March 28, 2009

Los Angeles Police Dept. South East L.A. Newsletter: Crime Trends, Quality of Life Issues, Crime Prevention Tips!

My community created a neighborhood watch that encompasses a two block radius almost 10 years ago. We were prompted to take action when two of our neighbors became victims of home invasion robberies. I should note that I live in the suburbs and not an inner city. However, I cannot stress enough how important it is for communities to GET INVOLVED in protecting their families and homes from all sorts of PREDATORS! Everyone in our neighborhood watch keeps each other posted regarding incidents and peculiar people roaming our neighborhood using Yahoo groups. We also find time to chat when we see each other outside. Get to know your neighbors and the local police! I hope that my neighborhood watch story below helps to encourage you to GET MORE INVOLVED with your neighbors.

Our neighborhood watch works closely with our local police station and our city counsel person. Some of my neighbors including myself have volunteered our time to keep our area clean by removing trash that the city neglects. We help pick up the slack, not because we're force to but because we want to; our community IS AN EXTENSION of our home. If you don't care about your neighborhood then why should the THUGS?!? One of my neighhbors pulls his trash bin two blocks to transfer the trash from an overflowing bus stop wastecan into his own. Another neighbor and I pick up the trash thrown over the fence in a city storage area under a freeway overpass. We all wear gloves of course. All of our neighbors including the blocks not associated with our group are on CONSTANT graffiti alert! As soon as anyone sees graffiti we all call 311 or go to the Los Angeles County graffiti removal website to report the location. The city comes out within two days and removes the graffiti.

Make sure all of the street lamps are brightly lit. If not, you can dial 311 and have the lighbulbs replaced. You can also purchase a wireless micro video camera to see what's happening outside without having to leave your home. They are not expensive and are well worth your piece of mind. The majority of my neighbors work in the entertainment industry in one form or another and are up late. Their unique schedule has allowed some of my neighbors to volunteer patrol between the hours of 2:00am and 5:00am when ALL of the SCUM prefers to do their dirty work. I am a night owl too and pitch in every now and then. Kind of like a vigilante watch! And boy do they have stories of preventing crime in our neighborhood! I am grateful to have them as my neighbors. This is called SAFETY in numbers!

I was looking for a specific story and stumbled upon this Southeast Los Angeles Community Newsletter. I read the entire webpage and I highly recommend you do the same. It will help you understand what our police officers battle everyday on the streets to protect and serve us. Yes, I know there are corrupt and racist cops out there. Just like CEO's and Politicians and Businesspeople. But don't paint the ENTIRE police force as boogeymen because of those bad apples. The police should NOT be feared unless of course you are committing a CRIME! I have posted a snipit below from the Southeast Community Newsletter. Please click HERE to visit the LAPD website to read more.

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Basic Car Area 18A34
Senior Lead Officer Floro B. Pinzon

Crime Trends
During this period, there were three homicides that occurred in the basic car area 18A34. Two were gang related and the other was a domestic violence related incident. A suspect was already arrested on the domestic violence related homicide. The South Bureau Homicide Detectives are working diligently to solve the two gang related homicides. Officer Pinzon requested the assistance of the patrol officers and Gang Enforcement Detail officers to conduct strict enforcement in the area of Central Avenue between 93rd Street and 104th Street.

Crime Prevention Tips
Community involvement is the best crime deterrent that a neighborhood can have. Join a Block Club or Neighborhood Watch. Please report any suspicious individuals in your neighborhood. If you do not have one in your neighborhood, start one. Getting to know your neighbor and watching out for each other is the best crime prevention. For more details, call Senior Lead Officer, Floro B. Pinzon.

Basic Car Area 18A63
Senior Lead Officer Robert Martinez

Quality of Life Issues
There has been an increase of abandon vehicles and graffiti in our neighborhoods. Non- working vehicles such as, boats, trailers, bikes and campers are being dropped off in neighborhoods where traffic congestion is light. Another problem that is occurring is gang graffiti. Abandon houses, (house for sale and foreclosures) are being targeted by local gangs.

Crime Prevention Tips
Due to our robberies, assaults and graffiti problems, it is a good practice to be aware of suspicious persons loitering near your place of residence. Please call the police to report any potential criminal or gang activity. Another good tip is to get to know your neighbors. This will make it easier for neighbors to assist each other during an emergency.

Basic Car Area 18A41
Senior Lead Officer Angelo Stewart

Crime Trends
During this period, there has been an increase in crime on Main St between Imperial Hwy and 108th Street. This area is being plagued with GTA's (Grand Theft Auto), Burglaries and Robberies. The area has heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic due to fast food restaurants, gas stations and a pharmacy. LAPD Southeast patrol units and Gang Enforcement Detail are working hard to make the area safer for the community. However, community involvement is the best tool to reduce crime.

Quality of Life Issues
The Southeast Area Vice unit is continuously enforcing the prostitution laws along the Figueroa corridor. The unit makes multiple arrests on prostitution related crimes on a daily basis. These efforts help to improve the quality of life for area residents and reduce crime associated with prostitution. The Southeast Vice unit will continue to respond to this problem and make prostitution an enforcement priority. The District Attorney's Office has filed a prostitution injunction on some of the repeat offenders on the Figueroa Corridor. This will help to control the prostitution activity on Figueroa Street.

Crime Prevention Tips
Due to numerous crimes in the area, it is a good practice to be aware of suspicious persons loitering around cars or near your place of residence. Please call the police to report any potential criminal or gang activity. Another good tip is to get to know your neighbors. This will make it easier for neighbors to assist each other during an emergency.

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