Weekly Tip - Look, Listen, and Live!

The Metro Gold Line has been up and running for some time now in Arcadia. Motorists and pedestrians are becoming accustomed to the trains and crossings, but it is always good to take a look at safety reminders!

Here are some safety tips from Metro: 

• Use designated crossing areas and wait for the walk/crossing signal.
• If the gates are down, do not attempt to go around them, it’s against the law and unsafe.
• If a train is coming, be sure to stay behind the yellow warning stripes.
• Always stop, look, and listen for trains before crossing the tracks, and be sure to look both ways.
• Never race a train to a crossing.
• Never climb railroad vehicles or walk on the tracks.
• Before starting across the tracks, be sure there’s room for your vehicle to get completely across.

Both Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputies and Arcadia Police Officers will be actively enforcing traffic laws at all grade crossings and Gold Line Stations.

We have seen both pedestrian and vehicle vs. train collisions here in Los Angeles County and in the vast majority of collisions...the train wins! Saving a minute is not worth your life, or the life of someone else. Practice good safety and obey the laws pertaining to grade crossings. Look, Listen, and Live!

Bad Guys Don't Sleep - Be Aware of Area Hot Prowl Burglaries

Residential burglary prevention continues to be a focus of the Arcadia Police Department. While Officers have made some recent daytime residential burglary arrests, the Department has also responded to reports of residential burglary occurring overnight. We refer to these crimes as Hot Prowl Burglaries. These crimes have happened while folks are home and asleep. In one instance, a victim woke up to a light being turned on in the home, and in a different case, the suspects attempted to force entry through a rear sliding glass door. The majority of residential burglary crimes in town occur during the day, however, due to these overnight instances, the Department will be deploying extra Officers on the streets during nighttime hours.

One of the most important pieces of this crime prevention puzzle is the resident. It is very important to discourage the would-be thief and make their job as difficult, time-consuming, and as noisy as possible.

Here are a few quick tips to help keep your home safe:

•Close and lock your windows and doors! Thieves look for an easy target.


•Lock your garage door. Thefts from garages are common and it offers ready access to pry tools.


•Keep bushes and shrubs trimmed so that windows and doors are visible.


•Maintain your home and make it looked lived in. Arrange for care if you leave on vacation.


•Don't leave newspapers, mail and door hanger materials in place. Arrange for a trusted friend or neighbor to collect these items for you.


•Know your neighbors! Be familiar with cars, faces and who belongs in your neighborhood.


•Leave different lights on when you leave. Use timers when gone overnight.


•How about a radio with a talk show station tuned in when you are gone?


•Use window stops/pins to prevent windows and sliding doors from being opened.


•Maintain lists of account numbers, valuable item serial numbers, and important phone numbers. Duplicate the list and maintain a copy elsewhere. Video or photo your belongings. This aids in property recovery as well as insurance replacement.


•Get and use an ALARM. Even simple alarms that are not connected to a central system are a deterrent.


•Ask and look for helpful tips. Your local police agency will usually offer home inspections and there are plenty of websites that offer prevention tips and ideas.


•Watch for and REPORT suspicious persons and activity. Most arrests that are made for burglary are not from a report by an alarm company, but rather from a local resident. If you see someone that does not belong in your neighborhood or on a neighbor's property, call the police.

Weekly Activity Highlights for January 14 - 20, 2018

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15247

Weekly Tip - Dealing with a Collision

Traffic collisions can be stressful and confusing. Take the time to be prepared ahead of time so that collecting information accurately and completely will be easy. Check with your insurance agent or a local body shop, sometimes they will supply you with a pre-printed check list that you can keep in your glove box. Another resource is the DMV. There is a page devoted to collision information, including reporting requirements to the State. See the DMV page HERE.

The first thing to do is to check for injuries to you or any other involved driver or passenger. If someone is injured, call 9-1-1 and report the collision immediately. If there are injuries that require medical attention, leave the vehicles in place until police and fire personnel arrive.

If no one is hurt and the vehicles are able to be moved, remove them from the roadway. Pull to the side of the road, into a parking lot, or on to a side street - out of traffic. Evaluate the damage and if there is substantial damage or injury, the police should be called to the scene. If the damage is minor and no one is injured, exchanging information between drivers is acceptable. Most drivers believe that a police report is always required. This is NOT the case and some agencies will not even respond to minor collisions. Absent prosecution for major collisions, death, hit and run, unlicensed drivers etc, the police report is simply paperwork for the insurance companies.

When exchanging information, record the following:

•Date, time and location of the collision

•Name, address and phone numbers of all drivers and passengers

•Drivers license numbers for involved drivers

•Insurance company name, policy number and policy holder for all drivers or vehicles

•Complete vehicle information of involved vehicles to include license number, make, model, color, description such as pick-up, four-door etc and name of registered owner if different

•Description of any damage

•Photographs of damage, or lack there of, other parties and scene if safe to do so

•Note lane position of each vehicle and where the vehicles were prior to and at time of collision

•Note any unusual conditions such as inoperative lights, vision obstruction

•Note/photograph any physical evidence like skids or debris resulting from collision

Remember, you must carry with you and present to a police officer, your driver's license, proof of insurance and current vehicle registration when stopped by an officer or involved in a collision.

In California, it is a crime to not stop if you are involved in a traffic collision.  As mentioned above, usually traffic collisions are just paperwork for insurance companies.  When you fail to stop when involved in a collision, you can be charged criminally.  The fact that you don't have a valid driver's license or current auto insurance is not worth being charged with a Hit-and-Run. 

Be safe, slow down, and wear your seat belt!!

Probation Complete!

Three of our Officers were recognized by City Council last week for completing their probationary assignments here at APD. This is a big step in a young career which we mark with a ceremonial badge pinning. Pictured from left to right; Chief Bob Guthrie, Officers John Mc Donnell, Evelyn Calderon, Nick Cvetkovich, Captains Larry Goodman and Paul Foley.

Weekly Activity Highlights for January 7 - 13, 2018

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15231

Weekly Tip - What is Suspicious Activity?

It is not uncommon for us to be asked what type of activity makes something suspicious. Or perhaps a caller is hesitant to call us for fear of knowing whether or not to report something. There is no absolute answer, but we would like to offer you some tips for provoking thought about what type of activity may be considered suspicious.

HERE is a link to our handy cheat sheet for Suspicious Activity.

Remember, when in doubt, call us! If you See Something, Say Something!

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 31, 2017 - January 6, 2018

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15181

Weekly Tip - Join Your Neighbors, APD, and City Hall on Nextdoor!

Interested in connecting with you neighbors, exchanging ideas and sharing information? We have a great way for you to do just that!

 

The City of Arcadia has a long history of encouraging neighborhood interaction and communication. We believe that knowing the people who live near us makes for stronger neighborhoods, and oftentimes results in cherished friendships. The way we communicate with our family, friends, and neighbors has changed significantly in recent years with the increasing popularity of social media. One social network you may want to take a look at is Nextdoor.com. Nextdoor.com is a private network that posters communication between neighbors. Participation is free. Discussion topics can range from information sharing to notices about local events and school activities, contractor recommendations, disaster preparedness, crime prevention, lost pets and…what would you like to talk about? Neighborhoods establish and manage their own Nextdoor website. The information shared on each Nextdoor site is visible only to the members who live in the neighborhood and have verified their address.

 

How does Nextdoor work?

Nextdoor allows neighbors to create a private website for their neighborhood. On Nextdoor, members can find neighbors in the directory, view a neighborhood map, ask for advice, exchange local recommendations, and share neighborhood information with each other. Residents can choose to see and respond to updates via e-mail, or only on the website.

How much does Nextdoor cost?

There is no charge for an Arcadia resident to participate in their neighborhood site.

How is Nextdoor different from a neighborhood mailing list?

Nextdoor is designed for the specific communication needs of a neighborhood. For example, Nextdoor websites include a neighborhood map and directory, and a cataloged list of recommendations for local services. Members can choose to receive e-mails about each new post, see everything in a daily digest, or turn off e-mails and check the website for new posts from neighbors.

What is the City’s involvement in Nextdoor?

The City has the ability to post information on an Arcadia neighborhood site; however; the City cannot view discussions that take place outside of those related to the City post. Information the City will share with neighborhoods – individually or collectively – might include that relate area street projects, event announcements, crime prevention and safety tips, and emergency bulletins.

How do I get started?

Go to Nextdoor.com and put in your address to see if your neighborhood is already established. If not, define your neighborhood, invite your neighbors to the group, and get the discussion going! The website includes step-by-step instructions for getting started – it’s easy! Please note that for optimal participation and success, it is recommended that your neighborhood have between 250 and 2,500 properties.

https://nextdoor.com/

Follow Nextdoor on Twitter @Nextdoor or like them on Facebook.

Community Recognition for APD's H.E.L.P. Team

(Lt. Colleen Flores, Detective Kevin Fox, Officer Robert Rajewski, and Sergeant Tony Juarez)

In the last few years, the City of Arcadia has seen an increase in local homeless and mental health population.  Calls for service for police officers on a daily basis related to subjects who are homeless or suffer from a mental illness range from suspicious subjects loitering, sleeping to the front of a business or private property, disturbances associated to drinking in public, noise complaints, assaults, thefts, and at times, suicidal subjects. 

Due to this increase, the Arcadia Police Department developed the Homeless Education and Liaison Program (H.E.L.P. Team) in December of 2015.  Lt. Colleen Flores is assigned to manage the H.E.L.P. Team with the assistance of Sgts. Dan Crowther and Tony Juarez who oversee the team’s daily activities.  The team is comprised of 6 Officers who share H.E.L.P. Team responsibility as an ancillary duty.  These Officers are Gaddie Wider, Robert Rajewski, Cris Hoefflin, Kevin Fox, Carlos Quiroz, and Jordan Elders.

The Mission of the H.E.L.P. Team is, “To improve the quality of life in the City of Arcadia by reaching out to the homeless community and providing information, resources, and motivation with the ultimate goal of finding an alternative to life on the streets.”

About a year ago, H.E.L.P. Team member Officer Gaddie Wider came across a working, single mother and her children, living in their car in the City of Arcadia. This mother had been the victim of domestic abuse some years prior and had made the courageous decision to get herself and her children out of an abusive environment. This road had been a very difficult one for the family. With the assistance of a generous community donation, Officer Wider, Detective Fox, and the H.E.L.P. Team arranged for short-term housing for the family.

We are humbled to know the assistance our staff contributed to a positive change for this devoted mother and her children. They now share a home together and things are going very well for this family. The mother recently came by the station and brought a plaque of appreciation as a small token recognizing the "above and beyond" work by our H.E.L.P. Team, and in particular, Officer Wider and Detective Fox.

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 24 - 30, 2017

https://www.arcadiaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15132

Weekly Tip - Annual Overnight Parking Permits

A reminder that permits are required for all overnight parking on City streets, 2:30 - 5:30 a.m., in the City of Arcadia. Overnight enforcement was suspended for several weeks surrounding the holidays, however, enforcement begins again the morning of January 8, 2018. Permits will again be required this coming Sunday night, January 7th.

Temporary permits can be purchased online or at the kiosk to the front of the station. Annual permits are available for purchase at the Cashier's Office, Arcadia City Hall. For additional information or to download an Annual Permit Application, please visit our website.

DMV Warns Motorists of New Laws in 2018

The new year ushers in new laws and the Department of Motor of Vehicles has compiled a list of laws impacting motorists. Laws that prohibit use of marijuana products in a vehicle, use of a seat belt on certain buses, and updates to disabled placard issuance are among the new or modified laws. Visit the DMV website for details.