Weekly Activity Highlights for April 21-27, 2013

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_4.21.13.pdf

Successful Day for Special Olympics

Police Officers and Firefighters from Arcadia, Alhambra, El Monte, San Gabriel, and Los Angeles County came together last Saturday, April 27, 2013, and competed in the 2013 Battle of the Badges.  Four games were held on Saturday at the Arcadia High School and all donations went to Special Olympics of Southern California.  Several teams of Special Olympic athletes also came and participated in half-time games on the court.  The total is not in, but preliminarily about $5,500.00 was raised for Special Olympics.  A sincere thank you to all who participated.  Please visit the APD Facebook page for photos from the event!

1st Annual Bicycle Rodeo

For additional information, contact Detective Troy Hernandez at 626-574-5160.

In Honor of Deputy David March

Personnel from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department stand watch over the memorial for slain hero Deputy David March. Today is the anniversary of the murder of Deputy March who was killed during a traffic stop on Live Oak Avenue, east of Peck Road, on April 29, 2002, at about 10:40 a.m. A memorial was built in his honor at the scene. Temple Deputies remember Deputy March not only on the anniversary of his death, but throughout the year by displaying his call sign, "57" on the rear window of Temple units. Please join the Arcadia Police Department in honoring our partner and slain local hero, Deputy Dave March.

Weekly Tip - Distracted Driving Simulator

Test you skills, or lack thereof, while attempting to navigate this computer driving simulator.  The game is hosted by the NY Times and has been around since 2009.  It requires you to change lanes on an expressway while responding to a text message.  HERE is a link to the game.

Don't Drive Distracted!

Weekly Activity Highlights for April 14-20, 2013

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_4.14.13.pdf

View Downrange at the 25-Yard Line

Take a look inside our 5-lane indoor weapons training range.  This view is from the 25-yard line.  The range is equipped with moving and pop-up targets, along with barricades and other objects for various training scenarios.  Our officers qualify monthly with their service weapons.  The APD range is used for classroom and advanced officer training, along with being used by outside agencies for qualifications.

Weekly Activity Highlights for April 7-13, 2013

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_4.7.13.pdf

Weekly Tip - Toyota Safe Driving Scholarship Video 2013

Continuing the Distracted Driving Awareness theme for the month of April - turn the phone off, don't answer the call, don't read or reply to a text while driving!

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week 2013

The week of April 14-20, 2013 is "National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week".  This is an opportunity to honor the women and men who serve as our public safety dispatchers.  They are the voice at the other end of the 911 call assisting a distraught caller. They are the voice behind the radio when police, firefighters, and medical personnel are responding to emergency situations.  Often these "invisible" courageous professionals are the forgotten component of public safety.

If you've ever been the victim of a crime, been in a collision, reported a fire or needed emergency medical help, you've called 911 and been helped by a telecommunicator, also known as a "dispatcher".  Not being visible or always recognized in the public eye, the critical role they play between the community and first responders is essential for every public safety call for service.  Our dispatchers are the direct link to our officers in the field.  They monitor the radios, computers, phones, and more, answering tens of thousands of calls from our community each year.

Telecommunicators Week began in California in 1981 and quickly grew to national recognition. Just ten years later, Congress designated the second full week of each April as a time to remember the critical role that dispatchers play in keeping us all safe.

We are fortunate to have some great Arcadia Police Department Dispatchers and we don’t take the time to say “thank you” often enough.  Captain Larry Goodman, our Administrative & Support Services Division Commander, oversees management of APD Dispatch operations and says, “We are blessed at Arcadia PD with outstanding public safety dispatchers who often are the lifeline to our officers in the field.  The service our dispatchers provide is second to none, which falls right in line with our Department motto of ‘Making a Difference’.”

Please join us in celebrating National Telecommunicators Week!

Special Olympics Spring Games

The Special Olympics Southern California San Gabriel Valley Spring School Games were held today at San Marino High School.  APD's School Resource Officer Wally Ashby and Cadet Riley Carter were on hand to cheer on the participants.

Please take the time to visit the APD Facebook page for additional photos.  Remember to come out and support Special Olympics at our annual Battle of the Badges event on Saturday, April 27, 2013.

Santa Anita Avenue Metro Gold Line Bridge - Lane Closures

Construction of the new bridge over Santa Anita Avenue for the railroad crossing of the Metro Gold Line is due to begin on May 1, 2013.  This will impact traffic on Santa Anita Avenue with long-term lane closures during the day, and some full road closures overnight.  Detours and closures will be posted.  During the construction, local businesses will remain open and accessible.  There will also be a closure of La Porte Street at Santa Anita Avenue during the construction.  The bridge project is projected in phases with this first phase of construction being May-August 2013.

If you commute via Santa Anita Avenue, please consider using an alternate north-south roadway during construction to avoid delays and detours.

Metro also relays work is nearing completion on the new railroad bridge over Colorado Boulevard and the road is anticipated to reopen at the end of April 2013. 

For more information, visit www.foothillextension.org, call the hotline at 626-324-7098.  There is also a Public Information Office located at 400 N. Santa Anita Avenue, Suite 101-B, Arcadia, open Monday and Wednesday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Weekly Tip - Put it Down!

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has launched a campaign to help combat "Distracted Driving."  DOT is encouraging Law Enforcement, community groups, schools, and everyone to become involved and spread the word of the dangers associated with distracted driving

"Distracted Driving" is any non-driving activity a person engages in that has the potential to distract him or her from the primary task of driving and increase the risk of crashing.  Using a cell phone without a "hands-free" device and texting are two of the most common examples of distracted driving.  However, grooming, changing your radio station or MP3 player, manipulating a GPS device, reading, eating are all other example of common activity that drivers engage in, placing themselves and others in harms way.

California law prohibits use of a cell phone while driving without using a "hands-free" device.  There are a few exceptions including in case of an emergency, for emergency service personnel, and for certain commercial purposes.  Texting is also prohibited in California.  California Vehicle Code sections 23123-23124 cover these violations.

Research on distracted driving reveals some surprising facts:

•Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

•Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. (Source: Carnegie Mellon)

•Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. (NHTSA)

•The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

•Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

Please join the campaign and help spread the word, "Put It Down!"

Battle of the Badges 2013



Come cheer on members of the Arcadia Police and Fire Departments as they battle it out on the basketball court to raise money for Special Olympics!  Saturday, April 27, 2013, 6:00 pm, at the Arcadia High School.  Contact Officer Walter Ashby for additional information at (626) 574-5188 or washby@ci.arcadia.ca.us.  Admission is a donation of your choosing towards Special Olympics Southern California.

Joining us this year in this worthy event will be police  and fire agencies from Alhambra, San Gabriel, El Monte, as well as the Los Angeles County Fire Department.  Games will begin at noon with the main event at 6:00 pm.

• San Gabriel PD vs. FD at noon
• Alhambra PD vs. FD at 2:00 pm
• El Monte PD vs. LA Co. FD at 4:00 pm
• Arcadia PD vs. FD at 6:00 pm

Your donation is good for all-day admission.  All games will be held in the Arcadia High School gym.

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 31 - April 6, 2013

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_3.31.13.pdf

Distracted Driving: Get the Message

Sobriety & Driver's License Checkpoint - April 6, 2013

NEWS RELEASE

Incident:​ Sobriety &  Driver’s License Checkpoint April 6th, 2013


The Arcadia Police Department Traffic Bureau will staff a sobriety and driver’s license checkpoint during the evening hours of Saturday, April 6th 2013.

The goal of our collective enforcement efforts this weekend is to promote public safety and increase awareness of the dangers associated with drinking and driving. This will be accomplished by providing a highly visible enforcement and publicity campaign, in order to deter intoxicated drivers from getting behind the wheel and driving. Through these efforts, we also seek to reduce the number of injuries and deaths associated with collisions involving intoxicated drivers.

We would like to remind the public of the dangers associated with drinking and driving. It simply is not worth it to drive while impaired. Be responsible and use a sober designated driver. Remember, “Friends don’t let friend’s drive while impaired.”

Additionally, during the entire month of April officers nationwide will be on the lookout for distracted drivers. Studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver’s reaction time just as severely as having a blood alcohol content of a legally drunk driver.

Studies also show that there is no difference in the risks between hands-free and hand-held cell phone conversations, both of which can result in “inattention blindness” which occurs when the brain isn’t seeing what is clearly visible because the drivers’ focus is on the phone conversation and not on the road. When over one third of your brain’s functioning that should be on your driving moves over to cell phone talking, you can become a cell phone “zombie.”

Jan’s Towing provides a no cost “Don’t Drive Drunk” detour program, 365 days a year, and will provide a free lift home for drivers and their vehicles up to 7 miles in their service area. Call (626) 334-1383 for more information. Don’t forget to visit the Arcadia Police Department News & Information Blog or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Nixle for other pertinent news and information. Remember, the solution begins with you!


Robert T. Guthrie, Chief of Police

By: Brett Bourgeous, Traffic Sergeant (626) 574-5475

Weekly Tip - It's Not Worth It! (Distracted Driving Enforcement)

(Arcadia, CA) – As part of April’s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Officers from the Arcadia Police Department will be actively ticketing those texting or operating hand-held cell phones throughout the month of April, specifically on April 3^rd and April 16^th.  Drivers who break the law and place themselves and others in danger will be cited with no warnings.  The current minimum ticket cost is $159, with subsequent tickets costing at least $279.  Last April, over 57,000 tickets were written statewide for texting and hand-held cell use. There were nearly 450,000 convictions in 2012.  Whether it’s a ticket or a crash, as the campaign theme states, “It’s Not Worth It!” 

Distracted driving is a serious traffic safety concern that puts everyone on the road at risk.  In recent years, hundreds have been killed and thousands seriously injured in California as a result of collisions that involved at least one driver who was distracted.  Nationally, an estimated 3,331 died in 2011.  As a result, law enforcement across the state, including the Arcadia Police Department, are increasingly cracking down on cell phone use and texting.  This April will see over 225 local agencies plus the CHP conducting zero tolerance enforcements.

“We all know that talking on our cell phones while driving is distracting, but that doesn’t stop some people from continuing to do it,” said Arcadia Police Chief Robert Guthrie. “This effort is intended to educate our community about the dangers of cell phone use while driving.  We hope that once people see the statistics and realize the danger involved, they will change their driving habits to help protect themselves, their families, and others on the road.” 

Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves.  Younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.   In addition, studies show that texting while driving can delay a driver’s reaction time just as severely as having a blood alcohol content of a legally drunk driver.

Studies also show that there is no difference in the risks between hands-free and hand-held cell phone conversations, both of which can result in “inattention blindness” which occurs when the brain isn’t seeing what is clearly visible because the drivers’ focus is on the phone conversation and not on the road.  When over one third of your brain’s functioning that should be on your driving moves over to cell phone talking, you can become a cell phone “zombie.”

To avoid a distracted driving ticket or crash, Arcadia P.D. offers drivers the following tips:

·         Turn off your phone and/or put it out of reach while driving

·         Include in your outgoing message that you can’t answer while you are driving

·         Don’t call or text anyone at a time when you think they may be driving

·         If in a vehicle where the driver is using their phone while driving, speak up!

Please take time and visit www.distraction.gov/ for more information regarding the dangers associated with distracted driving.

By:  Brett Bourgeous, Traffic Sergeant

(626) 574-5475

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 24-30, 2013

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_3.24.13.pdf

National Distracted Driving Awareness Month begins Today!

Congress designated April as National Distracted Driving Awareness Month.  The Arcadia Police Department joins in bringing your attention to the dangers associated with distracted driving.  The video above comes from the National Safety Council, an excellent resource for education and awareness information related to distracted driving.

Here are some interesting facts on the topic, courtesy of the California Office of Traffic Safety:

·                    “Distraction” is a specific type of inattention that occurs when drivers divert their attention from the driving task to focus on some other activity instead.  (Source: Overview of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Driver Distraction Program).

·                    The No.1 source of driver inattention is use of a wireless device. (Source: Virginia Tech/NHTSA)

·                    Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

·                    Driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. (Source: Carnegie Mellon)

·                    Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah) 

Help improve safety for all on the road - don't drive while distracted!

Derby Day 5K Street Closures for Saturday, April 6, 2013

STREET CLOSURE IN THE CITY OF ARCADIA

The 19^th Annual Santa Anita Derby Day 5K Run & Walk will be held on Saturday, April 6^th, 2013.  As a result of this event, vehicles driving on Baldwin Avenue between Huntington Drive and Foothill Boulevard will be delayed or diverted from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.  It is recommended that alternate routes be used during this time period to avoid being detoured or delayed.

Questions or concerns may be directed to Sergeant Jason Davis, (626) 574-5181, or the on-duty Watch Commander at the Arcadia Police Department, (626) 574-5156.  We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, and thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

HERE is a link to the Derby Day website.