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Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council

S-T & Nearby Neighborhood Watch Meeting of 23 Feb 2022

Posted on 03/09/22

 Sr. Lead Officer Gloria Caloca (Tujunga) started the meeting at 9:04 a.m. with >25 people attending in and out, assisted by SLO Airam "Violet" Potter (Sunland). Special guests Foothill Captain Johnny Smith, Robbery Detective Robert Rood, and Sgt Jesse Ojeda answered questions and fleshed out data.
 
TUJUNGA: SLO Caloca said overall crime is down 39%, but aggravated assaults rose from 6 to 8, robberies rose from 7 to 8.
 
SUNLAND: SLO Potter reported that aggravated assaults rose by one incident. However, the intended victim put the accused in the hospital. Based on crime patterns, Officer Potter reiterated that we should ALWAYS LOCK vehicles! Don't leave attractive goods in a car. NEVER leave your vehicle's electronic fob in it! Cops call that situation the "Foothill Taxi Service." Another goof is leaving a garage door opener inside a deserted vehicle: Break side window. Push button. Loot garage.
 
MOST LOCAL BREAK-INS occur along Foothill Blvd. Transient situation at 7400 block—near Valaho/AutoZone—has been reported to Building and Safety, which has some enforcement powers. A transient's warming fire broke loose in hills near McGroarty. Nearby property owners and residents avidly want LAPD's help removing the menace. First, "No Trespassing" signs must be posted, and tent-dwellers must receive adequate notice and offers of housing.
        Other areas of concern are Sunland Park and Vons, where an oft-reported offender was arrested—and soon released by courts.
 
CAPT. JOHNNY SMITH considers you—local residents—his most important audience, and feels he always owes you the truth.
Overall in Foothill Division, homicide rose 50%, rapes rose 200%, robberies 22.7% and shots fired rose 40%.
Cannabis outlets can attract robberies of cash or easily resalable products. Three men from Harbor area stole a car to rob Weedway. LAPD caught one.
        In separate incidents, a bullet narrowly missed a 9-yo girl and a 13-yo was shot but is recovering. Yet we are comparatively safe  in S-T versus other areas of LA. Smith says he wants us "ideally safe."
 
► Patrick remains an issue at Von's because people give him food, money and gifts. He and a friend OD'd on fentanyl 2-3 months ago. Patrick was hospitalized and his friend died. Therefore, our self-congratulating do-gooders are pass-through financial supporters of local drug dealers who kill people.
        Smith pointedly asked, "Isn't it equally cruel to prolong transients' time on the streets?" Year-old articles concur, reporting that nearly 4% of LA's 40,000 homeless die annually in "sudden, violent, or unusual" deaths.
        He said that, five years ago, it was hard for LAPD to find shelter for homeless. Now they have places to go. On 22 Feb, LAPD held a multi-party meeting to unite all forces and intelligence about the problems that homeless present.
While LAPD cannot impound a vehicle if someone is living in it, if the occupant breaks a law—often drug sales, assault or prostitution—they'll be arrested but get out in one or a few days.
 
► PAT KRAMER, chair of Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council's Safe Traffic and Transportation (STAT) committee, asked how Foothill Division is coping after LAPD's defunding.
► Smith conceded that officer morale is down citywide, but it's better at Foothill thanks to our strong local officer support. During COVID-19, LAPD and medical responders were hailed as heroes. But George Floyd's murder, 2600 miles away, inflamed nationwide anti-police rhetoric and attacks. LAPD officers and command staff offered to defer their raises. When feds sent LA City funds meant for law enforcement, the City disbursed those funds elsewhere.
        When cops are less visible or less active, crime will rise! Smith said he is so low on detectives that, to maximize public safety with fewer officers, they have training officers working detectives' areas.
        The new DA's (Gascón) leniency for criminals, backed by his vocal allies, diminish public safety. The City provides free public defenders for those accused. It's the DA's duty to prosecute. The legal "argument" between those two should bring out all the facts of a case. Today, prosecution's fact-finding is minimal, resulting in short, lenient or no sentences. Understandably, COVID-19 is often cited as a reason to not overcrowd prisons.
 
► To refute negative stereotypes, Smith shared citywide LAPD stats: Out of 1,700,000 LAPD calls, 24 residents were shot. 10 were Black, 7 Latino, 7 White. Foothill Station is LA's only division with an all-female Watch Commander staff.
    Smith feels that almost all officers "are a special breed of person" who see their job as a calling. They're not primarily money motivated.
    He says it's his job to hold all officers accountable, good and bad. Rooting out bad cops is vital. Because, when one screws up, that generality pollutes reputation and credibility of all others, including himself. Even so, police as an entity can reform, have done so, and continue to improve.
 
► Two recent, high-profile, local events—capturing the armed Shadow Hills burglar and the airplane vs. train incident—brought Foothill positive national and international recognition. Smith declined national interviews he felt were seeking to convert those positives into bad press.
    He advised, "People like yourselves, without evil in your hearts, think no one has it. Yet the worst imaginable, purely evil, murders, beatings and sex crimes still occur. Nationally, at least one organization, also anti-Semitic, is pushing a false anti-police narrative."
► "The ballot box is your solution, but public protection comes above all else for us.
We have lots of local support in Foothill, and that fills our cup! Our cops will be there all the time, regardless. Wave to your officers as you drive!"
► Perennial problems include motor/mobile homes and dwelling vehicles in some residential neighborhoods. They can get tickets—which owners ignore or get expunged through "Homeless Court." One resident complained that homeless face no consequences, while he gets ticketed for the slightest infraction.
        Smith said people buy repo'ed RVs cheaply, park them on streets and rent them to homeless. Drifters tell LAPD they know they can't be towed.
        LAPD must see and verify that a vehicle has been parked continuously for 72 hours; neighbors' assertions don't suffice. Still can't tow if it's used as a dwelling. Owners of a vehicle parked 72 hours might be on vacation or ill, so they cite first. Only one company tows large vehicles. They require an appointment, and then can take 4-6 weeks to arrive, as there's no place to store it.
        Any human waste cleanup around overnight vehicle is Department of Sanitation's job, whether it's tossed or put into a bucket. Buckets are legal underneath sewage drips from trailers!
 
► ROBBERY DET. ROOD reviewed a useful term: An "Estes Robbery" occurs when a thief uses threat or force to attempt escape: JanieSue steals a bottle of gin (simple theft), gets caught by clerk, but swings gin bottle at clerk. She converted her encounter to a more serious "Estes robbery." (Estes was a 1983 defendant.) S-T has a high percentage of transient-related thefts and robberies.
 
► ► FOLLOW-HOME ROBBERIES: Due to their serious nature, LAPD Robbery/Homicide is taking these over. The criminals come from all over the city. S-T has suffered one follow-home victim after victims left a high-end restaurant. Other attractants include jewelry shopping, jewelry, night clubs, fancy purses and cars.
        So be constantly aware of surroundings. If you suspect you're being followed, on a freeway get into the slow lane, then suddenly get off and right back on the next on-ramp. Or drive straight through a gas station. Anyone still behind you IS following you.
        Call 911 or stop at a police station or a brightly lit area like a 7-11. Make noise and honk horn. Although Foothill Station closes at 11PM, call to have an officer meet you outside. Fire stations aren't always open.
► Get in the habit of always knowing your location. Tell 911 where you are, and describe your car and the one following so officers can meet you.
 
► DO NOT walk around with your face in your phone! You cut yourself off from observing your environment. Videos have shown victims followed more than a block with their face in a phone. As masks come off, crims may lose some advantage of anonymity.
 
► ► SGT JESSE OJEDA thanked all volunteers to LAPD and community efforts. Their Foothill Station blood drive filled all its slots and had to turn people away!
Foothill is restarting its youth and cadet programs! Applicants welcome!!
 

Useful Contacts:  In any emergency, always call 9-1-1! ► TUJUNGA Senior Lead Officer Gloria Caloca:         Cell: 818-634-0754 | Off.: 818-756-8866 | [email protected] ► SUNLAND Senior Lead Officer Airam "Violet" Potter:         Off.: 818-756-8866 |  [email protected]) | ► LAPD VOLUNTEER MATTERS: Officer Milton Ramírez: [email protected] ► EMAILS are the best way to contact them. Send photos if possible, or come into Foothill Station at 12760 Osborne St., Pacoima, 818-756-8861.

 
Let's All Stay Alert to Help our Families, Friends and Neighbors!
Jon von Gunten
Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council
Region 3 Representative