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Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council

MEETING NOTES ON 12 DECEMBER 2022

Posted on 12/19/22

The event at Tujunga IHOP started just after 9:00AM and ran well past its scheduled 11:00AM end time. It became "Breakfast with the Brass"!
 
►► The audience of about 30 was honored to host so many LAPD personnel officers and executives:
Foothill's new Capt. Marco Lozano and Capt. Jeff Hollis; Sunland's new Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Diana Figueroa; Valley Traffic Officer Joel Flores; Head of Foothill Community Relations Sgt Jesse Ojeda; Cmdr. Valley Bureau Craig Valenzuela, and from downtown Assistant Chief Alan Hamilton.
 
►► CMDR. CRAIG VALENZUELA spoke briefly to thank the audience for their civic participation, volunteer efforts and unusual community support of LAPD. A meeting called him away.
 
►► FOOTHILL CAPT. MARCO LOZANO appreciates our communities' attitudes, friendly welcomes, and pro-LEO stance. He said Foothill officers stand out for their hard work and personal responsibility. He sees their arrest reports, so has clear visibility of who does what.
He painted you, me and all of us as Foothill's and his SLOs' collaborative eyes and ears. In essence, we're a community spy network!
CRIME STATS Capt. Lozano gave later in the meeting:
► Foothill leads the city in number of search warrants, especially for illegal cannabis grows. Cannabis growers are pernicious because grows encourage crime and attract criminals into our area, thus requiring armed guards who have shot uninvolved residents.
► Many unhoused persons are dealing drugs. Foothill is bringing in a Buy Team to impersonate customers and arrest sellers. Many steal bikes and LAPD can now investigate suspicious piles of bicycles and parts.
► Foothill burglaries are up 13.8%, so he attacks that with overtime. Residents need to get packages off of porches ASAP. Motion-sensor lights are a good deterrent.
► Rapes are down 20%. As SLO Caloca says, because our numbers are smaller, one or two crimes up or down shows up as a large percentage.
► Street robberies are just even, whereas most divisions are up. Our countermeasures are to stay alert, park near lighting and don't show off your bling. 
► Aggravated assaults are down 7.1%, primarily due to arrests. These are not simply a punch in the nose; they're serious attempts to inflict grave bodily injury.
► SoCal is the capital of road rage incidents, including guns and on-purpose collisions. If you safely can, get a plate number. Otherwise, get away from crazies! South Bureau—not Foothill—continues to experience car-to-car shootings.
► GTA down 4.3%. Kia, Silverado, Honda are easy to steal. Call 911 for any catalytic converter theft in progress. DON'T try to stop it. 
► Lozano has seen a drastic uptick in prosecutions. "Borderline crimes" are now being transferred to whichever agency will best prosecute it. LAPD now make better reports, which are the linchpin of prosecutions, e.g., Patrick's arrest head GREAT reports. The DA's office has changed "a bit" and is now more assertive about punishing criminals.
► Capt. Lozano says 90% of LA's police work relates in some way to unhoused persons. He understands very well the unhoused plight as he wrote a college paper on the topic AND underwent an earlier assignment as Skid Row Watch Commander! Foothill is easier and more friendly.
 
►► FOOTHILL CAPT. JEFF HOLLIS said Foothill is the hardest working precinct he's seen in LAPD! Burglaries are still a real problem and are their special focus. Homicides are also an issue but, because these are primarily criminal-on-criminal, they're not a danger to most residents.
► He aptly described homeless/crime relationship as "a chicken and egg situation. We can't just move them down the road. LA's housing rules are sensible and humane. But people often became homeless by not following rules." So they may not coexist well in a shelter's structured life.
 
►► ASSISTANT CHIEF ALAN HAMILTON, our highest-ranking visitor of the day, opened by reassuring us that a recent kerfuffle at CSUN had been a non-situation, then segued that he understands our traffic is a serious issue of local concern.
► Cmdr. Hamilton said, "There will be rapid-fire changes, some starting today," perhaps referring to Mayor-elect Bass's promises to sharply reduce homelessness.
► He said, "Police aren't a solution to the unhoused. Unless they commit a crime, we just assist them.
► "However, San Fernando Valley is short 214 officers. Since Foothill Div is 245 people, that equals Valley Bureau being short one full division. Total LAPD is at 9,225, was 10,500, and has also lost 600 civilian employees."
► Thefts of copper wire—by official-looking perps with vests and clipboards—has knocked out streetlights all over LA, including here in S-T, and repairs can be slow in arriving. But uneducated thieves also steal fiber cables for Internet and phones, blacking out entire blocks and encouraging late-night crime.
► Previously, LAPD had a person dedicated to metals theft, but reductions in force reduced and split his time. ATT now offers a $5K reward.
 
►► FOOTHILL SGT. JESSE OJEDA acknowledged the several S-T volunteer groups represented in the meeting, including Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council; LAPD Volunteer Community Patrol, and Neighborhood Watch.
► Sgt Ojeda and his SLOs focus on burglaries, reminding us to keep watch on our own belongings and NEVER leave valuables in vehicles. ► LAPD has constant internal and external meetings to exchange knowledge on hot-spots, arrests, suspects' whereabouts and descriptions. He said CD7 is addressing the homeless situation.
► Mission and Devonshire Division's fatalities are in double-digits, not Foothill's!
 
►► VALLEY TRAFFIC OFFICER JOEL FLORES has been patrolling S-T and nearby areas for nearly 15 years. Thanks to reduction in budget and staff, he's now the only traffic officer for Foothill Div, so is spread very thin. Officers write 15-20 tickets/officer/day, mostly to younger drivers.
►► We'll be sad to see Officer Flores' well-deserved retirement in February 2023!
► Till then, he says he MUST hear from us about trouble spots! Otherwise he's cruising randomly, hoping to see a violation occur. Send him to your hot-spots with specific info on their worst times of day. Don't say, "All the time." Give him a time to focus his time!
► Foothill is doing well against other stations. Last year we had 99 "TCs" (Traffic Collisions), this year 84! (Remember "TCs"; you'll hear it often.)
► Traffic fatalities were 17, this year it's 9 with only 3 in S-T. Hit and runs are sharply down.
►► LAPD's Street Racing Taskforce is headed by Officer Jodie McGee, [email protected]. This team often takes away cars they apprehend! But street takeovers are hard to police, as perps use social media and police scanners to set up and rapidly disperse—so officers watch that social media.
► Foothill now offers child-seat installation and instruction headed by Officer Dallinger. Call 818-644-8143 for a Thursday appointment.
► Flores concluded by saying that new traffic officers coming onboard are enthusiastic about traffic enforcement. Reach our new traffic officer at [email protected].
► Foothill's most dangerous intersections are Glenoaks/Osborne and Glenoaks/Paxton. 
► A resident asked, "How do we teach disrespectful and uneducated youngsters to obey rules of the road?" Start by setting a good example at stop signs. Be patient. Let 'em wait behind you.
► Traffic Miscellany:

• Why do news stations never cover the sentencing of car chase prosecutions?
• A crooked sheriff's deputy was arrested for fixing tickets. 
• Absent a crime, LAPD can't remove anyone who is living in a vehicle, as that would be kidnapping.

 
►► MARY MACADAM and RICARDO FLORES of CD7 spoke. Ms. MacAdam heartily acknowledged and thanked LAPD for its cooperation in dealing with local homeless, 16 of whom will soon move into a brand new apartment complex on Hillhaven Av. It's one block east of Lady of Lourdes Preschool and one diagonal block northwest of Bolton Hall Park on Commerce Av.
Ms. MacAdam said 30 abandoned vehicles have been towed in recent months, but the city must now give resident fair warning before towing. Some felt the string of earlier citations would be adequate notice. CD7 staff help hands-on with 4 to 5 homeless cleanups month.
► She handed out cards to LA-HOP, where we should report persons in need of shelter: https://www.lahsa.org/portal/apps/la-hop/request she says to keep on calling. It can take 15 visits to get a person into shelter.
 
►► A concerned resident complained about unhoused littering, public urination and defecation. He said CD7 needs to start trying to change laws to discourage homelessness while housing those who remain. He asked, "Why do we get obstructionist hostility from CD7?"
► In the 1980s, budget issues and multipronged abuse of patients in mental hospitals led to their closing, so we lack facilities. Judges are the pivot point, as they decide case by case.
► A suggestion was made to employ the unhoused to pick up trash for spending money. Lozano will discuss with Monica Rodríguez, our CD7 Councilperson. But, when this sensible idea was floated in the 1980s, left-leaning advocates mischaracterized it as "slavery of the poor."
 
►► CD7's RICARDO FLORES said no one can even legally touch a trash bag belonging to a homeless person. Having lived among criminals for years, many unhoused have trust issues over unknown roommates in a shelter. He invited the public's calls.
 
►► LAPD's NEIGHBORHOOD PROSECUTOR MARK ROSS, [email protected], said LAPD can now enforce No Parking restrictions and thanks to LAMC 41.18 being strengthened, can move homeless away from more public areas and rights-of-way.
► LA's City Attorney pulled some prosecutors out of their usual paperwork and court work. He picked Mark to hear and prioritize Foothill's needs and solve problems that have any public safety aspect.
► A resident asked if there are two sets of laws whereby homeless get excused while we'd get locked up for indecent exposure or public urination. Who stops LAPD from doing their jobs? LA is the worst in nation in homelessness. So where are the billions of dollars going? 
► Attorney Ross said when there is an actual crime charged, and solid reports exist, the unhoused jump to front of line and are in court fast, e.g., Patrick was to be in court Wednesday, 12/14/22.
► In the last two weeks, Patrick and another homeless are being prosecuted for proven crimes. All paperwork and reports MUST be well written, as defense attorneys and judges don't know each individual's history. Paperwork must be thorough, so the judge feels confident in convicting, based on a real threat to public safety. Younger officers may not yet understand why they MUST write thorough reports. 
 
►► A resident reported she had to call police 5 times to get sidewalk unblocked. She was advised to call her SLO or Sgt. Ojeda.
A resident complained that an unimproved lot on Day St. now holds an RV. However, Tujunga SLO Gloria Caloca has looked up the address and determined the RV-dweller owns the property. Yet zoning laws still apply, so Building & Safety should be called and recontacted as necessary to investigate. 
►► A resident praised SLO Gloria Caloca, saying that officer has made a great difference when advised about situations.
► While SLO Caloca is on medical LOA, Officer Wil Godoy has been pulled off patrol to be Tujunga's temporary SLO.
► There was a call to add or interleave evening meetings.
 
►► SAVE THESE USEFUL CONTACTS: 

In any emergency, always call 9-1-1! To get a non-emergency police car, call Dispatch: 1-877-ASK-LAPD ► TUJUNGA Temporary SLO Wil Godoy, [email protected] ► TUJUNGA Senior Lead Officer Gloria Caloca is on LOA.         Cell: 818-634-0754 | Off.: 818-756-8866 | [email protected] ► SUNLAND Senior Lead Officer Diana Figueroa:         Cell: 818-634-0705 | Off.: 818-756-8866 | [email protected] ► MARK ROSS, Neighborhood Prosecutor: 818-374-7580 | [email protected] ► LAPD VOLUNTEER MATTERS: Officer Milton Ramírez: [email protected] ► CD7 Mary MacAdam: [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

 
THANK YOU for being part of S-T and Nearby Areas' anti-crime solution!
 
Very best to you and yours! Stay alert and safe!
Jon von Gunten, Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council, Region 3 Rep
LAPD Volunteer Community Patrol