Celebrating the New Year with Gunfire will Not be Tolerated

The following information is a reprint from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, but is applicable to the City of Arcadia:

Every year, a significant number of people throughout the City and County of Los Angeles engage in the extremely dangerous practice of discharging firearms into the air to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.  In an effort to educate and warn the public of the problem, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) have embarked upon an awareness campaign. This campaign is designed to help reduce incidents of indiscriminate gunfire that, while on the decline, has continued to be a deadly tradition in our County and in our City.

The Gunfire Reduction Campaign aims to advise the community that celebrating the New Year with gunfire will not be tolerated in the County andCity of Los Angeles.  California Penal Code Section 246.3 prohibits negligent discharging of firearms.  Any person who violates Section 246.3 will have their firearm confiscated and will be arrested for a felony crime.

On Monday, December 27, 2010, LAPD Assistant Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur and LASD Sheriff Lee Baca held a news conference to publicize their concern about holiday-related celebratory gunfire.  To make a significant impact on this problem, thousands of “Don’t Shoot” flyers and posters have been printed and distributed to the community.  It is the hope of both agencies that with the partnership of the media and the distribution of “Don’t Shoot” flyers, the public will be informed regarding the dangers and dire consequences of this irresponsible act.

On July 4, 1999, Brian Perez, a young, outgoing, 9 year-old boy was playing with family members in the front yard of his home.  Someone in the area shot a firearm into the sky and the stray bullet struck Brian in the head, killing him.  Assistant Chief MacArthur stated “Thankfully, since Brian Perez, and with the effectiveness of this Gunfire Reduction Campaign, there have been no known deaths by indiscriminate gunfire in the City of Los Angeles.”

The public is also reminded that toy replica guns that resemble real weapons are also a concern for law enforcement officers and that playing with replica guns is strongly discouraged.

Together, all law enforcement agencies ask the public to STOP the senseless act of firing weapons into the air and CELEBRATE SAFELY. 

In addition, should a shooting occur, members of the community are encouraged to call 9-1-1. 

To report information regarding a crime, please call your local sheriff's station or police station.  Or if you wish to remain Anonymous, call “LA Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the websitehttp://lacrimestoppers.org 

Kid Sitting for New Year's Eve?

The City of Arcadia Recreation & Community Services Department is hosting a "New Year's Eve Kid's Night Out" event at the Arcadia Community Center from 6pm to 1am this Friday night, December 31st.  Recreation Staff and Volunteens offer themed games, movies, dinner, snacks and supervision for children ages 4 and above.  Kids will enjoy a New Year’s Eve Party, while their parents enjoy all of the New Year’s Eve Festivities out on the town or a quiet evening at home.  The cost is $25 per child.  For more information, visit the City website for the latest issue of "The Buzz" (page 7),  or call (626) 574-5113.  

Weekly Activity Highlights for December 19-25, 2010

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_12-19.pdf

Weekly Tip - Check Your Credit

With a new year approaching, it is a good time to check your personal credit. Thieves can gain access to your personal information through various means these days and you may not become aware of the problem until damage is already done. The Federal Trade Commission has a website with a link to the only authorized on line source to obtain your credit report from the 3 main credit reporting companies. The service is free and you are entitled to obtain the report once every 12 months. There are some other legitimate sources to obtain the information, however, most come with strings attached or a fee to continue monitoring your credit. Protect yourself from ID theft and potential loss due to ID theft.  Make this a New Year's resolution and moreover, an annual practice!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

All of us at the Arcadia Police Department would like to wish everyone the very best during this holiday season.  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

Expect Traffic Delays on Sunday

The day after Christmas is sure to bring many visitors, shoppers, and racing fans to the City of Arcadia. The Westfield Santa Anita Shopping Mall will be filled with people seeking sales, exchanges, and returns. The Santa Anita Race Track comes to life once again with opening day of live racing. Yes, this Sunday, December 26th, 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 in the morning, mid-afternoon, or evening hours after the race track has closed.

The majority of Race Track patrons leave between the hours of 3:00pm - 7:00pm, so the following closures and restrictions will be in place during that time period:

BALDWIN AVENUE:
- Traffic congestion between Huntington Drive & the 210 freeway
- There will be No Parking on Baldwin Avenue between Hugo Reid and Huntington Drive from 3:00pm – 7:00pm

HUNTINGTON DRIVE:
- There will be No Left Turns from E/B Huntington to N/B Baldwin Avenue (Left Turn Lanes will be Closed from 3pm-7pm)
- There will be No Right Turns from W/B Huntington Drive to N/B Baldwin Avenue (Right Lane Closed from 3pm–7pm)

COLORADO PLACE:
- All Southbound lanes of Colorado Place will be closed at the intersection with Colorado Boulevard (closure in effect from 4pm – 7pm). All traffic will be detoured onto E/B Colorado Blvd towards Santa Anita Avenue.

If you would like to avoid the traffic congestion in these areas, you are advised to use the following alternate routes:

ALTERNATE NORTH/SOUTH ROUTES:

Michillinda Avenue
Santa Anita Avenue

ALTERNATE EAST/WEST ROUTES:

Foothill Boulevard
Duarte Road

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 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.

WANTED! Distraction Burglary Suspect

The above photo is the likeness of a suspect wanted in connection with a distraction type, residential burglary. The crime occurred on December 17, 2010, at about 11:30 am, at a residence in the 1000 block of Fairview Avenue.

The suspect knocked at the residence door and said that he worked for the water department. The suspect wore an identification badge around his neck that had "State of California" written on it and the name, "John". The suspect said that he was there to check water pressure and the victim allowed him to come inside. The suspect walked throughout the residence and turned on water faucets. While inside the master bedroom, the suspect asked the victim to go and turn off water in the kitchen. The victim left the suspect unattended for a time and returned to find the suspect leaving the residence, telling the victim that he was going to get some paperwork from his truck. The suspect did not return. Shortly thereafter, the victim found the bedroom ransacked and jewelry missing.

The suspect is described as a male, unknown race, 30-39 years old, 5'-09", 150 lbs, black hair, brown eyes, wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt.

Anyone with information is asked to call Arcadia Police Detectives at 626-574-5160. You can also submit crime tips and information via text, phone, or web to LA Regional Crime Stoppers, 800-222-TIPS (8477), or by clicking on the "Submit a Tip" button on the APD Blog side bar.