Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 22 - 28, 2015

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_report_3.22.15.pdf

Town Hall Meeting to Discuss Residential Burglary Trends, April 14th

The Arcadia Police Department will be holding a Special Town Hall meeting to discuss the recent trend in residential burglaries that have been occurring in our City.  Without causing you unnecessary alarm, we want to share with you the efforts being undertaken to protect you and your property and to inform you as to how you may participate in these crime prevention efforts through our Neighborhood Watch Program.

We encourage you to attend this very important Special Town Hall meeting on Tuesday, April 14th, from 7:00-8:30 pm, at the Arcadia High School's Performing Arts Center, 188 Campus Drive.

The Arcadia Police Department strives to "Make a Difference" and your safety and welfare are of the utmost concern and importance to us.  We encourage the public awareness campaign: "If You See Something, Say Something."  For additional information concerning this Special Town Hall meeting, call Sergeant Brian Ortiz at 626.574.5181. 

Monday, March 30, 2015

Road Closure-Derby Day 5K

The 21st Annual Santa Anita Derby Day 5K Run & Walk will be held on Saturday, April 4th, 2015.  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 Brian Ortiz 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. Additional event information can be found at the official Derby Day 5K website HERE.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

APD's Weibo Page Featured on TVBUSA



APD was featured on TVBUSA highlighting our new weibo.com page. We aim to better reach out to our Chinese speaking community by posting on Weibo. APD Volunteer David Liu assists our Social Media Team with translation and posting.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Weekly Activity Highlights for March 15 - 21, 2015

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_3.15.15.pdf

Weekly Tip - Comments or Questions? Use Arcadia Advocacy!

The City of Arcadia offers an informative website and is constantly looking to improve accessibility to our community. One link on the website is to Arcadia Advocacy. This link allows the user to submit concerns, questions, and comments on any given topic to the City. The post is forwarded to the appropriate Department or person within the City and the post is then reviewed. We make every attempt to respond in a timely manner and address the issue at hand.

At the Police Department, many of the posts are simple questions that we can usually handle rather quickly. Some comments are more involved and require a little research or action on the part of APD. Feedback from the community is one key to constantly improving our services. Please remember comments or posts via Arcadia Advocacy are not in lieu of police reports for documentation of crime or other incidents. 

Arcadia Advocacy comments can be sent anonymously or with contact information. Obviously, we encourage you to leave a name and contact information so that we can follow-up with the issue. Arcadia Advocacy is just another outreach to improve relations and our service delivery.

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Weekly Tip - APD Social Media Not Monitored 24/7


Although the Arcadia Police Department's Social Media Team is very diligent about monitoring our various social media platforms, they are not monitored 24/7.  In the event you have an emergency please call 911.  If you need to report a crime or have general question which require immediate answers please contact us by calling (626)574-5150.  Otherwise, please feel free to engage us through any or all of our social media platforms. 

Monday, March 16, 2015

Join us to Help Conquer Kid's Cancer!


Join us this coming Thursday evening, March 19, 2015, 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.




Saturday, March 14, 2015

Roving DUI Patrols Planned for St. Patrick's Day - Designate a Sober Driver!


St. Patrick’s Day is One of the Deadliest Days of the Year Because of Drunk Driving

Arcadia, Ca—St. Patrick's Day brings to mind shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold, and good luck. But no amount of luck can save you from a drunk-driving crash. So whether you’re buzzed or drunk on St. Patrick’s Day, it doesn’t matter. NHTSA wants to remind everyone that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving—drive sober.

The Arcadia Police Department will be deploying a roving DUI patrol this St. Patrick’s Day looking to stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs.  This dedicated DUI patrol, in addition to regularly scheduled patrol officers, are all looking for the tell-tale signs of an impaired driver behind the wheel.

In 2013, there were 31 people killed in drunk-driving crashes on St. Patrick’s Day. All in all, during the St. Patty’s Day period from 2009 to 2013, there have been 276 drunk-driving fatalities. Every one of those lives was lost because of bad decisions. Unfortunately, March 17 has become a deadly day in the United States, with a dramatic spike in drunk-driving fatalities. And we’re not just talking about a little bit too much to drink here; from 2009 to 2013, almost three-fourths of the drunk-driving fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day involved drivers who were twice the legal limit.

The Arcadia Police Department offered this advice to party-goers: “Get ahead of the decision this year. If you know you’re going to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with alcohol, then figure out a plan ahead of time for how you’ll get home. Don’t wait until you’re too buzzed to decide, and don’t let your friends drive drunk.” Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving, so if you have anything to drink, count on a sober friend, taxi, or public transportation to drive you home safely. Not drinking? Maybe this St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll be the saint who drives your friends sober. Let’s make 2015 different. Use this party-planning checklist to stay safe this St. Patrick’s Day.       

  • DDVIP: The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP app is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched last year the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to “Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users can stay up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen. 
  • NOW: Even if you don’t have plans yet, plan to drive sober or designate someone else to. Save the number of a taxi company in your phone so you always have a backup plan.
  • WHEN YOU MAKE PLANS: A sober driver is an essential part of any party plan. Once you know where you’ll celebrate, decide whether you’re drinking or driving. You can only choose one.
  • ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Before you take your first sip of green beer, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend. If you’re the designated driver, don’t drink. Enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and brag about your VIP (very important partygoer) status online using the hashtag #designateddriver. Only drive sober or ride with a sober driver.
  • EVERY DAY: If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely. If you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
  • DRUGS, MEDICATION & ALCOHOL= CRASHES:  Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems.  A study of active drivers showed more tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did for alcohol (7.3 percent).  Of the drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than alcohol.

Funding is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that reminds everyone to ‘Report Drunk Drivers!  Call 9-1-1.’  Stay connected with OTS via: http://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOTShttp://twitter.com/#!/OTS_CA, www.ots.ca.gov

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: Kollin Cieadlo
Traffic Sergeant


Wednesday, March 11, 2015

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.

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!

Friday, March 6, 2015

Spring Forward 1 Hour Saturday Night!


Daylight saving time begins this Sunday, March 8, 2015, at 2:00 a.m. Don't forget to move your clocks ahead one hour before you go to bed Saturday night!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

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: