| Wilshire Center Business Watch
Next Meeting:
Date: Thursday, 27 September, 2007
Time: 12:00 noon
Place: Archdiocesan Catholic Center
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Mezzanine Room
(southeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Mariposa Ave.)
Complimentary lunch will be served.
July 26 Notes:
Crime Statistic Trends: Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry reported on Part I crime (violent crimes including robbery, aggravated assault, rape, and murder). Given the substantial drop in such crime over the past five years (due in large part to the gang injunctions), such dramatic decreases could not be expected to continue. If the trend from the first part of the year continues, such crimes are expected to decrease 2% from last year. However, given the May Day incident at MacArthur Park, year-to-date Part I crimes are up 3% over last year. Specifically, in the area bounded by 5th St. on the north, Vermont Ave. on the east, Wilshire Blvd. on the south, and Normandie Ave. on the west, year-to-date:
Robbery: 29 last year, 23 this year
Car burglary: 37 last year, 39 this year
Grand theft auto: 22 last year, 23 this year
Rape: 2 last year, 2 this year
There are also a number of fights at nightclubs, including the Brown Derby location.
There are one to two burglaries per week in high-rise buildings (along 6th St. and Wilshire Blvd.), usually on the weekends and late at night, with only small, portable items taken. Since such buildings usually have full-time security, and sometimes have cameras, the police suspect they may be inside jobs.
Crowd Control Tactics: All of the police officers are being trained in crowd control tactics, given the May Day incident at MacArthur Park.
Police Activity near Mariposa Ave. and 7th St. on Tuesday, 24 July: On Tuesday afternoon, the police chased two robbery suspects into the area approximately bounded by Mariposa Ave. on the east, 8th St. on the south, Irolo Ave. on the west, and 7th St. on the north. Using a gun, they had robbed people in the 500 block of S. Kenmore Ave. These two men, along with one or two others, are thought to be involved in a string of 12 to 15 robberies. They steal nice cars--the last was a Mercedes--and put paper dealer plates on them. Then, usually late at night or early in the morning, they rob people on the street. Since the police got a fingerprint from the last car they used, they hope to arrest them in the near future. They did not catch them on Tuesday.
Bait Car: The police are using bait cars three to four times a month with great success. They park a car on the street and wait for someone to break in or try to steal it. About half of the people arrested are parolees, or have previously been arrested.
Illegal Street Vendors: The police continue to work with the County Health Department once or twice a month to shut down the businesses of illegal street vendors, and instruct them on how to become legal street vendors.
New Buildings in the Area: Many apartments on 7th St. are being renovated. Demolition work at the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Vermont Ave. is progressing; an 18-story condominium building will be built there. And a new business plaza is being built behind the Equitable Building.
Central Los Angeles Learning Center #1 (Schools to be built on the Ambassador Hotel Site): Hensel Phelps has been chosen as the general contractor for the construction of the elementary school (kindergarten through third grade). There will be much more activity on the site beginning in September or October. That school is expected to begin classes in Fall 2009. The middle school (fourth grade through eighth grade) and high school (ninth grade through twelfth grade) are expected to begin classes in Fall 2010.
New Police Stations and New Police Division: The new station for the Rampart Division is expected to open in early 2008; the new station for the Wilshire Division is expected to open in the middle of 2008.
A new "Mid-City Division" will be carved out of the western portion of the Rampart Division and the eastern portion of the Wilshire Division. While subject to change, at present the new division will run from Western Ave. or Wiltern Ave. on the west, to Hoover Ave. on the east. The Rampart Division will extend northwards.
Rampart Booster Association Luncheon, Wednesday, 1 August: The Rampart Booster Association will hold its 2007 Summer Fundraising Luncheon on Wednesday, 1 August, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at Mexican Village (3668 Beverly Blvd.). Cost is $15 per person. For more information, please call Officer Gabaldon at Rampart Community Relations at (213) 847-1903.
"National Night Out" on Tuesday, 7 August: The Rampart Division is sponsoring its 15th annual "National Night Out" on Tuesday, 7 August. Starting at 5:30 p.m., participants will begin walking from MacArthur Park to the Rampart Community Police Station, concluding with a rally there. For more information, please call Officer Sandra Zamora at (213) 847-1903.
"Angels Walk L.A." Self-Guided Historic Walking Tours: There is now a historic walking tour of the Wilshire area. Free maps and guidebooks are available through the Wilshire Center Business Improvement Corporation.
Earth Day, Tuesday, 22 April 2008: The local Business Improvement District is sponsoring an Earth Day celebration on Tuesday, 22 April, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It has applied for a permit from the city to shut down Wilshire Blvd. to car traffic from Vermont Ave. to Western Ave. The street festival would include 100 exhibit booths educating and reaching out to the community on topics such as alternative cars, energy efficiency, and organic products. Events would include concerts, a bike raffle, and cloth grocery bag giveaways.
Crime Statistics in the Neighborhood: The LAPD's website has a number of crime prevention tips at:
http://www.lapdonline.org/prevent_crime
There is also a map showing recent crimes. For the area around our address (where the meeting was held), find the map at:
http://www.lapdonline.org/crimemap/?addressSearchFormStreet=3424+Wilshire+Blvd.&addressSearchFormCity=Los+Angeles&addressSearchFormZip=90010
If you cannot access that link, go to their homepage of http://www.lapdonline.org and click on "Crime Maps and COMPSTAT."
17 May 2007 Notes:
Procession for Justice March to MacArthur Park, Thursday, 17 May: Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry said the Los Angeles Police Department was planning on a decreased presence of uniformed officers, relative to the last event on Tuesday, 1 May. There would be more undercover officers, and officers watching from buildings. He hoped such a presence would be less confrontational.
Burglaries: During the month of April, there were a number of burglaries in our neighborhood. The Blink, located at 3377 Wilshire Blvd., was burglarized on two successive days (Wednesday, 18 April; and Thursday, 19 April). There was theft and graffiti. No one has been arrested for these incidents.
There were evening break-ins at two high-rise buildings (3252 Wilshire Blvd. and 3325 Wilshire Blvd.). Given the level of security in high-rise buildings (officers, cameras, and other barriers), the police suspect it may be an inside job. No one has been arrested for these incidents.
The building at 611 S. Catalina Ave. was burglarized on both Thursday, 19 April; and again on Tuesday, 1 May. On the later date, a man was arrested inside the building, and charged with the burglaries.
Car Thefts and Break-ins: This is still the most common crime in the neighborhood. It is pretty consistent. The LAPD continues to use bait cars, and have found them to be successful, with a break-in or theft usually attempted within two days.
Drugs: The LAPD has semi-monthly task forces saturating the area with officers. Leeward Ave. (between Vermont Ave. and Hoover St., three blocks south of Wilshire Blvd.) is an especially heavy area for drug sales and use.
Graffiti: In another successful task force (twice a week), the LAPD is working with the California Highway Patrol to catch taggers. They are working on a two-month project along the 101 and 110 freeways, with LAPD acting as the chase cars.
California Security officers at the meeting asked if LAPD could work with them on graffiti at the corner of Virgil St. and Wilshire Blvd., where there is a large amount of graffiti.
Illegal Vendors: Working with the Los Angeles County Health Department and Chrysalis Center, LAPD's taskforce has twice-monthly sweeps of illegal vendors, confiscating their equipment, and telling them how to become legal vendors.
Recruitment: LAPD continues to aggressively recruit for new officers, especially since a number of officers are retiring.
Police Divisions' New Headquarters: The new headquarters for the Rampart Division is expected to be completed in January or February 2008. The new Mid-City Division's headquarters is expected to be completed in Spring 2008. At that time, the new division will be established from territory currently in Rampart Division and Wilshire Division.
New Construction / Residency: The neighborhood will soon have more residents. The new apartments at the corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Vermont Ave. will be occupied beginning next month. Currently, between Western Ave. and Vermont Ave., stretching a few blocks north and south of Wilshire Blvd., there are 2,000 housing units in the process of being built.
The Wilshire Center Business Improvement District has commissioned a traffic study, given the greater population density, and the new schools being built on the former site of the Ambassador Hotel.
Central Los Angeles Learning Center # 1 (Ambassaor Hotel Site): The general contractor for the elementary school will be approved at a board meeting next week. Construction is expected to begin later this month, or in early June. The elementary school is expected to open for the fall semester in 2009.
Construction of the middle school and high school is expected to begin by the end of 2007, with classes starting Fall 2010.
The School District plans to offer its facilities, especially its athletic fields, for joint use, so members of the community can use them outside of school hours.
There has been a small (twice-monthly) problem with graffiti, including graffiti on the sidewalk.
Complimentary lunch will be available, thanks to the generosity of the Wilshire Center Business Improvement District
15 March 2007 Notes
Crime Down: Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry reported that robberies and burglaries in our area are down 11% year-to-date from last year. On a broader scale, Deputy City Attorney Arturo Martinez reported that crime in the MacArthur Park area (a place of special attention for the Los Angeles Police Department) has decreased more than 50% over the past six years (comparing 2001 crime to 2007 crime).
Illegal Street Vendors: Working with a new commander at California Security Services, the LAPD is again engaged in twice-monthly sweeps of illegal street vendors. They also work with the County Health Department, which issues citations; and Chrysalis Center, which removes the offending equipment.
Deputy City Attorney Martinez mentioned that catering trucks are also regulated by the Health Department. They need to have permits, and are required to abide by all parking regulations.
Graffiti and Tagging: LAPD, working with the California Highway Patrol, has a task force targeting freeway offramps, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. They hope to expand into residential areas.
The LAPD currently has five gang injunctions, which are working well. However, since gangs are doing less graffiti, there is more tagging. There has been a noticable increase. People are asked to call Korean Youth Community Center or 311 for cleanup of graffiti. They try to clean it up within 72 hours.
Thefts of Cars; Thefts from Cars: LAPD is very successful in using bait cars in our area, and the area immediately north of here. They are arresting a large number of people out on parole when those people break into the bait cars or attempt to steal the cars.
Shooting at Brown Derby: On Saturday evening, 3 March, there was a shooting at the Brown Derby Restaurant. A man shot five to six rounds into the restaurant, hitting one man, who is recovering. The shooter is still at large.
Trouble at Club: The club at Wilshire and Westmoreland is causing problems in the neighborhood since offers has no parking. There are also incidents of drug use, public intoxication, and littering, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
Abandoned Property: LAPD and the City Attorney's Office were alerted to an abandoned property at 603-609 Mariposa Ave. Building and Safety Department and the Abatement Department will be notified.
Escaped Convict: A man arrested for murder has escaped from the Castaic Jail. He is known to frequent this area. Senior Lead Officer Hendry distributed a flyer with the pertinent information.
Transients/Homeless: This morning, on his twice-monthly transient count, Senior Lead Officer Hendry counted nine transient homeless. With the attention that LAPD is giving to Skid Row, officers in the Rampart Division were concerned that transients would migrate to the Rampart Area. However, they seem to be moving south and east, rather than to the west. Homeless in the area are given references to social services. Ticketing and arrests (if it goes to warrant) are the last resort.
New Division: The new Mid-City Division will begin in late spring or early summer of 2008. It will be carved out of the eastern portion of the Wilshire Division and the western portion of the Rampart Division.
Hiring New Police Officers: LAPD is hiring many new recruits, since many officers are reaching retirement age.
Booster Association Lunch: The Rampart Division's Booster Association will hold its annual luncheon on Wednesday, 28 March, at 11:00 a.m., at Buffetland (Olympic Blvd. and Westlake). Cost is $15 per person. All are invited. Proceeds go to support the Rampart Division. Past events have funded, for example, flashlights that attach to the officers' rifles.
Ambassador Hotel School Site: Mario Bonilla reported that the mass grading should finish next week. The construction of the elementary school will not begin for at least two months.
11 January 07 Notes
Parking Lot Safety: Since car thefts and car break-ins are the predominant crimes in the neighborhood, Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry showed posters in English, Spanish, and Korean that are being posted in parking lots along Wilshire Blvd. and 6th St. They contain information on parking lot safety (e.g., lock your car, do not have any valuable items visible from outside the car, park in well-lit areas).
Korean Community Citizen Patrol: Beginning at the end of November 2006, the Korean Community began Citizen Patrols of the neighborhood on Friday and Saturday nights. They are not connected to the Los Angeles Police Department. The Police Department, however, has instructed the patrol members to call 911 if they see any dangerous situtation. They are not to intervene, as it may be a dangerous situation.
There was an article in the Los Angeles Times on 31 October 2006 that stated that both crime and fear were increasing in Koreatown. It seems the Koreatown Federation wanted to build support for its community task force (Citizen Patrol). With new construction in the area over the past five to eight years, including a number of condominiums and restaurants, crime is decreasing. Senior Lead Officer Hendry attributes that to the work of the Police Department and especially to the tools, such as gang injunctions, that the court has put at its disposal.
Illegal Street Vendors: The Police Department, working with the County Health Department, continues its twice-monthly sweep of illegal street vendors. When they find illegal vendors, they confiscate the cart and the goods to be sold. The vendors are then instructed to attend a meeting on the proper procedures for food sales, and how to obtain the proper licenses to become legal street vendors. Very few of them, however, show up at the meetings.
Wallet Found with 13 Different Identity Papers: Post Commander Cherry turned over a wallet to Senior Lead Officer Hendry. It was found on the sidewalk of Mariposa Ave. in front of the Archdiocesan Catholic Center. It contained driver's licenses for 13 different people (both sexes, various ethnicities). He booked it into their Property Division.
Graffiti: Members of the Korean Youth Center are hired to paint over graffiti in the neighborhood. They have been harassed, though, by the taggers (ages 12-16, who want to join gangs, especially the 18th St. Gang), who do not want their graffiti painted over. This occurs especially at 3rd St. and Alexandria Ave. California Security asked if Senior Lead Officer Hendry could have police officers accompany the people when they paint over the graffiti. In addition, children on skateboards are tagging at 5th St. and Normandie Ave. Finally, since the beginning of the year, graffiti has started to appear on the sign at the corner of the Archdiocesan Catholic Center. It is usually done at night, and it is painted over the following morning. (It is possible that the taggers are those being pushed away from the new school site next door.) There is also graffiti on the west side of that building. (Cameras do not pick that up, since people can sit on the planters and deface the property, with their bodies blocking the camera's
view.)
Ambassador Hotel School Site: They had graffiti from the MS Gang last year; however, that has stopped due to their increased security patrols. (They may be the ones who recently started marking graffiti at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center.) There is the concern that thefts might increase once construction begins on the site, and equipment and supplies are on-site overnight. Proposals for constructing the grade school (kindergarten through 3rd grade) are being accepted now. Construction is scheduled to start in April 2007.
Recent Burglary Arrest: On Tuesday, 9 January, a burglary suspect was caught. He was apprehended in his residence on Catalina St.; officers found a great deal of electrical equipment and car stereos there. On Friday, 29 December, there had been a report of a burglary. A video camera recorded the suspect. A police officer recognized the man from a previous narcotics arrest in Mary 2006, and he was arrested for the burglary. Senior Lead Officer Hendry credits the use of video cameras, and the astute police officer who recognized him from a previous arrest.
Other Burglary Activity: For the past two to four weeks, from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., there have been a number of people robbed on the street. Two to three robberies have occurred per night on residential streets, especially on New Hampshire Ave. and Alexandria Ave., between 4th St. and 6th St. The suspects are two black males, 18-22 years old, 5'10"-6' tall. No gun has been seen; however, victims have felt guns (or metal) against their necks when they are accosted. A flyer was distributed Thursday, 11 January. (These men may or may not be members of a gang. The two predominant gangs in the area are the 18th St. Gang, which operates north of 5th St.; and MS, which operates south of 5th St.)
Drug Dealing: There is a problem with drug dealers at the corner of 8th St. and Normandie Ave. Senior Lead Officer Hendry will inform the Narcotics section of the Wilshire Division.
Killing in Arlington Heights (near Dodger Stadium): In mid-December, a nine-year-old girl was shot in her house by a bullet from a shootout between two gang members outside. She was placed on life-support systems. Last week, the family removed her from those systems and she died. The district attorney is charging the first shooter with the murder, since the second shooter (the one who fired the shot that hit the girl) was responding in self-defense. The district attorney is also trying to evict the first shooter from his government housing.
Hiring of New Police Officers: The Police Department is putting forth great effort to hire new police officers. Like other law enforcement agencies, the Police Department is now offering signing bonuses. There are 70 recruits in the current class, and the Rampart Division may get 30 more officers next year. In addition, a number of officers who entered a deferred retirement program five years ago are now retiring, increasing the need for new officers.
Crime Map and Crime Prevention Tips On-Line: The Police Department has a pin map showing crimes in various neighborhoods. The map centered around the Archdiocesan Catholic Center (meeting place of the Wilshire Center Business Watch Meetings) is at:
http://www.lapdonline.org/crimemap/?addressSearchFormStreet=3424%20Wilshire%
20Boulevard&addressSearchFormCity=Los%20Angeles&addressSearchFormZip=90010
(If this link does not work, go to:
http://www.lapdonline.org
and click on "Crime Maps in Your Community.")
The site also has crime prevention tips. Find a selection of these and other crime prevention tips at:
http://www.lapdonline.org/prevent_crime
Next Meeting:
Date: Thursday, 15 March 2007
Time: 12:00 noon
Place: Archdiocesan Catholic Center
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Mezzanine Room # 5
(southeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Mariposa Ave.)
Complimentary lunch will be served.
Parking: Complimentary parking in the Archdiocesan Catholic Center
parking lot.
Enter off of Mariposa Ave.
Questions: Eileen E. O'Brien
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
(213) 637-7618
eeobrien@la-archdiocese.org
26 October Notes 06,
Crimes against People and Property: Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry noted that in the past month, a large (12-person) robbery ring was broken. They would rob five to seven Asian businesses per night in the area, usually committing the crimes between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m., and robbing both the establishments and their patrons. They were violent--using guns and striking business owners and patrons--with at least one instance of sexual assault. They were finally arrested because many establishments had security cameras, which resulted in good pictures of the robbers. It is estimated they committed 75 crimes in the past two months.
Overall, crime is down seven percent from the same period a year ago. Stolen cars and property crimes (especially stealing from cars) are still problematic. There is an increase in burglaries along Wilshire Blvd., especially from the many construction sites. Many of these involve stolen tools, so the Police Department is approaching pawn shops about stolen property.
Homelessness: Los Angeles has the largest number of homeless people in the country. Most have problems with alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and/or mental health issues; however, ten percent of the city's homeless are children. Homelessness is becoming a big issue in this neighborhood since the downtown area has new development (new businesses, loft housing), which is pushing homeless people to other parts of the city. The Los Angeles Police Department has an agreement with the American Civil Liberties Union to allow people to sleep undisturbed on the sidewalks between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; however, those staying past those hours are subject to arrest. The Police Department has a task force that is conducting a twice-monthly census of the homeless to see who is moving into the area. The Wilshire Center Business Improvement District is seeking funding for two workers from Portals (a local mental health agency that provides people to clean the sidewalks) to meet the homeless and direct them to local community services. The city is also proposing a ten-year plan, including more low-income housing and more immediate involvement by Social Services staff.
Illegal Street Vendors: Members of the Police Department, along with the County Health Department, are conducting sweeps of illegal street vendors, citing those who lack permits or who are in violation of other statutes (e.g., proper fruit packaging), and confiscating their wares. Two major areas are 6th St. and Vermont Ave., and Wilshire Blvd. and Vermont Ave., and their surrounding side streets. These sweeps are slowly decreasing the number of illegal street vendors. There are legal street vendors in Los Angeles.
Ambassador Hotel School Site: The removal of dirt from the site, and grading of the site, will continue through January 2007. In January, the contract for construction of the elementary school (kindergarten through third grade) will be awarded. The elementary school was expected to open in fall 2008; however, that may be moved to Fall 2009. The middle school and high school are also expected to open in Fall 2009. The schools would start with one class each, and add a class each year, taking three to four years to reach full capacity of approximately 4,200 students.
While sharing the same site, the three schools would be separated by geography (being placed on different parts of the site) and by elevation (with structures at different levels).
As for traffic, the School District aims to shift traffic off of Wilshire Blvd., and on to the side streets (Mariposa Ave., Catalina St., 7th St., and 8th St.).
There have been some recent problems with graffiti, especially on the large sign on Wilshire Blvd., happening between 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.
New Division and New Buildings: In early 2008, the Rampart Division will be moving into its new divisional headquarters at 6th St. and Columbia Ave.; its old headquarters will be used to house special units (i.e., SWAT, canine units). Also in early 2008, a new Mid-City Division will be formed out of portions of the Rampart Division and the Wilshire Division. Its headquarters will be at 11th St. and Vermont Ave. (We will be in this new division, and will no longer be a part of the Rampart Division.)
Crime Map and Crime Prevention Tips On-Line: The Police Department has a pin map showing crimes in various neighborhoods. The map centered around our address is at: http://www.lapdonline.org/crimemap/?addressSearchFormStreet=3424%20Wilshire%
20Boulevard&addressSearchFormCity=Los%20Angeles&addressSearchFormZip=90010
(If this link does not work for you, you can go to: >>http://www.lapdonline.org and click on "Crime Maps in Your Community.")
The site also has crime prevention tips, especially as we approach the holidays. With less daylight, and more shopping, people are warned to be aware of their surroundings, and not leave gifts in plain sight. Find a selection of these and other crime prevention tips at: >> http://www.lapdonline.org/prevent_crime
Next Meeting:
Date: Thursday, 11 January 2007
Time: 12:00 noon
Place: Archdiocesan Catholic Center
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Room 255 (2nd floor)
(southeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Mariposa Ave.)
Complimentary lunch will be served.
Parking: Complimentary parking in the Archdiocesan Catholic Center parking lot. Enter off of Mariposa Ave.
Questions: Eileen E. O'Brien
Archdiocese of Los Angeles
(213) 637-7618
eeobrien@la-archdiocese.org
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Please feel free to forward this information to other interested people and to invite them to the Wilshire Center Business Watch Meetings.
August 10, 2006
Property crimes continue to be the major crimes in our neighborhood. These include car break-ins (especially stealing compact disks, electronics, and stereos), and stolen cars. According to Senior Lead Officer Paul Hendry, these crimes are planned (with career criminals carrying around their tools to break into cars), but random (with their strolls around the neighborhood looking for targets). Most of the perpetrators live in the neighborhood. He gave the example of a man who lived next door to an apartment building that was being fumigated. During the fumigation, while the building was tented, he cut through the tent and burglarized six of the apartments.
There were two laptop computers stolen from businesses on Wilshire Blvd., and information from the buildings' cameras was turned over to the Police Department.
There has been a rash of robberies near the intersection of 5th St. and Normandie Ave., with children on skateboards being suspects. Better lighting is needed in that area.
In addition, there was a shoplifting incident at the Radio Shack in the ACC building the morning of the Business Watch Meeting. The suspect's description (black male, 6' tall, 200 pounds, age 18-20 years old) also fits the description of a suspect in two other midnight burglaries (at 8th St. and Hoover St., and at 2nd St. and Kenmore Ave.), each of which occurred with a 6' tall Hispanic male. In response to these property crimes, the Police Department is enforcing pawnshop regulations with more vigor, since pawnshops receive many stolen goods.
In a new attempt to inform business owners and patrons about these property crimes (and how they can be prevented or deterred by locking one's car and removing items from view), the Korean Boosters of the Rampart Division are having English and Korean signs made for installations in buildings and alongside street signs. (According to SLO Hendry, the businesses in the neighborhood would use English and Korean; residents in the neighborhood would use English and Spanish.)
Identity theft is a fast-growing crime. People are encouraged to lock their mailboxes and shred their sensitive trash. They are asked to read their monthly credit card statements for unauthorized charges, and to have copies of their important documents (passport, driver's license, and credit cards). There is rarely a need, one officer noted, for people to carry around their original Social Security cards. (Name and address, date of birth, and Social Security Number are generally all that are needed to steal one's identity.)
Last month, there was a murder near the Brown Derby Restaurant at Wilshire Blvd. and Alexandria Ave. There was a fight one night, and a man left and walked one block north. He was followed by the person who stabbed him to death.
In addition, two weeks ago, late at night on Normandie Ave. between 2nd St. and 3rd St., there was an attempted rape. The bicycle patrolman happened to come upon the scene and arrest the man.
Officers advised that people be aware of their surroundings. They warned about people getting close to other people on the sidewalk. For example, a person approaching another and asking for directions or the time of day could then draw a weapon and rob the person. Cellular phones, I-Pods, and electronics (just as with car break-ins) are targets. There are also purse snatchings.
Ambassador Hotel School Site: With the new school being built on the old Ambassador Hotel site, the administrative analyst was asked to provide information on traffic mitigation plans, especially with respect to Mariposa Ave. The site's director of security had planned on attending this Business Watch Meeting; however, he was unable to do so. SLO Hendry was given contact information for people at the school site (project manager, project engineer, administrative analyst, and community relations representative) and he will contact them, supporting and encouraging their involvement with the neighboring business community. Again, the current concern pertains to traffic mitigation.
Amy Meenan, the administrative analyst of the Los Angeles Unified School District, has provided the following information about measures planned to mitigate traffic around the new school:
* 8th street will be widened and a turn out lane provided for K-drop-off along 8th.
* At the intersection of Wilshire and Mariposa (northbound) a left and right turn lane will be striped and provided with detector loops on Mariposa. New traffic and pedestrian signal on Wilshire north of Wilshire/Mariposa intersection is to be installed.
* New loop detectors on existing left turn lane on Wilshire (to Catalina) and new traffic signal on Wilshire at Wilshire.
* New drop off on Catalina for High School (south of 7th).
* The vacant property across from 7th Street east off Mariposa will become part of Campus Drive. 7th Street west of Catalina will become High School entrance.
Six months prior to opening the new learning center, LAUSD will coordinate with LADOT’s (Los Angeles Department of Transportation) Citywide Traffic Control Programs Section to prepare a "Pedestrian Routes to School" map.
Four months prior to opening the learning center, LAUSD's School Traffic and Safety Education Section will request LADOT's Central District Office to coordinate the installation of appropriate traffic controls, school warning and speed limit signs, school crosswalks and pavement markings, passenger loading zones and school bus loading zones. After the learning center opens, LAUSD will coordinate with LADOT’s Crossing Guard Operations Section to investigate any request for crossing guards.
Additionally, Eileen E. O'Brien spoke to Brandi of the Department of Transportation (Hollywood/Wilshire Division), which has responsibility for our area and inquired about the possibility of putting a left-turn arrow from the westbound traffic of Wilshire Blvd. onto the southbound traffic of S. Mariposa Ave. She said that was not possible at this time, since there is already a left-turn lane from the eastbound Wilshire Blvd. traffic northbound onto Alexandria St. There is not sufficient distance between the Wilshire/Mariposa traffic light and the Wilshire/Alexandria traffic light. She said Wilshire Blvd. was not built to meet the high traffic load it now carries. She did say there is a possibility in the future, depending on the school construction at the old Ambassador Hotel site; however, from the information immediately above, that is not being planned.
Other Traffic Issues: According to Officer Cho of the Police Department, the most dangerous intersection in our area is 3rd St. and Vermont Ave. because of its many parking lots. He also said there were many unlicensed and uninsured drivers in the area, and that if a person is a victim in a car crash, there is a 50% chance that the other party will drive off (hit-and-run accident).
New Captains for Rampart: There are two new captains in the Rampart Division: Paul Egan and Jose Perez. (Captain Denis Cremmins has moved to the Newton Division.)
Crime Map and Crime Prevention Tips On-Line: The Police Department has a pin map showing crimes in various neighborhoods. Go to www.lapdonline.org and click on "Crime Maps in Your Community." The site also has crime prevention tips. Find a selection at www.lapdonline.org/prevent_crime.
Next Meeting of the WC Business Watch:
Date & time: Thursday, 26 October, 12:00 noon
Place: Archdiocesan Catholic Center
3424 Wilshire Blvd., Mezzanine Room # 5
(southeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Mariposa Ave.)
Complimentary light lunch will be served.
Parking: Complimentary parking in the Archdiocesan Catholic Center, parking lot is entered off of Mariposa Ave.
Questions: Eileen E. O'Brien, Archdiocese of Los Angeles,
(213) 637-7618, eeobrien@la-archdiocese.org
Interested business and building managers are encouraged to join the Wilshire Center Business Watch and attend the meetings.
Meeting Notes of 5/19/06.
Immigration Marches on Monday, 1 May: They were generally peaceful, with minimal damage to building and property (mostly trampled flowers and plants).
Rampart Boosters' Luncheon: There will be a fundraising luncheon hosted by the Rampart Boosters on Wednesday, 28 June, at Mexican Village Restaurant, located at Beverly Blvd. and Virgil Ave. Cost is approximately $15 per person. Further information will follow from the LAPD. Proceeds from the luncheon are used to fund equipment for the LAPD Rampart Division. In the past, for example, the Boosters were able to purchase lights that could attach to the officers' rifles.
Part I Crime Down 6% From Last Year: Year-to-date, Part I crime has decreased 6% compared to a year ago. Part I crime includes robbery, grand theft auto, murder, rape, and burglary from a motor vehicle. However, with the summer coming, crime is expected to increase. This is because it is hotter; there is more drinking; there are more people outside; and children are out of school.
New Lights on Wilshire Blvd.: From Wilton Pl. to Hoover St., there are now new streeetlights along Wilshire Blvd., thanks to the work of the Wilshire Center Business improvement District. This Streetscape project took ten years to complete.
Increased Garbage Collection Fee to Fund LAPD: An increase in the garbage collection fee will fund an additional 1,000 to 1,300 LAPD officers. It will take approximately five years to reach these new staffing levels, and will also be countered by many officers coming to retirement age. The LAPD is actively hiring new officers.
Importance of Cameras: Hope Liquor Store (7th St. and Hoover Blvd.) was robbed on Thursday, 4 May. Senior Lead Officer Hendry passed out police flyers with pictures of the suspects. He pointed out the importance of getting good, clear pictures from surveillance cameras, noting that cameras caught five juveniles who had broken into 30-50 houses of Korean residents. SLO Hendry said good cameras can cut crime dramatically, both as a deterrant, and since their pictures can help in identifying suspects.
Car Break-ins: Our business/residential district still has this as a major area of crime. Of the cars targeted, about half of the cars are parked in the street, and about half are in parking garages. Cars are broken into, and items are stolen. Often the items are sold at pawn shops in order to get money for drugs.
Building Break-in: Although slightly outside of our area, SLO Hendry noted that a medical building in the 2500 block of Wilshire Blvd. has been broken into four times in the past month.
New Captain for Rampart Division: Captain Paul Egan is the new leader of the Rampart Division.
New Building for Rampart Division: In late 2007 or early 2008, the Rampart Division building will move to its new location at 6th St. and Columbia St.
New Mid-City Division: LAPD currently has 19 divisions, including Rampart Division and Wilshire Division, which have Normandie Ave. as their common border. A new Mid-City Division will be formed in late 2007 or early 2008, with its headquarters in the old Red Cross building on Vermont Ave., just north of the 10 Freeway. This new division will take its territory from both Rampart and Wilshire. The new boundaries for the Mid-City Division are tentatively Sunset Blvd. on the north; the 10 Freeway on the south; Wilton Pl. on the west; and Hoover St. on the east.
Ambassador Hotel School Site: Mario reported that the site is getting more graffiti, especially on the fence and sidewalk, so they are having hourly perimeter checks.
He also reported that the mass grading contract work should begin next month, and continue through the rest of the year. The project engineer expects 200 truckloads of dirt to be removed from the site each day, with entrance and exit from Catalina St.
Churches Getting Tagged with Graffiti: Three churches in the area--Immanuel Presbyterian Church, St. Basil Catholic Church, and Wilshire Christian Church--have all had graffiti lately. Defacing a church in any way is a felony.
Summer Jobs Programs: Since children are out of school soon, and may need productive activity, the LAPD and California Security want to provide information about summer jobs. They received information about the Youth Employment Program, which is funded by the City of Los Angeles and administered by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
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