Memorial Day 2011

Wishing everyone the best on this Memorial Day 2011.  Take a moment and remember those that have died in service to our Country!  Remember to proudly display your American Flag at half-staff today, from sunrise to noon, in their honor.

Sobriety Checkpoint this Weekend

Incident: Memorial Day Weekend “AVOID 100” DUI Checkpoint

Date / Time of Press Release: May 25, 2011 – 10:00PM

The Arcadia Police Department, with the assistance of San Gabriel Valley allied police agencies, will conduct a sobriety and drivers license checkpoint at an undisclosed location in the City of Arcadia on Saturday, May 28, 2011 as part of the “AVOID 100” DUI Prevention Task Force. The checkpoint will begin at 6:00 PM and conclude at 2:00 AM. Traffic flowing through the checkpoint will be contacted by uniformed officers, who will be checking for alcohol and/or drug-impaired drivers. Officers will also check to make sure drivers have valid driver’s licenses.

The purpose of the checkpoint is to promote public safety and increase awareness of the dangers associated with drinking and driving. The use of checkpoints has proven to serve as an effective deterrent to drivers who are impaired and or unlicensed.

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Please direct any inquiries to Sergeant Brett Bourgeous at (626) 574-5475.

PF440

Supreme Court Ruling with Potential to Impact all California Communities

Matt Burch and Nathan McIntire from the Arcadia and Monrovia Patch websites recently quoted both Interim Police Chiefs Bob Guthrie and Jim Hunt from the Arcadia and Monrovia Police Departments, respectively, in articles discussing the Supreme Court decision to order the early release of some California felons.  The decision no doubt has the potential to impact communities throughout the state.  Law Enforcement agencies will be watching closely as this decision unfolds.  Take a look at the two articles on both the Arcadia Patch and the Monrovia Patch. 

Weekly Tip - Don't Drive Drunk Detour Program

Jan's Towing offers a free service known as "Don't Drive Drunk Detour Program" throughout the year. Jan's is committed to helping to keep drunk drivers off the road and takes an active role by offering this program to those who have indulged a little too much. With the holiday weekend upon us, take advantage of this offer should the need arise. Jan's can be reached at (626) 334-1383.

The Automobile Club offers a similar program that is called "Tipsy Tow."  Check with AAA for availability by calling (800) 400-4AAA.

Remember to report drunk drivers, call 9-1-1 and help keep our roads safe!  Have a safe and fun Cinco de Mayo! 

Weekly Activity Highlights for May 15-21, 2011

http://www.ci.arcadia.ca.us/docs/weekly_5-15.pdf

Engaging Within & Beyond Arcadia through Social Media

Taking advantage of Social Media has allowed the Arcadia Police Department to reach out and engage with people and organizations that we would probably have never met or interacted with in times past.  I thought it would be interesting to share a couple of those connections that we have made and interact with via Social Media:

Lauri Stevens is the owner and founder of ConnectedCOPs.net and LAwS Communications.  Lauri is a huge supporter of Law Enforcement use of Social Media and promotes its use daily.  "The vision behind ConnectedCOPS is to enhance law officers’ ability to succeed with social media tools by providing insight, encouragement, education and the overall support required. It is also to promote the insightful thoughts of the law enforcement social media visionaries by providing them a voice..."  Lauri Stevens has been a mentor and friend to the Arcadia Police Department, and without her assistance, our Social Media presence would be minimal.  Lauri has authored numerous articles for Law Enforcement publications nationwide and also produces the Social Media, the Internet, and Law Enforcement Conference (SMILE) series that attracts an international audience of Law Enforcement professionals from all over the world.  You can find Lauri on Twitter @lawscomm and on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/LAwSComm.

A blog devoted primarily to "cold case" investigations reached out and engaged with the Arcadia Police Department, highlighting the unsolved 2007 Jason Wei murder case in March of this year.  Defrosting Cold Cases (DCC) is the name of this blog, developed and managed by an east coast lawyer who is known as @Vidocq_CC on Twitter.  "My work got me in touch with many police departments and those collaborations resulted in this website. I have yet to find a police department that is not underfunded, not understaffed, or not overworked. Often, I heard officers say that they wished that they had time to build a website for their cold cases..."  APD teamed up with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, gathering a $20,000 reward in this case which was promoted through conventional media.  Having a web presence like DCC highlight the case only multiplies our efforts to bring awareness to the Wei case.  One of DCC's current cases involves the unsolved killing of a Champaign, IL, Police Officer Robert Tatman, who was murdered in 1967.


We continue to explore and update the manner in which we use Social Media within the Arcadia Police Department.  We have established a new rapport with local residents, local businesses, and beyond through our presence on the likes of Twitter, Facebook, and our Blog.  The sharing and exchange of information is fast and amplified through these platforms and our participation allows us to listen and communicate with voices and people that otherwise may never interact with their Police Department.  The Arcadia Police Department looks forward to continuing to develop our Social Media presence and methods, engaging locally and beyond.  

Arcadia PD On-Line Reporting System

The Arcadia Police Department's on-line reporting system is web based and available to any Windows PC user who has access to the internet (Sorry Mac users, we’re still working on getting you access). Access to the system is made through the City of Arcadia Police Department web site:

www.ArcadiaPD.org

The intent of the system is to provide citizens the option of reporting low priority crimes that have no workable suspect information via the internet. The system is designed to benefit both the department and the citizen by reducing officer responses to these types of incidents and so the citizen may report an incident at their convenience.

The online reporting feature is designed to be an additional resource available to the public for the reporting of a number of low-grade crimes. The reporting system should not take the place of a police response to any number of scenarios, including but not limited to:

Emergencies (Dial 9-1-1)

In progress crimes (Dial 9-1-1)

Crimes where the suspect is known

Crimes where there appears to be evidence that could be collected.

All Traffic Collisions (Injury, non-injury, & Hit & Run)

Only the following crimes/reports can be reported on-line at this time:

1) Auto Burglary
2) Theft
3) Harassing or Annoying phone calls
4) Identity Theft
5) Lost/Stolen Property (NOT PASSPORTS)
6) Vandalism
7) Vehicle Tampering

Once an on-line report is submitted, the citizen will receive an automated response indicating that an On-Line incident number has been issued. A Police Department officer will review the on-line report and will either Accept of Reject the report.

When a report is ACCEPTED, a Police Case Number will be issued and the citizen will have that information emailed to their preferred email address. The email can be printed and referred to as an “Unofficial” police report. An “Official” copy of the report can be retrieved at the Arcadia Police Department by the individual who filed the on-line report or their insurance agency representative.

If a report is REJECTED, the citizen will receive the reasons why the report was rejected, along with instructions of what should be done regarding the on-line report. Usually, on-line reports are rejected for the following reasons:

The report does not fall under one of the 7 categories allowed for on-line reporting

The submitted report is lacking contact information for the reporting party
o Phone number(s)
o Email address
o Address
o Driver’s license or ID #
o Date of Birth

We hope that this on-line service provides an extra convenience for reporting incidents to the Arcadia Police Department and that you all find it useful.

Should you have any questions, feel free to call the Police Department non-emergency line at: (626)574-5151

PF#440