Weekly Tip - Host or Join Neighborhood Watch

Neighborhood Watch is one of the oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country, bringing citizens together with law enforcement to deter crime and make communities safer. Neighborhood Watch can trace its roots back to the days of colonial settlements, when night watchmen patrolled the streets. The modern version of Neighborhood Watch was developed in response to requests from sheriffs and police chiefs who were looking for a crime prevention program that would involve citizens and address an increasing number of burglaries. 

 

Launched in 1972, Neighborhood Watch counts on citizens to organize themselves and work with law enforcement to keep a trained eye and ear on their communities, while demonstrating their presence at all times of day and night.

Give Community Service Officer Mike Vercillo a call and ask about joining your local neighborhood watch. Or, consider hosting a neighborhood meeting if there is not an established group near you. CSO Vercillo can be reached at 626.821.2648. 

Weekly Activity Highlights for September 20 - 26, 2015

Weekly Activity Highlights Report, Sept 26, 2015

Weekly Tip - See the Glass Half Full

Optimism can be a topic for another day. Today, we are talking about preparedness.

How often do you find yourself running on fumes? Or, perhaps you depend on the "dummy" light to alert you there are only 25 or 10 miles left to empty in your car. You should always make an effort to keep your gas tanks filled to no less than 1/4 tank. Better yet, we teach young officers to not let a unit go less than 1/2 a tankful of gas. There are many "what if" scenarios, but we do quite often see power outages here in Southern California. Granted, gas stations are readily available in our area, but should we experience a significant earthquake, power and fuel may not be immediately available.

Plan ahead, be proactive, and try to keep your glass, in this case the fuel tank, half full.

Weekly Activity Highlights for September 13 - 19, 2015

Weekly Activity Highlights Report, Sept 19, 2015

New APD Command Vehicle Hits the Street

APD recently took delivery of a new mobile command post. The 33' motor home is outfitted to assist our staff needs in any number of situations. The Traffic Bureau was first to take advantage of the command post, deploying it at a recent DUI checkpoint. The command post was also used for a SWAT operation involving several agencies and our Detective Bureau, in support of a search warrant service. This vehicle is a nice addition to our fleet and was purchased using asset forfeiture monies seized by the Department.

Weekly Tip - Get a Seat Check-up! It's Child Passenger Safety Week!

The week of September 13-19, 2015, is National Child Passenger Safety Week. This week serves as a reminder to parents and everyone who transports kids to make sure that they are properly fitted for their car/booster seats and seat belts. Visit the SaferCar.gov website for safety tips and information on where you can find a seat check station. Locally, the California Highway Patrol, Baldwin Park Station, and the Glendora Police Department, both offer child seat inspections, by appointment.

Weekly Activity Highlights for September 6 - 12, 2015

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_9.6.15.pdf

No DUI Campaign Visual Display

For the latter part of August and early, September, our Traffic Bureau participated in an end of summer, Labor Day, no DUI campaign. As part of the campaign, Jan's Towing supplied us with a vehicle, previously involved in a DUI collision, for display in the center median of Huntington Drive at Holly Avenue. The display was up for about 3 weeks. This particular car was involved in a DUI collision about four years ago in a local jurisdiction and is now owned by the tow company.

The location was chosen due to a high volume of daily traffic passing by, but moreover, its' proximity to Arcadia High School. With the end of summer comes the beginning of a new school year. APD hopes the campaign positively impacted the way our youth view DUI and influence their actions and choices through use of this visual display. It is through campaigns like this and other education efforts that we can help improve traffic safety and convince folks to NOT Drink and Drive!

Thank you to Jan's Towing for assisting with the display and continuing to be a community partner!

Coffee With A Cop at Santa Anita Park - TOMORROW!

9-11 Remembrance 2015

Members of the Arcadia Police and Fire Departments gathered today at AFD Station 105 for a 9-11 Remembrance ceremony.  The names of each fallen Firefighter and Police Officer from 9-11 were read aloud. There was a traditional bell ceremony and bagpipes were played in memory of the fallen. 

Never Forget!

Intersection Closure for Sunday September 13th, First/Santa Clara

ARCADIA INTERSECTION CLOSURE

Sunday, September 13, 2015 / 08:30 - 10:30 a.m.

First Avenue and Santa Clara Street

The intersection of First and Santa Clara will be closed to accommodate Metro Gold Line training on Sunday morning for two hours. Approaches will be open for business access, however, no traffic will be permitted through the intersection during the closure. Please use alternate routes.

Approximately 3,000 Marijuana Plants Seized at Arcadia Commercial Building, 8 Adults In-Custody

Incident: Indoor Marijuana Cultivation

Contact: Watch Commander – (626) 574-5156

Date / Time of Press Release: September 9, 2015 – 4:15 p.m.

On Wednesday, at about 8:00 a.m., a search warrant was served by the members of the Arcadia Police Department at a commercial building located in the 11000 block of Goldring Road. The search warrant was obtained as a result of an investigation that was conducted by the Arcadia Police Department after it received information that the building was being used to cultivate marijuana.

The building contained approximately three thousand marijuana plants in various stages of growth. The marijuana plants were supported with air filtration systems, lighting equipment, electrical modifications, watering systems and fertilizers.

Eight suspects were arrested at the location and they are currently in custody at the Arcadia Police Department’s Jail Facility. They are all being held in lieu of $50,000 bail for a felony violation of H&S 11358 - Cultivation. The suspects were all adult males and their age varied from twenty-three to fifty-two years old. This case is currently being investigated by Detectives from the Arcadia Police Department.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Arcadia Police Department at (626) 574-5151, case #15-1231. If you prefer to provide information ANONYMOUSLY, you may call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the tip webpage at Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers.

Robert T. Guthrie, Chief of Police

By: Roy Nakamura, Lieutenant 

Case Number 15-1231

Weekly Tip - Victim of Crime on the Internet?

The Internet is used by criminals for all sorts of scams and crimes to try and separate you from your money. We are lucky to have a dedicated Investigator for technology based crime in Arcadia. Many agencies do not have similar resources and rely on the County or larger agencies for assistance. When you have been victimized by someone by use of the Internet or other technology, where do you turn? Conventional police reports are the obvious answer, but there is also web based assistance out there. Solutions, immediate answers, or satisfaction may not occur, but sharing your incident helps build information databases and perhaps a small key to locating suspects that commit such crime.

Private sites, such as Consumer Fraud Reporting.Org have resources and information on web based crime as well as other traditional fraud crime. The FBI participates in a website dedicated to collecting Internet crime info called the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Take a look at these sites and search for information on topics that include tips to avoid becoming a victim of Internet based scams or crime.

Weekly Activity Highlights for August 30 - September 5, 2015

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_8.30.15.pdf

Enjoy a Safe and Happy Labor Day 2015!

Weekly Activity Highlights for August 23 - 29, 2015

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_8.23.15.pdf

Weekly Tip - Don't Tailgate!

Following Too Closely is the technical term for Tailgating. Unfortunately, this is a term that is all too often used in collision reports as the “Primary Collision Factor”. Maintaining distance between vehicles while driving is one main key in preventing collisions. Even the best driver, with great reaction time, still takes a moment to perceive the need to slow or stop, and then apply the vehicle brakes.

Increasing following distance between vehicles increases our ability to perceive a problem, apply brakes if needed or take some other evasive action. Time and distance is your friend when it comes to speed. As a young driver, you are taught about the Three Second Rule. Sometimes we forget this one important piece of advice. But maintaining a following distance of three seconds between vehicles will definitely increase your ability to avoid a rear end collision. An alternate recommendation is to maintain a following distance of one car length per 10 mph while driving. So, if you are driving 65 mph on the freeway, you should be about 6-7 car lengths behind the vehicle in front of you.

Don’t be overconfident, either in your ability as a driver or in your vehicle. Remember these basic rules and greatly increase your chance to avoid a collision. Think about this; tailgating the car in front of you is not going to "push" them out of the way or down the road. Your disregard for safe following distance will only increase your chances of causing a collision. Take a breath, take your time and we'll all get there in one piece.

Curious North End Wildlife

Our VIPS encountered some curious visitors during an extra patrol check in the north end of town yesterday. Thanks for sharing the pic, David Liu.