Wishing everyone the best on this Easter Sunday 2013!
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Information on LA County Court Consolidation Impact
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Weekly Tip - Have You Seen the APD "QR" Code?
At first glance this may not look like a useful tool, but many of you can scan it with your smart phone or other device and pull up the contact information for the Arcadia Police Department. The Department address, phone number, website, and even our Twitter tag are listed in the code. Known as a "QR" or two-dimensional code, this type of information is being used more and more to provide a quick look at contact or business information, similar to a business card. The APD QR code has been placed on the blog side-bar for ready use by visitors.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
New Payment Scam Targeting SCE Customers
Southern California Edison is advising customers to be aware of a new telephone scam. Suspects are demanding immediate payment for allegedly past due electricity bills.
Suspects have been calling Southern California Edison customers and telling them they must make immediate payment on past due bills or their electrical service will be disconnected. The suspects are demanding the payments be made through a prepaid cash card, such as PayPal or Green Dot card.
Customers are being advised to be alert and if they believe they are receiving a fraudulent call they should ask for the callers name, department and phone number. If the caller refuses to give this information customers can call Southern California Edison at 800-655-4555.
Southern California Edison is also advising customers to ask for identification when anyone comes to their door claiming to be a Southern California Edison utility worker. Utility workers working for Southern California Edison will provide verification, including their department and phone number.
In most cases, home visits conducted by Southern California Edison are scheduled by the customer and the appointment will be confirmed in writing. If there are any concerns it is suggested having the utility worker stand by outside until the worker’s identify is verified.
Customers should also note the following:
- Southern California Edison employees will never ask for money in person.
- If someone calls and requests that you leave your residence at a specific time for a utility related cause, call the police it could be a burglary set up.
- Be suspicious of anyone who arrives at your house without an appointment asking to conduct business inside your home.
For more safety tips and information by Southern California Edison please click on following link:
https://local.nixle.com/alert/4978463/?sub_id=31657
Thursday, March 21, 2013
A Day on Patrol with Your Local Police or Sheriff
A Day on Patrol with Your Local Police or Sheriff – Arcadia PD to Participate in Global Tweet-a-thon
The Arcadia Police Department is participating in a Global Tweet-a-thon. What is it like to patrol the streets of Arcadia on a Friday morning or evening? What types of calls do Arcadia officers respond to? In an effort to give Arcadia residents a glimpse inside the way officers work to keep our community safe, the Arcadia Police Department will participate in the Global Police Tweet-a-thon on Friday, March 22nd, 2013 between 8:00 a.m. and midnight. (Virtual ride-along)
Officers from the Arcadia Police Department will join more than 100 participating law enforcement agencies across six countries to take to Twitter in an effort to bring attention and understanding to the use of social media by law enforcement.
Agencies will tweet using the same hashtag, #poltwt, to create awareness about police work and law enforcement issues, as well as to promote the use of social media and transparency in law enforcement.
"We are excited to bring together police agencies around the world in this first of its kind social media event," said Lauri Stevens, founder of LAwS Communications and organizer of the Global Police Tweet-a-thon. "We hope it sends the message to non-law enforcement that their police officers are up to speed with social media and that they should use the channel to talk with police officers and to be stewards of public safety."
There are currently more than 100 agencies participating from the U.S., Canada, UK, Sweden, Iceland, and Australia. Any law enforcement agency can join the Tweet-a-thon and tweet during any portion of the 24-hour period. For a list of participating agencies, please visit https://twitter.com/ConnectedCOPS/police-tweet-a-thon-2013/members
For a Google map of participating police agencies, click HERE.
"Locally, we hope to use the event as a virtual ride-along, giving the community a glimpse of the daily activity and a behind the scenes look at the typical day of a patrol officer; and, on a larger scale, we hope our participation continues to positively influence the rapidly growing acknowledgement, acceptance, and use of social media by other public safety agencies.” – Sergeant Tom Le Veque, Arcadia PD (@TRLeVeque)
Make sure to mark your calendars for Friday, March 22nd, 2013 and follow us @ArcadiaPD between 8:00 a.m. and midnight. If you don’t already use Twitter, sign up for free at https://twitter.com/ArcadiaPD.
Other local agencies participating include: @BurbankPD, @BeverlyHillsPD, @ALDLASD, @SCVSheriff, and @ILULASD.
Please be aware the number of Twitter messages generated in conjunction with the hashtag, #poltwt, for the Global Tweet-a-thon and from our agency, @ArcadiaPD, will be in excess of what may be considered a daily number of Twitter messages from @ArcadiaPD. Please take this into consideration should you have “push notifications” activated for our Twitter feed.
Your @ArcadiaPD hosts for the day will be Sergeants Tom Le Veque and Dan Crowther. Our Watch Commanders can be reached at 626-574-5156 or please engage with us on Twitter.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Weekly Tip - Vehicle Registration CHEATERS
Most of us pay our registration fees to the State so that we can legally drive our vehicles on the street. Some even pay fees for off-road vehicles used in our deserts and mountains. The majority of residents pay their share on time and in accordance with the law. However, it is not uncommon to see vehicles with an out of State license plate being driven on our roads. Some of these out of State vehicles may be visitors, relatives coming and going, or even rental cars, but many of them are not.
California law requires that a vehicle used in our State be registered in California within 20 days of either establishing residency or accepting employment. There are few exceptions to this law for persons who live near our border or are in school. It is usually much cheaper to register a car out of State and some people take advantage of that, cheating the State of California. Not only does the State lose money, but this failure to pay helps keep our rates high. The California Highway Patrol launched a website called "Cheaters" that was started to allow drivers to send "tips" to the CHP reporting vehicles being unlawfully used in California.
According to the CHP website, the three most common reasons for not completing the registration process are; people unaware of California registration laws, people evading payments of registration fees and taxes, and people unable to comply with air pollution control laws.
Take a look at the "Cheaters" website. If you are aware of one of these vehicles in your neighborhood, pull up the on-line form and submit the info to the CHP for follow-up.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Wishing everyone a great St. Patrick's Day! Celebrate responsibly - Don't Drink and Drive!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Weekly Tip - Celebrate Responsibly on St. Patrick's Day!
On a holiday like St. Patrick's Day, there is no doubt that many folks will be celebrating long into the night. The Arcadia Police Department encourages everyone to party responsibly and to not drink and drive. Here are some quick statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA):
Every day, 32 people in the United States die, in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver. This amounts to one death every 45 minutes. The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.
Here are a few tips to avoid becoming a DUI statistic:
• Designate a non-impaired driver to take you home or pick you up
• Celebrate at home and stay there
• Be a good host, offer those who have been drinking a place to spend the night
• Call a taxi
• Don't ignore the problem. If you are with someone who is intoxicated, don't let them drive. If you see someone attempting to drive that is under the influence, call the police. Stop the problem before it begins.
• Use a "Tipsy Tow" service. Our local tow company, Jan's Towing, offers a free local ride home for your car and you if you have been drinking. Call (626) 914-1841 for information.
Don't become or cause a DUI statistic! Don't become an unwilling passenger in a police unit! Be responsible, Don't Drink and Drive!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Monday, March 11, 2013
Join Us to Help Conquer Childhood Cancer!
Join us this coming Thursday evening, March 14, 2013, for the St. Baldrick's fundraising event to help conquer childhood cancer. Once again, Matt Denny's Ale House will host the event at 6:00 p.m. and dozens of Arcadia Police and Fire Fighters will have their heads shaved to raise valuable dollars for St. Baldrick's. There will also be community members, service organizations, local businesses, and others will also be joining the fundraiser. Please visit the Arcadia Police Officers' Association team page and join us! You can choose to sponsor one of our members, join the team and as a shavee, or simply make a donation to the St. Baldrick's Foundation.
Friday, March 8, 2013
Spring Forward One Hour Saturday Night!
Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 10, 2013, at 2:00 a.m. Don't forget to move your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Living with our Wildlife
Bears, coyotes, deer, mountain lions, bobcats, all roam the foothills above our town and will sometimes venture into residential neighborhoods. Most of the time, the wildlife comes and goes without notice. In recent years, it seems that calls of bear and lion sightings have been on the rise. The topic of handling these types of incidents is widely discussed in the media and on the Internet.
Our officers will respond when called to a wildlife sighting and our primary goal is to allow the animal to leave the area back to the foothills. Under most conditions, the officers presence, use of vehicles, horns, stun bag rounds, all are sufficient to encourage the animal to leave the area. If life is threatened, use of deadly force is an option. Our officers are not equipped with tranquilizers and State Wardens may not be readily available to respond to what is sometimes a rapidly evolving event.
Here are some great resource sites for wildlife information:
- Living with California Black Bears (California Department of Fish and Wildlife)
- Living with Wildlife (City of Arcadia)
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Weekly Tip - Kids Around? Secure Your Firearms!
California law requires secure storage of firearms when children under 18 are likely to be present and you are in control of the premises. Definitions and exemptions can be found in Penal Code section 12035, Criminal Storage of a Firearm.
Gun safety starts at home. If weapons are present in a home, children need to be taught proper weapon handling and safety. Weapons need to be properly secured. In the event that a child finds a gun, the National Rifle Association Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program teaches children the following:
•STOP!
•Don't touch!
•Leave the area!
•Tell an adult!
The NRA also offers additional information for parents on gun safety, training and additional information HERE.
There is no excuse for having an unsecured weapon in your home. Gun safes are reasonably priced and are readily available. Use of a gun safe is preferred, but many police departments offer simple gun locks for free. The Arcadia Police Department officers residents gun locks free of charge at our front counter. Check with your local agency for availability.
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