Command including Community Lead Officers Matt Zakarian and Joe Allen with four sergeants dedicated to the area, plus several patrol officers.

“I am going to stay the course,” he said of the foundation set by his predecessor.

However he is bringing his own ideas and style to the position. He wants more officers walking Honolulu Avenue, getting officers out of their vehicles.  He wants to work with the community through organizations and Neighborhood Watch programs.

“I am big on collaboration,” he said.

One of the areas of patrol he is planning on activating is around schools in the North Glendale area. Public schools Dunsmore, Lincoln, Fremont and Valley View elementary schools and Clark Magnet High School are all in the Glendale area of Crescenta Valley. Bickle said he is planning on having patrol officers get to know the local schools, not only by driving the streets near the campuses but by having officers meeting principals and teachers.

Though they will not be official school resource officers, they will be familiar with the schools and staffs.

“I am [also] directing the [officers] to look at the parolees that will be released in the area,” he said.

Bickle plans for his officers to continue with community outreach and to be out in the community himself.

On Wednesday morning he was having coffee at Montrose Bakery with Coffee with the COPPS. Many Crescenta Valley residents dropped by to meet the new lieutenant of the North Command.

“The community is involved here,” he said, meeting and greeing one person after another.

  Mary Okeefe