Neighborhood Watch Report

Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Watch Meeting

19 September 2023, 9:00AM, Crow’s Nest Family Restaurant

Tujunga's Senior Lead Officer (SLO), Gloria Caloca convened the meeting at 9:16AM. We reached 32 attendees.

SLO Caloca distributed notices showing how to post a formal report to LAPD online. She is concerned many crimes go unreported, which leads to under-reporting our actual crime rates, which robs us of officers and equipment. Just search "LAPD Report Online." The first several links get you there.

We MUST responsibly report every crime, else we give LAPD and Mayor Bass a false impressions our crime is lower than it actually is. That means they send officers and budget elsewhere.

Phoning LAPD is NOT a "report." Posting your complaint on social media is NOT a report. If officers come to the location, they will normally write a report IF there's evidence a crime has been committed. You can always ask for a supervisor.

Year-To-Date Crime Stats

Sunland

Total violent crimes=38, down 5.1%

Part 1 crimes (burglary, property theft, etc.)=356, down 14.0%

Tujunga

Total Violent Crimes=33, down 26.7%

Part 1 Crimes=273, up 3.0%

Right away, residents' questions and concerns came thick and fast!

► Can we use weapons to defend ourselves against intruders? IF you can later, in criminal court or during the victim's lawsuit, clearly articulate and show you had solid reason to fear for your life or another human's life. But NOT against simple trespassing. NOT to protect your property, pets or pride—not even your shiny new car!

► A break-in on Valaho Dr. ended when the criminal fled. Later he was spotted in a back yard and police were called. Plainclothes detectives apprehended him after minor use of force. A week later, he was still in custody, as he had allegedly attempted a "hot" burglary, meaning residents were present on the premises.

►► "ZERO"-Bail vs. "NO"-Bail! Very different ends of the crime spectrum! ◄◄

Los Angeles County now suffers a three-tiered "Zero-Bail" policy for low-level crimes. See chart by KTLA Ch.5.

Zero-Bail, in nearly all cases, means catch and release. That leads to events like ex-Foothill Capt. Johnny Smith cited in which one criminal was caught and released, caught and released, for stealing several cars in 24 hours!

Officer Caloca once detained a criminal who still had his previous release paperwork in his pocket. He had expected the "inconvenience" of being detained, but knew he'd be set free. Another arrestee gladly surrendered his bag of meth, knowing it was a no-jail misdemeanor.

"NO-Bail" is reserved for very serious crimes where NO amount of money will get that suspect out of custody before the hearing. In Our Next meeting, Officer Caloca will invite a detective to give a detailed explanation of the three tiers of crimes and which are Zero-Bail.

For this writing, simple small theft is "book 'n release." Other thefts—burglaries, robberies—fall under very tightly written rules, which many criminals understand very well.

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick...et al.

LA Housing, our Council District office, and LAPD visit Patrick regularly and are seeking a long-term solution. Patrick isn't.

Most residents don't know Patrick actually has a legal residence in the Day St. Apts., where he seldom stays, preferring instead to pile up junk on Foothill's corners, overdose (per police records) and walk into traffic (multiple resident reports).

A resident said she’d seen Patrick start fires, but LAPD has no video proof, so cannot arrest for that. Please get any relevant videos to your SLO!

At Patrick's last arrest, SLOs Caloca and Vi Potter's long and careful write-up for the judge helped keep Patrick safe in jail and away from drugs longer.

One resident said her brother was hit by car because Patrick's junk on the sidewalk forced the brother into the street. LAMC 41.18 protects 36” sidewalk access per ADA. If you see an infraction, call LAPD Dispatch.

The most vital reason to get the unhoused into housing is that two died in recent hit-and-runs in Sun Valley. There's talk of offering the unhoused fluorescent T-shirts to reduce chances of being hit. Some may use them.

CD7 earned SLO Caloca's praise for good follow-up with homeless to offer housing and services. She saw CD7's Ricardo Flores talking with Patrick that morning.

A resident reported that, under the bridge parallel to I-210 and past the golf course, a small settlement exists with pool and a gold-painted rock.

There were several comments about the unhoused's trucks and trailers being illegally parked. Most have been cited, but SLO Caloca took notes on others and said she’d follow up. Sometimes the unhoused actually stay away as they promise.

They come here from all over, and tell officers they feel safer here. They travel for free in LA on public buses.

▬ Officers’ first approach to homeless is to offer services such as substance-abuse programs and housing. LAPD try to get them ID’d and informally assessed as to criminality, drugs, level of personal responsibility, and family members. Often, they run when an officer approaches, so LAPD can’t offer services.

As a ploy, the homeless may act mentally unhinged to residents, then suddenly reform when an armed officer appears. In other cases, they still act out with officers, then persuade the Mental Evaluation Unit (MEU) or a judge that they’re fine.

Can the willing unhoused find homes? SLO Caloca reported that two recently got housing right away. Earlier, two at Bolton Hall got housing. But many put up barriers, e.g., preferred housing location, violent pets, or unwillingness to try to get sober.

Officer Caloca constantly follows up on Tujunga's unhoused, yet they are often elusive. LAPD cannot impound a vehicle if it’s also a residence. Can only cite.

Some locations are hospitable to them with wi-fi for Netflix, restrooms, etc. When an officer infoed property owners, they changed the password and the unhoused lady moved on.

LAPD can't act on the guy in the woods at Pali/Day St., as Building & Safety as he's on someone's private property. The matter is now going through courts.

▬▬▬

► A warrant was served on an illegal pot shop on Commerce Av.

Separately, a smoke shop on Commerce reportedly won't pay for its own trash pickup. Instead, they use their merchandise to pay homeless to remove their trash to parts unknown.

∙ A resident complained that drivers thoroughly ignore stop signs on St. Esteban, and there are many expired tags.

Call LAPD Dispatch—877-ASK-LAPD—for other police matters, NOT your SLO!

You already know to call 911 for an emergency or a crime in progress.

EVERY call that receives an officer on-site gets an "Incident Number." Ask for it and write it down.

Separately, every Police Report has its "DR number." Write it down.

If you get no, or unsatisfactory, response, ask for a Supervisor

TRAFFIC!   School in session ramps up traffic violations! Traffic Officer Sal Venegas polices at least one school per day.

LAPD census is <9,000; that's way down. Recruitment is below earlier levels, and the process takes months and has drop-outs.

Officer Caloca ended the very long and vociferous  meeting by saying how much she and other officers really love this communities' level of involvement and helpfulness! Those qualities are not present in all corners of LA!

PLEASE SAVE THESE LAPD EMAIL ADDRESSES!

Tujunga: SLO Gloria Caloca: [email protected]

Sunland: SLO Wil Godoy: [email protected]

Traffic: Ofcr. Sal Venegas: [email protected]

Foothill Captain: Marco Lozano: [email protected]

Community Relations Head: Sgt. Jesse Ojeda: [email protected]

Volunteers: Milton Ramírez: [email protected]

And THANK YOU for being part of the solution, and never part of your community's problems!