Welcome 2018 with a Safe New Year's Eve!

We will celebrate New Year's Eve tonight and there are a number of things to consider when it comes to celebrating safely. Here are a few things to think about for our New Years celebrations:

•Don't Drink and Drive!

•Use a designated driver, other alternate transportation, or if need be, call AAA Tipsy Tow for a ride home for you and your car. See AAA website or call 800-400-4222 for information.

•DO NOT fire weapons into the air. Bullets and projectiles can travel long distances causing injury and death. You have no control where a projectile will land when fired indiscriminately into the air.

•Stay inside at the stroke of midnight! Celebrate with friends and family indoors.

•Keep an eye on your pets. Loud noises, fireworks, gunshots, all can be frightening to animals. Keep your pets indoors or consult your veterinarian for options. Make sure they are wearing collars with identification should they become lost.

Remember to celebrate safely and smartly. Enjoy the New Year celebration!

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 17 - 23, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15120

Weekly Tip - In Town for the Rose Parade or Rose Bowl Game?

Visitors in town for the parade or big game?  Have a friend staying at one of our local hotels?  Nixle is a great resource for those living in town or visitors to the area. The two major agencies responsible for Tournament of Roses activity both have Nixle accounts and share valuable safety information with the public. The Pasadena Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, along with other local police agencies like Arcadia, Burbank, and South Pasadena, all use the Nixle platform for instant messaging.

We would like to encourage everyone, including those visiting the area, to take advantage of these services and subscribe to local public safety before the need arises.

A simple method to subscribe for Nixle alerts regarding the Parade or Rose Bowl is to text "ROSEPARADE" to 888777. For those in Arcadia, text either 91006 or 91007 to 888777 and you will be included in any emergency alerts sent by APD.  Check with your host or concierge for the local zip code for your area hotel in neighboring cities to be included in other area alerts.

You can also download our smart phone app for links to other information and services from the Arcadia Police Department.

Expect Traffic Delays in Arcadia Today!

The day after Christmas is sure to bring many visitors, shoppers, and racing fans to the City of Arcadia. The Westfield Santa Anita Mall will be filled with people seeking sales, exchanges, and returns. The Santa Anita Race Track comes to life once again, with opening day for live racing. Yes, today will surely be a busy day in town!

The mall can be accessed off Baldwin Avenue and Huntington Drive. Shoppers may see gate closures inside Gate 8 (north of JC Penney) and best times for arriving or departing the mall would be earlier in the morning, mid-afternoon, or evening hours, after the race track has closed. Please use Gates 9 or 10, just north of Huntington Drive, for mall access.

Santa Anita Race Track gates will open at 10:00 am and the first post is at noon. Racing fans can access Gate 8 off Baldwin Avenue, however, other gates may be less congested. Suggested routes for easier access may include:

From the west or northbound on Baldwin Avenue, use Huntington Drive to Gate 3 at Holly Avenue.

From the south, use Santa Anita Avenue to Campus Drive for Gate 3 access, or to Huntington Drive for access to Gates 5 and 6.

From the east, use Huntington Drive or Colorado Boulevard/Place to access Gates 5 and 6.

Police officers will be manning traffic signals and certain intersections throughout the day. Traffic will be heavy and you should expect delays. Allow extra time for your travel and please be patient.

Merry Christmas 2017!

Merry Christmas to All! From our house to yours!

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 10-16, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15086

Holiday Hours for APD Records Section

The Arcadia Police Department Records Section will close at 6:00 p.m. on both Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, remaining closed on Christmas Day. The front counter will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on New Years Day. 

The Records Section will reopen at 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 26, 2017, and again on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, following the respective holidays.

Weekly Tip - Last Minute Shopping? Think About Your Personal Safety!

Our personal safety is something that we should always be considering, especially when out in public. The shopping season is in full swing and our shopping centers will be packed these last days before Christmas Here are some tips and thoughts on steps you can take to help maintain your personal safety:

•Awareness & Avoidance - Not enough can be said for being aware of your surroundings. It does not matter where you are, at home, out shopping, driving, at the park, DO NOT settle into a fog and become so involved in your task that you fail to look around. Scan the area before you head out. Look around and see what potential threats may be looming. Are there suspicious persons parked by your car? Is there a car approaching slowly from behind? If you see something that makes you suspicious or uncomfortable, walk away, return to the store, and report the activity and your observations to security or store staff.

•Be a Good Witness - If you see a crime or fall victim, be the best witness you can be. Without good suspect descriptions it is difficult for police to conduct follow-up, apprehend criminals, and hopefully, help prevent others from becoming future victims. Basic physical descriptions such as hair color and style, height, weight and build, clothing color and type, suspect vehicle description and license plate, direction of travel, are all things that a responding police officer will ask for. Try and make note of anything specific to the suspect such as tattoos, scars, piercings or perhaps damage in a particular location on a suspect vehicle.

•Consider the Stakes - If this is a property crime and you are in fear for your safety, give up the purse, the wallet, the car. Your personal well-being is much more valuable than your property. Property can be replaced, you can't. 

•Make a Scene! - Drawing attention to yourself, and more importantly, to the suspect, can not only deter the crime but also bring forward other witnesses and possibly help. Yell, scream, use a whistle, run away...

•Don't be a Target - Walk with a purpose and look about surveying your surroundings. Carry your keys and whistle in your hand, not buried in your purse. This allows you to immediately open your vehicle or set off your car alarm if needed. Keep your purse tucked under your shoulder, not dangling down or sitting unattended in a cart.

Query the topic of personal safety on-line. There are many quality sites that offer additional advice and products that can bolster your safety. Best overall advice...Awareness and Avoidance!

Chief's Annual Christmas Breakfast 2017

Chief Bob Guthrie carried out a long standing Arcadia Police Department tradition last Thursday, hosting the Chief's Annual Christmas Breakfast. The breakfast is a great event where current and former members of APD can gather to share memories and a meal prepared by the Chief and fellow police management staff. In addition to the APD family, all City employees and City staff are invited to attend, along with our elected officials.

We had a great turnout for the breakfast. A special thanks to Vons Corporation and Papa Cantella's for the generous donations of food for the event. Chief Guthrie is pictured (right) with Alan Todd, a Corporate Manager for Vons. 

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 3 - 9, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15058

Weekly Tip - Give Your Alarm a Check-Up!

Do you have an alarm on your home or business? Take the time to check your system and make sure it is in proper working order. Call your alarm monitoring company before testing the alarm system. If there is an issue with the system, get it repaired. Not only will you help avoid false alarm fees, but you will better protect your property.

The City of Arcadia requires alarm permits for all alarm systems. Information on Security Alarm Permits can be found on the City website. The permits help reduce alarm malfunctions and nuisance alarms, as well as maintaining current property owner contact information should there be an issue while you are away from your home or business.

Happy Hanukkah 2017

Wishing the best to all at this start of Hanukkah!

Holiday Suspension of Overnight Parking Enforcement

Residents and visitors will not have to obtain temporary overnight parking permits for passenger vehicles parked on the City streets from Sunday night, December 17, 2017, through Sunday morning, January 7, 2018. This permit suspension affords the community the opportunity to entertain guests and visitors without worrying about purchasing permits during the holidays. Overnight parking enforcement will resume on Sunday night, January 7, 2018.

This enforcement suspension pertains only to overnight parking restrictions for passenger vehicles between 2:30 am and 5:30 am. All other parking restrictions remain in effect and will be enforced, such as time zones, street sweeping, curb markings, etc.

The 2018 permits are available at the City Hall Cashier's Office and are being honored for the remainder of 2017, if properly displayed.

If you have any questions, please contact the APD Watch Commander at (626) 574-5156.

Ring Subsidy Event Very Successful

The first Ring Security Products Subsidy Event at the Arcadia Masonic Lodge was a big success with over 300 in attendance. Some of the residents that joined Arcadia’s Ring of Security and left happily with one or more security devices are pictured below.  

 

A big thank you to Ring, Inc., the Arcadia Masonic Lodge, and all of the Arcadia Police Department personnel, VIPS, and volunteers for putting together a fantastic community event! Ring staff did an awesome job answering residents’ questions and helping people determine which products were right for their homes.

 

The City still has subsidies remaining for $100 OFF one Ring device, which the City will make available next week by releasing online promotional codes. The discount code can only be used for purchases made on Ring’s website: www.Ring.com. The codes will be made available first to residents that were on the event wait-list (these residents will be contacted via email) and then to other Arcadia households on a first-come-first-serve basis. If you are interested in receiving a code, please email mvercillo@ArcadiaCA.gov. The discount is limited to one per Arcadia household.

Weekly Activity Highlights for November 26 - December 2, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15018

Weekly Tip - Help Prevent Crime! Report Suspicious Activity!

The Arcadia Police Department serves a population of approximately 57,000+ residents, numerous business and commercial locations, all within about 11 square miles. More often than not, residents and visitors serve as the eyes and ears for our Dispatchers and Police Officers.

Having a large residential community, it is not surprising that some of our most frequent calls for service involve property theft or residential burglary. In most cases, a residential burglary begins with some type of suspicious activity within a neighborhood, often in broad daylight. This activity may range from unknown persons in vehicles perusing the area, to individuals going door to door, determining whether or not residents are home. These individuals will most likely have a driver waiting for them for a quick getaway in case someone begins to question their actions.

The best way to decrease residential burglaries is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. Give criminals the message if they are in our neighborhoods, and about to commit a crime, they are being watched – not ignored – through a joint effort by our residents and the police department. 

If you witness suspicious activity in your neighborhood, or see something that doesn't sit right with you, do not simply draw the blinds and turn away; please pick up the phone and call our department’s non-emergency dispatch number at (626) 574-5123 – available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Of course, if you witness a crime in progress or have an emergency, always remember to dial 9-1-1.

Neighborhood crime prevention neither begins, nor ends, with a burning porch light. As members of a greater community, we are all responsible for its protection, as safety does not simply end at a property line. Get to know your neighbors and your neighborhood, remain alert, and never hesitate to call our police department. Do not simply assume someone else has called the police - three calls received are better than no calls at all. 

Holiday Patrols at Westfield Santa Anita

During the holiday season, large crowds flock to our Westfield Santa Anita Mall. The Arcadia Police Department works closely with Westfield Security to maintain a safe and comfortable experience for everyone at the mall. APD will periodically have extra officers on foot, police bikes, and in units in the parking lots providing additional high visibility patrol and service for shoppers. Our Volunteers in Patrol and Parking Enforcement Officers will also be present during this holiday season to help maintain traffic and parking at the mall and other businesses throughout Arcadia.