Here are highlights from the discussion at Tuesday night's meeting ( Nov. 15 th 2005 ) with West Los Angeles Police Department and Crestview residents.
Gang activity
Crestview's current problem with gang activity is due to the Vpals. There are 41 known members of which 13 live in West LA. Of those 13, 7 live in an apartment building in the 1700 block of S. Robertson, 2 live on Wooster and 2 live on Airdrome. The police are not at liberty to disclose exact addresses. However, it is because of the residence of the gang members on Robertson that the alley on that block has become an area "claimed" by the gang.
There was an incident at the Rec Center in October (exact facts seem to be a matter of some dispute) that involved the Vpals and another gang, the PBGs. Since then, there have been 4 arrests, 6 citations and 1 vehicle impoundment. Two gang members were found to have automatic guns in their possession; one has been sentenced to 6 months in detention.
There have been 4 shootings recently. It is not yet clear whether the shooting 2 weeks ago was gang related or not.
The police are not able to arrest someone simply because he/she is a known gang member. Rather, the police can only take action when illegal activity has occurred and a suspect has been identified. Therefore, they ask everyone to be vigilant and get a good look at faces whenever possible so that suspects can be arrested.
Cleaning up graffiti promptly does help deter gang activity. If you see graffiti, call 311 to report it. City officials will then come and get rid of it.
The Park Ranger present added a few details about the park, which is under their jurisdiction. The park closes at 10:30 p.m. , by city ordinance. It is illegal to drink in the park, and it is illegal to smoke in the children's area of the park. It is illegal to bring shopping carts into the park. If we see a problem in the park, we can call the city operator at 311 or the 24-hour Park Ranger office at 323-913-7390. (If it is an emergency, of course call 911 instead.) The Park Rangers and LAPD work closely together.
Burglaries
A map was distributed showing crime activity in Crestview between June 2004 and October 2005. The total shown is 73, of which 45 were burglaries (theft of property in a building), 2 robberies (theft on the street), 11 car break-ins, 10 grand theft auto and 4 aggravated assaults. There were 5 burglaries during September and 1 during October.
Most burglaries are during the day or early evening -- when people are at work.
The police are "pretty sure" that gangs are involved in the burglaries. Because the burglaries take place so quickly, the police do not have witnesses who can identify the burglars.
Bike officers patrol 4 days per week
Most (90%) of the burglaries are occurring in homes that are "undersecured," as burglars operate "as a matter of convenience." Therefore, simple steps such as ensuring doors and windows are locked can help deter burglars. Windows on hinges are less secure than other types of windows. Home alarm systems, if installed, should be used. Knowing your neighbors is also very important. And, posting a Neighborhood Watch sign on your property can deter burglars.
There are also "distraction burglaries," where two or more thieves are involved. One distracts the homeowner with something, e.g. helping them to search for a lost pet in the back yard, while the other enters the home through the door the homeowner has left open.
Burglars "feel safer" if there is a woman's voice on a home answering machine, because they expect fewer women to have firearms in the home for protection.
If someone knocks on your door asking for Joe, or John, or whomever, and your intuition tells you this is suspicious, call 911.
The police give a crime activity map to Beth each month, as well as alerts of crimes in Crestview as they occur. Beth reported that she posts these alerts on the Crestview email chat list. (Those who would like to receive these reports directly – as well as other information about Crestview events and issues – can learn more about the list and subscribe by going to http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/crestview-chat. It is free and available only to Crestview residents.)
Other
It is not clear if the cat mutilations are being caused by other animals or humans because they have only had one cat so far on which they could perform an autopsy; in that case, it was determined that a coyote had caused the cat's death. If you find a mutilated cat, please call the animal cruelty hotline at 213-847-1417 so officials can follow up.
The police are looking for new members for the Community Policing Advisory Board (CBAP) . Crestview neighbors are not currently represented on that committee. It meets the 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at the West LA station. Those interested should contact Senior Lead Officer Rashad Sharif and Beth Ryan, President of Crestview Neighborhood Association.
Captain Carol Aborn-Khoury is new and is committed to keeping our neighborhood safe.
end of meeting 9;10pm 11/15/05
_________________________________________________________________________________