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S-T Area Neighborhood Watch Meeting Notes, April 21, 2026

Posted on 05/04/2026

S-T Area Neighborhood Watch

Meeting Notes, April 21, 2026

29 residents gathered to hear our lower crime stats and to "Welcome Hom"!

That's Foothill Station's new Commanding Officer, LAPD Captain III Jay Hom!

Tujunga Senior Lead Officer Gloria Caloca and Sunland Area SLO Wil Godoy ran the meeting and later gave their respective—and encouraging!—stats.

Special guest Captain Hom opened the meeting with a big-picture view. In 33 years with LAPD, Hom rose through operational assignments in all four geographic Bureaus, most recently Northeast, around Dodger Stadium. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees, then graduated Sherman Block Leadership Institute and FBI's National Academy at Quantico.

As Foothill's "quarterback," Hom's #1 priority is your public safety!

"We find higher crime elsewhere in San Fernando Valley, even Toluca Lake and Valley Village, but it's pretty low here. We mostly get nuisance crimes. They're extremely annoying to families, but very few of our responses are for violent crimes."

City of LA contracted Zencity (its corporate mission: "fixing" community trust) to do surveys on topics like general safety and homelessness. S-T doesn't have them or CIRCLE because they're sent to LA's areas of greatest homelessness.

Our biggest issues are property crimes and break-ins to homes and vehicles. PLEASE find a way to clear out garage space for your vehicles! Overnight parking on streets is very risky.

The crash at Whiteman remains under investigation. The pilot, male, 70, per info available at this time, misjudged altitude and speed. At slow speeds, any further loss of speed steals altitude rapidly. This crash stopped trains back to Kansas City.

Captain Hom reassures us Foothill is NOT short on staff. We have eight cars, and even Night Watch is pretty robust. We're getting more motorcycle officers. Currently we don't have an off-road truck, but still have our trail bikes.

South American gangs, known for home robberies, blend in and are not known for violence. By contrast, South LA gangs will carry weapons because they can be fulltime gang members. Membership is fluid, changing constantly.

LAPD's Metropolitan Division ("Metro") is a proactive, i.e., "bad-ass," anti-crime patrol unit that follows tips and chatter so they can jump on crimes in progress. Metro once rotated throughout the city in this endeavor, but current politics forbid it. They often do covert surveillance and undercover work. Stats show that once Metro disappears from an area, crime resurges.

A "cite and release" mentality in LA courts began during COVID-19 and still exists. Yet, in all the areas he's worked, residents never requested fewer officers. Even in South LA, people in homes and businesses wanted more patrols and faster response times!

Contrary to belief, the Three-Strike Law and the death penalty are still on LA and CA's books! But there are two moratoriums (moratoria?) on the death penalty, and Three Strikes isn't enforced.

State Legislators voted to not enforce prostitution laws. In some areas, they walk the streets nearly naked. (No photos, please!)

Capt. Hom's officers like working Foothill and particularly like snagging DUIs! Absent injuries, penalties for street racing and takeovers CAN BE harsh, but they're still technically misdemeanors. Enforcement is harder now because LAPD's traffic officers are down from 400 to 200!! (Please see our earlier notes that Capt Johnny Smith is now CO of Valley Traffic.) In July 2022, CA forgave $500,000 in penalties to scofflaws who ignored traffic citations.

Presidential visits and big events disrupt officers' schedules and response times all over the city. Pres. Biden stayed in LA five days, longer than any other city.

Carolyn Daniels, Republican candidate for CA Assembly District 44, spoke briefly. Democrats outnumber Republicans 3 to 1 in the state Assembly.

CD7's Monica Rodríguez is the most responsive LA Councilperson he has worked with, said Hom. She has also been pushing for budget accountability at LHASA, et al. CD7 has a Homeless Coordinator.

With help and planning by STNC's Safe Traffic and Transportation (STAT) Committee, CD7 will purchase and plant 18-20 new trees on Foothill! Ricardo Flores coordinates!

► DON'T OPEN YOUR DOOR FOR STRANGERS! If you don’t feel right about someone at your door, emphatically send them away!

Now that summer approaches, we're tempted to leave doors and windows open when we leave. When at home, find a way to barrier them from being opened from outside.

► A resident suspects that her recent burglary, where tools and fishing gear were stolen following her garage sale, came from a neighbor's home where unhoused camp in the yard.

► Tujunga's SLO Caloca gave us a thumbnail update:

> Crime numbers are down nicely from 2025.

> Social media aside, Jennifer is not dead. She's getting help!

> Patrick is in custody and also getting help. NOTE this ONLY happened because residents called and emailed about him, and then showed up in court to testify at his hearing! Too many complain then don't follow up.

> Caloca has successfully employed dialog and understanding with the homeless for years. Some situations require enforcement.

> Get to know your neighbors! It's sociable, mutually protective, and saves you wondering about that "strange person."

► Sunland's SLO Godoy said March had 77 total crimes, and Tujunga 59! > S-T are #1 and #2 in lowest crime stats! By comparison, another nearby town has 183!

CD7’s cleanups west of us shifted drifters here and the influx is too much to rapidly handle.

> So officers NEED our help in reporting. Consistently over many years, unhoused say they like S-T because it’s safer here!

> Use MyLA311 smartphone app to REPORT, REPORT, REPORT! Curbside trash attracts more trash.

> Re politics, Godoy would only say, "Ask for a history of the candidates' accomplishments."

Then ask yourself, "Do their brags fit my values!"

Use LAHop (www.lahsa.org/) to report homeless encampments. Schools and parks impacted by unhoused issues get priority. Always be 100% HONEST in your reports, so you don’t waste resources. And so LAPD and CD7 will believe you next time! Remember thewho screamed ?

We have 56,000 residents in S-T, but turnout for an expensive Earth Day event was dismal—this was echoed in other public meetings.

☼ PLEASE SAVE THESE CONTACTS!!

☼ 911 for emergencies or crime in progress ONLY!

► LAPD NON-emergency: 1-877-ASK-LAPD

► File LAPD Report Online: https://www.lapdonline.org/file-a-police-report/

► Tujunga's Senior Lead Officer: Gloria Caloca: [email protected]

► Sunland's SLO: Wil Godoy: [email protected]

► SLO for HOMELESS Issues: Ofcr. Eric Herrera: [email protected]

► Gangs (TVR): Ofcr. Cody Massie: [email protected]

► Traffic: Ofcr. Sal Venegas: [email protected]

► To Volunteer w/ Foothill LAPD: Ofcr. Milton Ramírez: [email protected]

► Sr. Area Rep for CD7: Ricardo Flores: [email protected]