Gunshots at Dusk: Why Carson Park Needs a Sound Strategy for Community Wellness

Carson Park, a quiet residential neighborhood in East Long Beach, is a place where children ride scooters down tree-lined sidewalks and neighbors greet each other by name. But for many of us who live here, that peaceful image is regularly interrupted by the sharp, echoing sound of gunfire. These are not the sounds of crime, they come from the Long Beach Police Department’s East Division Firing Range, also known as the Long Beach Police Academy pistol range, located less than half a mile from dozens of homes, including my own.

While police training is vital for public safety, the range’s close proximity to residences raises concerns that deserve public attention. Gunfire is routinely audible during daytime hours and, on several occasions, even after sunset. According to the City of Long Beach and public listings, the range is located at 7290 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, CA 90808, behind the Lowe’s at the Long Beach Towne Center. While the range is primarily used during weekday hours from 8am to 5pm, evening training sessions are known to extend as late as 8:30 p.m. on select dates, yet many residents continue to report hearing gunfire well beyond those hours. For families, older adults, veterans with PTSD, and individuals with trauma histories, this noise is more than a nuisance, it’s a public health concern.

Exposure to loud, sudden, or chronic noise has been linked to elevated cortisol levels, disrupted sleep, cardiovascular stress, and anxiety, according to research by the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For social workers, public health experts, and trauma-informed professionals, it's clear that soundscapes aren’t neutral, they shape emotional safety, child development, and quality of life. In Carson Park, the constant presence of gunfire, however controlled, undermines these core community values.

As a social worker and resident of Carson Park, I recently completed a community assessment of our neighborhood as part of my Master of Social Work training. I was struck by the many strengths of our community, high rates of homeownership, low crime, strong schools, and abundant green space. But I also identified challenges often overlooked in suburban planning, limited access to nearby behavioral health services, car dependency that isolates those who don’t drive, and yes, the psychological toll of ambient gunfire.

Carson Park is home to a significant aging population. With a median age of nearly 44 and a high proportion of long-term homeowners, our neighborhood includes many older adults who want to age in place or stay in their own homes and community as they grow older. But aging well requires more than ramps and railings, it requires peace, predictability, and a sense of control over one’s environment. For these neighbors, unexpected gunfire can be disorienting and distressing, particularly in the evening hours when routines and rest matter most.

The problem is not just about the firing range; it’s about a lack of community voice in decisions that impact our health and environment. Were residents consulted about the hours of operation? Are there efforts underway to soundproof or schedule trainings during less disruptive hours? If not, why not? These are reasonable questions, not radical ones.

In the spirit of public partnership, I urge city officials and the Long Beach Police Department to explore solutions that meet training needs without compromising community wellness. Several U.S. communities have taken meaningful action to address firing range noise near homes. In Cranston, Rhode Island, residents prompted the installation of noise-reducing panels, berms, and landscaping after gunfire became a neighborhood disturbance. Grandview, Missouri built a new shooting range with natural sound barriers like trees to reduce outdoor noise. Even New York City is shifting some of its outdoor police firing exercises into indoor facilities on Rodman’s Neck to minimize community disruption. Carson Park deserves the same thoughtful attention.

It’s also time to think beyond decibels. Our city should invest in a full spectrum of community wellness initiatives, mobile behavioral health units, greater access to social services in East Long Beach, and trauma-informed urban planning that centers lived experience. Public safety is not just about policing, it’s about the everyday conditions that allow people to feel safe, sleep soundly, and thrive in their neighborhoods.

We in Carson Park are not asking for silence, we’re asking to be heard. The sounds that fill our streets should be those of neighbors talking, birds chirping, and children laughing, not gunfire echoing through the dusk.

It’s time for Long Beach to develop a sound strategy for community well-being, one that includes everyone’s voice.

Sources cited: World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Census Bureau, City of Long Beach, City of Cranston (RI), City of Grandview (MO), New York Police Department (NYPD)