Crime Tips/Trends Discussed At Tract 7260
Block Captain/Neighborhood Watch Meeting

A well attended Tract No. 7260 Neighborhood Watch meeting last night heard police Senior Lead Officer Munif Ali provide information about the LAPD’s block captain program and about crime trends in the Tract 7260 area.  Ali also gave tips for thwarting crime and for securing homes and property.

Office Ali also provided his phone number as well as numbers for the LAPD, which are listed at the end of this report.

Ali reported that Tract No. 7260 is located in a relatively safe area.  Most crimes in the area are property crimes as opposed to violent crimes against people.  While other areas witness more violent crimes than ours, criminals from elsewhere do travel to the affluent Westside to commit crimes.  An October 1, 2005 to November 8, 2005 crime map is shown below.  

AGG = aggravated Assault, BTFV = Burglary/Theft from Vehicle, BURG = Burglary, GTA = Grand Theft Auto,
MISS = Misdemeanor, ROBB = Robbery

Most home invasions, he said, take place during the day when people are not at home.  Current prime targets include small electronics such as laptop computers, CD players, VCRs, and TVs.  Jewelry is always a prime target.

Ali noted that the Westside is one of the nineteen LAPD divisions spread out over 473.6 miles.  Nine thousand police officers cover the entire area which means that there are roughly eighteen police officers per square mile.  However, not all are on duty at the same time.

By comparison, New York City has 150 officers per square mile; Chicago, 160; Philadelphia 51; and Detroit, 27.

Officer Ali offered many tips on how to prevent crimes and secure property.

• Purchase a heavy safe and bolt it to the floor and use it to store small valuables such as jewelry.  Otherwise keep jewelry and other small valuables in a bank safe deposit box.
• Engrave an identification number on TVs and other large electronics.  A good ID number is your driver’s license number because the police can use the number to track you down and restore your stolen merchandise.
• Don’t leave valuables where they can be seen through house or car windows. 
• Keep car and house windows and doors locked—always.
• Keep valuables out of sight when workers are in your home.
• Install outdoor lighting around your house since it deters nighttime home and car invasions.

Officer Ali noted that graffiti has been noticed in the area.  He said that the ubiquitous symbol S-13 is a marker for gang know as Sotel, an Hispanic gang formed in the 1930s and is found mostly west of the 405 on Stoner, Federal, Cotner, and Pontius.

In answer to a question about the usefulness of curbside painted street numbers, he said that the police do find them useful although they are not always necessary.  What is important is that house numbers be clearly visible to the police and fire departments and that at night, they be well lit.  The questioner reported being uncomfortable with some of the curb numbers painters and their aggressive collection tactics.  Officer Ali responded that if you paint your own curbside numbers, it is unlikely that someone will come along and paint over your numbers.

Block Captains 

Officer Ali strongly recommended that each block within the tract organize quarterly meetings under the supervision of a Block Captain.  He said he would attend the first meeting on each block and help it get its Neighborhood Watch program started.

He emphasized the importance of putting together a list of contact information (names, addresses, work and home phone numbers, e-mail, and faxes) so that neighbors on a block can contact each other easily if they see something suspicious.

He noted that some people refuse to participate or even give out their information, but he said it is important for the remainder on the block to participate in the program.

Other matters were also discussed at the meeting. 

Mike Eveloff, president of the Tract No. 7260 Association, urged people to log on often to the association’s website at www.tract7260.org, which is updated frequently but not on a designated schedule.  He pointed out that people can sign up for a service available at the website, which will inform them each time a new item is posted.

One attendee at the meeting suggested small groups on each block get together for an afternoon or evening for a CPR class at a neighbor’s house.  At the meetings, a certified CPR instructor for a nominal fee would teach CPR techniques for those in attendance.

First aid courses could also be mounted.  In addition, it was noted that the fire department offers seven session emergency preparedness courses.

Eveloff asked attendees what kind of information they would like the board to assemble relating to emergency preparedness including recommendations on emergency equipment such as electrical generators.  As an example, he discussed a 6250 watt generator that costs about $350 and can run for about eleven hours and keep the refrigerator and other appliances going for that amount of time.  One generator can run on gas siphoned from your car.  Others will run on propane or natural gas.  More information on this subject will be provided at www.tract7260.org.

Eveloff also mentioned equipment such as whole house water filters and instructions on how to turn off gas and water service.  A process for block captains to identify the elderly and the disabled was also discussed so that special attention can be provided during an emergency.

He also talked about the tract association installing more Neighborhood Watch signs throughout 7260 and about posting No Advertising signs.  He noted that if residents put up a No Advertising sign of at least twelve square inches, a city ordinance prohibits solicitors from distributing materials at the site.

Emergency Phone Numbers

First and foremost, 911 (To be called only in life-threatening situations.)

Officer Ali:  (310) 444–0738

Front desk of the W.L.A. Police Dept – for non-emergency information and for making reports:    (310) 444-0701,  (310) 444-0702,  (310) 444-0703

For non-emergency but worrisome situations at night—after hours (e.g., a suspicious car outside):  (877) ASK-LAPD,  (877) 275-5273

For emergencies:  911

BUT, if you are calling from a cell phone, 911 goes to the Highway Patrol, so if you want to call the LAPD from your cell phone, dial: (213) 928-8206.

For general CITY information or city services of any kind, call:  311, and the operator will direct you to the right number.