Weekly Tip - Halloween Traffic Safety

Tomorrow is Halloween night, bringing plenty of gatherings and activity to our neighborhoods. As you drive or make your way around town, please pay close attention to pedestrians and little goblins running across the street. Watch out for our kids as they trick or treat on Halloween night from house to house or while getting out of parked cars.

Arcadia, like many communities, has many homes that are decorated and offer "haunted houses" attracting crowds of kids and traffic. When visiting these locations, enjoy the experience but remember to obey traffic laws and parking regulations.

• Don't double park or drop off passengers in the roadway.
• Don't block driveways.
• Don't park in crosswalks.
• Don't park in front of fire hydrants.

Please be courteous and respectful of your neighbors. Drive carefully and be aware of all the children celebrating!

Red Ribbon Week 2019

Red Ribbon Week runs October 23rd-31st, 2019. Red Ribbon Week began in remembrance of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena who was kidnapped and murdered in Mexico in 1985. Agent Camarena had been working undercover for the DEA and was key in developing information that led to the eradication of large-scale narcotics manufacturing operations in Mexico. Mexican cartel leaders sought revenge for these operations, murdering alleged informants and ultimately, Agent Camarena.

Following his death, in Agent Camarena's hometown, Calexico, CA, the public outpouring of support turned in to an organized community response in which citizens dawned red ribbons. They became a voice for prevention in order to reduce the demand for illegal drugs and the use of drugs in America. The following year the California State PTA adopted the Red Ribbon Campaign. Then, in 1988, Red Ribbon Week was recognized nationally with President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan serving as the Honorary Chairs.

Today, the Red Ribbon Celebration brings millions of people together to raise awareness regarding the need for alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention, early intervention, and treatment services. It is the largest, most visible prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the United States.

Weekly Tip - DROP! COVER! HOLD ON!

Are you prepared for the next big earthquake?  Tomorrow, Thursday, October 17, 2019, at 10:17 am, millions of people will join in the annual Great California ShakeOut, bringing awareness to a very real threat to California.  Preparedness and knowledge are the keys to surviving during and after a significant earthquake.

Remember, if an earthquake strikes us today - Drop!  Cover!  And, Hold On!

•DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),

•Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table, and

•HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

Follow #LAQuake on Twitter for earthquakes occurring in the greater LA area. As focus shifts to a local area or quake name, more specific hashtags may become relevant.

Honoring Captain Larry Goodman on his Retirement

Yesterday, we honored Captain Larry Goodman who is retiring after 36 years of service to the City of Arcadia. Larry was hired as a Police Cadet in 1983 and became a Law Enforcement Recruit in 1985. After completing training at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Academy, he was sworn in as a Police Officer. During his time as a Police Officer, Larry was appointed to various positions and assignments over the years to include Field Training Officer, Traffic, NORSAT (a regional burglary task force), Juvenile Detective Desk, and SWAT.  Larry was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 1995, where Larry worked as a Patrol Supervisor, a Community Relations Supervisor, SWAT Supervisor, and as a Community and Youth Services Supervisor before being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2007.  As a Lieutenant, Larry worked as Patrol Watch Commander, SWAT Commander, and Detective Bureau Commander before Chief Guthrie had the opportunity to promote him to the rank of Captain in 2011.

The Arcadia Police Officers' Association hosted a nice lunch to honor Larry who was surrounded by his family and co-workers. Thanks to Captain Larry Goodman for well over three decades of service and dedication to the City of Arcadia. We all would like to wish him the best in retirement!

Weekly Tip - Wireless Emergency Alerts

Prolonged vibration notification, unusual sounds coming from your cell phone? You may be receiving a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) from an authorized government or public safety agency, the National Weather Service, or from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The types of alerts may include:

• Extreme weather advisories
• Other threatening emergencies in a particular area
• Amber Alerts
• Presidential Alerts during a national emergency

The WEA message will look similar to a text message and will be no longer than 90 characters. Most newer model cellular phones are WEA-capable and are set to receive the WEA message. You do have the ability to opt-out of all alerts other than Presidential Alerts. Consult your cellular phone guide for the individual opt-out procedure.

When a WEA message is sent by the authorized agency, the broadcast area is set and the recipients are based on their location within a given cell provider's coverage area. If your phone is within range of the broadcast area, you will receive the WEA message. These messages are similar to an emergency broadcast message to a given television viewing area. Most major carriers participate in this program and have done so since April 2012. WEA messages are free of charge.

The WEA message is not meant to replace emergency or instant messaging systems in use by public safety, but rather, an additional platform used to reach the community. Nixle and Alert Arcadia, along with our other platforms, will continue to be used. The use of multiple platforms allows us to reach those who may prefer or require simple text messages, phone messages, or more detailed web and email messages via computer or smartphone.

For additional information on the WEA Alerts, please visit the FEMA website: http://www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts

Weekly Tip - When is My Child Ready for a Cell Phone?

A question plaguing many parents is the topic of when to get a cell phone for their child. The answer is not a clear one at all but rather based on many individual factors about the child and family needs. ConnectSafely.org offers a nice guide with tips and information to consider before diving into a cell phone purchase for your child.

"There are lots of things to think about when parents consider buying kids their first cellphones. Of course the “right time” and the right phone vary by child, his or her maturity level and the family budget. Some parents want their young children to have a phone so they can call or be reached at any time. Others prefer to wait till they're teens. Factors to consider include: whether a child can use a phone with respect for the device, your rules and the people they interact with on it; if he or she can stay within the usage allowances included in the service plan and whether the child knows when to turn the phone off (e.g., at bedtime)."

Link to the ConnectSafely.org website for the complete guide!