Starting this weekend, you may see more police officers patrolling coastal areas. It’s part of an initiative launched by President Council Joe LaCava called ‘Operation Blue Tide.’ Operation Blue Tide is increasing patrols along coastal areas to reduce violent crime. The initiative com es two weeks after a security was shot and killed outside Crystal Pier. “I’ve spotted more enforcement up and down the boardwalk, officers patrolling and walking the boardwalk as well,” Julie Neal, Co-owner of Crystal Pier said. Neal said she is relieved to see more San Diego Police Officers patrolling the area and hopes their presence will deter anyone attempting to cause trouble. “I think the community is fed up with all the crime and all the stuff going on down here, obviously since the murder of Luis was, you know, horrifying that should have never happened,” Neal said. Council President Joe LaCava announced Operation Blue Tide on social media saying in part that, “San Diego Police will dedicate resources in coastal areas to proactively address violent crime and keep residents and visitors safe. He also encouraged people in those areas to report any suspicious behavior or criminal activity to police immediately. San Diego police tell NBC 7 the enforcement focuses on increasing the number of patrols and officers’ responses to any acts of violence or disruptions. “I know the community. We’re all behind this 100 percent. We want more patrols down here. We want a safer beach, we want our family beach back,” Neal said. Pacific Beach Town Council President Charlie Nieto, said this is an opportunity for the city to tackle safety concerns from a preventative standpoint. He hopes this operation will improve public safety along coastal neighborhoods by concentrating enforcement in areas where police resources have been limited in the past. “Being able to see Pacific Beach be more of a safe community where everyone can enjoy that space and not have this reputation of being a troubled district, that really makes people choose between safety and fun,” Nieto said. Christine Grigorian is a manager at 710 Beach Club. She said she’s aware of the safety concerns in Pacific Beach in recent weeks. During closing time at the bar on weekends, she said she’s even heard incidents happening right outside the bar’s front door. Now, she said having more officers available to respond gives her and her team greater peace of mind. “It definitely makes us feel more safe as staff, as employees, as managers,” Grigorian said. She hopes this operation will restore a sense of safety for everyone who lives in, works in or visits Pacific Beach. We reached out to council member LaCava’s office for comment and are awaiting a response. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less