Pasadena PIO: Station Fire Update for Pasadena

Pasadena PIO: Station Fire Update for Pasadena

Good information for local communities on the fire as well as health related tips.

City of Sierra Madre Emergency Information

City of Sierra Madre Emergency Information: "At this time, there is no imminent danger to our residents. In compliance with an order from the US Forest Service and the LA County Sheriff Department, the City is closing until further notice Bailey Canyon, Mt. Wilson Trail and the road up to Chantry Flats.

These are precautionary closures in response to the Los Angeles National Forest 'Area Closure Order' which includes the mountain areas above Sierra Madre. If the fire becomes a threat to Sierra Madre, information will be posted on the City web site, SMTV-3, e-Blast, and City of Sierra Madre Emergency Blog.

Other sources of information about the Station Fire can be found at InciWeb the Incident Information System http://inciweb.org/ and the web sites for the cities of Glendale http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/, La Canada http://www.blogger.com/www.lacanadaflintridge.com/ and Pasadena http://www.blogger.com/www.cityofpasadena.net/."

Los Angeles County Fire Mourns the Loss of Two Firefighters

Los Angeles County Fire Captain Tedmund "Ted" Hall and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones tragically lost their lives in a vehicle accident when the fast moving “Station Fire” overran the area where the Firefighters were driving in. The single vehicle collision occurred near Fire Camp 16 and Mt. Gleason in the Angeles National Forest on Sunday afternoon.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of Fire Captain Hall and Firefighter Quinones as well as all members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Please join the APOA in keeping all those in Fire Service and Law Enforcement that are working these fires in your prayers. (Photo from Yahoo News)

APOA Info Blog Gets a Nod

Christa Miller at Cops 2.0 used the APOA Info Blog as a case study and authored a nice piece discussing the APOA's use of social media. Read the post HERE. Cops 2.0 is a great resource for LE agencies, or anyone for that matter, exploring the use of social media. Cops 2.0 offers suggestions, posts many discussions, conversations and examples on the topic.

Drivers License Checkpoint

APD personnel conducted a drivers license checkpoint in the 12300 block of Lower Azusa on Wednesday evening from about 5:00 PM till 10:00 PM. Thirteen (13) vehicles were stored or impounded, thirteen (13) misdemeanor citations were issued for drivers license violations, and citations were issued for eighty-five (85) infraction violations, seventy-two (72) of which were for no proof of insurance.

Tip-A-Cop for Special Olympics

Our annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser for Special Olympics was held at Wood Ranch Grill, Westfield Santa Anita Shoppingtown, on Wednesday night, August 26th. APD raised over $1,200 for Special Olympic athletes. Thanks to Chief Bob Sanderson, Captain Gene Gioia, Dispatch Supervisor Chris Campbell, Records Manager Janice Cumming, Senior Records Technician Audree Luevano, Administrative Assistants Nancy Chik and Norma Zamudio, Dispatcher Kristi Ortiz, and Officers Bryant Agcoili, Jeff Stark and Larry Peralta, and Sergeant Brian Ortiz for their efforts and participation in this worthy event.

Mall Burglary Nets Big Loss

Sometime between 9:00 PM and midnight last night, a suspect cut locks on cabinets located in a mall kiosk and made off with over $11,000 in cell phones. Champs Wireless, a kiosk business located inside the Westfield Shoppingtown, was the victim. APD will be looking into security video for any possible suspect information.

Not much of a view today with a blanket of smoke from the Morris Dam fire.

School Starts Next Week!

Arcadia schools start back in session next week: Arcadia High School on Monday, August 31st and the elementary/middle schools return on Tuesday, September 1st. The AUSD calendar can be found HERE. This means that we need to be aware of our children during our commutes during the day. Allow extra time for your drive if you pass near a school. Traffic will be heavier than normal during the first few weeks of school as parents grow accustomed to drop-off and pick-up routes for our schools.

Be part of the solution, not the problem!

• Slow down!


• Allow extra time for your travel.


• Be alert for pedestrians and bicyclists.


• Don't double park or violate parking restrictions!

Fees, Fees, Fees

The Pasadena Star News is reporting on the recent Arcadia City Council approval of fee increases citywide. Most folks will see fee increases in parking citation fines and collision report processing from APD. See the newspaper article HERE. Many comments on the topic have been posted and some are quite right in that the City is passing on the cost of service. The State has raised the amounts that we contribute for citations and when you compare numbers across the board, APD is actually well within the norm or below. Everyone has unfortunately felt the pinch and municipalities are no different.

AFD & APD on scene of minor carport fire in 900 blk W. Duarte Rd.

Tuesday Tip - Weed, Dope, Drugs, Alcohol?

Just like towns all over, don't be naive and think that marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, ecstasy, and other assorted drugs of choice are not used and abused in our town. The only things that change are the players and locations. You may not see drugs openly sold on a street corner or have an abundance of known dope houses to choose from, but they do exist. Specific drugs and their use ebb and flow over time. Rolling meth labs, LSD tabs were popular for a while and now ecstasy along with the old staple, marijuana, with young folks. And, don't forget prescription drug and alcohol abuse.

What can we do about it? Start at home with family and friends. Watch for signs of drug use and help with intervention. Be a good parent! Check with your kids, talk with your kids, know your kids. Here are two websites with additional information on teen drug use, tips for prevention and detection:

• Parents the Anti-Drug


• Drugfree.org

What about your neighborhood? What if you suspect drug activity near your home? Get to know your neighbors! You don't have to be best friends, but do know who belongs and who doesn't. What cars do they drive? What kind of hours do they keep? If comfortable, exchange emergency contact information with each other.

Excessive activity at a home? Different people or vehicles coming and going? This could be during certain times or throughout the day or night. Track activity at a suspected location with good notes. Write down license plate numbers and descriptions of persons if you can. Note dates and times of the activity. Where does the activity take place? Are the persons entering the home through the front door or are they walking through a side gate? Where does it look like transactions are taking place?

If you see what you believe to be a crime in progress, call the police immediately. If you simply suspect that someone is selling drugs or that a home is being used for drug sales, there are a few ways to get that information to the police. You can call and ask to speak with a narcotics detective or provide the information to a desk officer or other personnel to pass on for further investigation. There are sources on the web, like We-Tip or Crime Stoppers, that accept anonymous tip information. Just don't ignore the problem. Help keep our neighborhoods safe and drug-free.

On-Line Reporting...Save Time!

APD started accepting on-line crime reports a few months back! Satisfy those insurance needs, save time from visiting the Department or waiting for a beat unit to arrive...many of the common police report classifications are allowed to be submitted via the web. Click HERE to visit the APD on-line reporting link. Reports with no suspect information and fall under categories such as minor vandalism, theft, auto burglary, ID theft, annoying phone calls, and lost property may be submitted if the crime occurred in the City of Arcadia.

Machine Pistol Recovered

Detectives conducting follow-up investigation at a home in the 500 block of Santa Cruz Road found a Mac-10 machine pistol yesterday. A 42 year old Arcadia man was booked on felony controlled substance and weapons charges.

Top Ten American Police Cars

Click on the photo to see the Top Ten American Police Cars, according to PoliceLink and Jalopnik.

Partying Leads to Fight

Several calls regarding a group fighting in the street were received last night at about 11:20PM in the 1100 block of Greenfield. Officers arrived to find the group dispersing but did find one 19 year old man with a laceration to his head. Information from persons in the area was that a party had been taking place at a nearby residence when several fights broke out between persons at the party. The "fights" spilled out into the street and the police were called. The victim of the head injury was treated at a local hospital. Although many subjects were contacted in the area, no suspects were arrested on charges pertaining to the fights.

Be a Good Witness!

KABC 7 is reporting on a tragic story out of LAPD Foothill Division this morning where one man was killed and another pistol whipped after confronting a group of burglary suspects. This serves as a reminder to do what you can to be a good witness if you observe or suspect a crime in progress. Call your local police and report what you see. Do everything you can to avoid confrontation with a suspect. Don't chance your own personal safety when at all possible.

Activity for Last Week

Not a lot of updates over the last week...out of town for a brief stint. Arcadia's Best has a nice summary of activity for the time period including info on an armed street robbery and an indecent exposure. Take a look HERE.

Tuesday Tip - How Much is Too Much Information?

Social media websites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and others are used daily by all of us to share experiences and information. Some of this information is personal. People share photos, current whereabouts, vacation plans, stories, news, family updates...you name it. But when does this sharing become too much? Only you can answer that question based on your own comfort level. Some things to consider before you post your next update might include:

• WHO is reading your post or update? Just your friends? Remember that there is always a way to access information that you believe to be private. Take your pick - a boss, a feuding friend or ex-spouse, a predator or criminal?
• Giving constant updates of your whereabouts or plans gives criminals the knowledge that your home or business may be vacated, inviting theft or burglary.
• Personal information can be used to facilitate identity theft; birth dates, current address, where you were born, a maiden name.
• Job searching? Background investigators use tools to search your past and present Internet activity. One too many embarrassing photos or comment posts could doom your chances when job hunting.
• For those of us in Law Enforcement, remember that personal posts, website info, etc. is being used in court in attempts to show a bias or discredit you as a witness.

Bottom line is that everything that you post on-line is accessible, even deleted content sometimes. Your personal information is more easily obtained these days. Take a moment to query your name, your address, your phone numbers. Look at county records for home purchases and deeds. Do what you can to protect yourself from those who would victimize you. Many legitimate search sites will remove your personal information if you ask. And as far as social media goes, take a moment to think about what you are posting before you click that mouse.

Tuesday Tip - Don't Be Scammed in Your Doorway!

Over the course of the last few weeks, APD has responded on a few reports of residential burglaries wherein the victim was lured into walking outside their home by a stranger. In these instances, the suspect who knocked at the door was a nicely dressed female who claimed to have some sort of legitimate reason to lure the resident outside. Excuses range from a neighbor doing construction to surveying the property were some of the reasons that the suspect would give to the resident. While the resident accompanied the female, a male suspect would slip in the front door and rummage through belongings, looking for money and jewelry. When the crime was complete, the pair would flee.


Whenever anyone comes to your door that you do not know, first attempt to verbally identify them without opening the door. If you do open the door, ask them to show you some form of proper ID along with legitimate business cards or uniform. If you are in any doubt as to who you are dealing with, close and lock your door and call the police. Chances are that if the person is legitimate, they will gladly show you their identification and there will most likely be a work related vehicle directly in front of your home. If they are up to no good, they will move on when you confront their purpose. Be a good witness and give the police a description of the persons involved. By no means should you walk away from your home or allow an unknown person in your home. Stay safe, stay alert!

Arcadia Community Picnic, September 12th

Ruse Burglary

On Wednesday afternoon at about 1:30 PM, a woman knocked on a resident's door near Lemon and Santa Anita. The woman said that she needed access to the resident's backyard due to construction at a neighboring home. The resident accompanied the female suspect to the rear yard. While the resident was occupied, a second suspect slipped into the home and stole jewelry and cash. The female then quickly fled the scene. The female was described as a having brown shoulder length hair with blond streaks, wearing a dark skirt, between 20-30 years old, 5-04, slender build. The second suspect was not seen. Two similar burglaries occurred back on July 18th.

Tip-A-Cop for Special Olympics

Save the date! APD will participate in our annual Tip-A-Cop for Special Olympics, hosted at Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill at the Westfield Santa Anita Mall on Wednesday, August 26th, from 5:30-9PM. For additional information, contact Sgt. Brian Ortiz at (626) 574-5174.

Near Drowning

For the second time in the last few weeks, a child was pulled from a residential pool in Arcadia not breathing. Yesterday at about 5:30PM, Officers, along with AFD, responded to the 1400 block of Oaklawn in North Arcadia on report of a possible drowning. A 5 year old boy was found under water by his mother while swimming with several children. The child was administered CPR by paramedics and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.

2 Arrested for Auto Burglary

Sunday afternoon at about 4:45PM, Officers were called to the Westfield Santa Anita Shoppingtown on report of a suspicious vehicle and subjects, possibly involved in an auto burglary. An Officer found the vehicle fleeing the area at a high rate of speed and was able to stop the vehicle. Two 19 year old males from Los Angeles were detained and during the investigation, a stolen GPS device was seen on their vehicle floorboard. It was learned that the pair broke into a car parked at the mall, stole the GPS and then fled when observed by witnesses. Thanks to the quick call from the witnesses and mall security, the two suspects were arrested.

Shotgun in Vehicle Leads to Arrests

Early Saturday morning at about 2:15AM, two men were contacted during a traffic stop near Huntington and Second. During the contact, Officers observed a shotgun in the rear of the vehicle. The investigation found ammunition for the weapon also in the driver's compartment. The pair had been in the area visiting at a party. Arrested on the weapons charge were a 20 year old and an 18 year old, both from Long Beach.

3 More Hondas Taken Last Friday Night

Three (3) Honda cars, one Accord and two Civics were taken on Friday evening from the Westfield Santa Anita Shoppingtown parking lot between about 6:00PM and 10:45PM. The Hondas ranged in year from 1992-1998. Similar vehicle thefts occurred about two weeks ago on a Saturday evening at the mall. APD is working with the mall regarding the thefts. There is no suspect information.

Tuesday Tip - Help Prevent Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is one of those topics that is not often addressed. Our population is growing older and the frequency with which we encounter various cases of elder abuse is growing in LA County. Recently, APD has been investigating two cases of elderly fiduciary abuse occurring in town. Elder abuse can come in many forms such as physical abuse, mental abuse, neglect or abandonment, and financial abuse. Elder abuse most often occurs where the senior lives. The abuse can take place at home, at a relatives home or perhaps in nursing home care. The abuser can be an adult family member, a friend, a caretaker, or a predator seeking out an elderly target. Elder abuse is not easily detected so it is up to all of us to be aware of warning signs;



Physical or Emotional Abuse

• Unexplained bruises or injury


• Broken bones


• Controlled or restricted access to visits, friends or family


• Threatening or belittling behavior on the part of a caregiver


• Behavior by the elder mimicking dementia or childlike actions

Neglect or Self-Neglect

• Unusual or untreated sores or wounds


• Malnutrition, weight loss or dehydration


• Unsanitary living conditions


• Being left dirty or unbathed

Financial Abuse

• Unusual or unexplained withdrawals from bank accounts


• Items or cash missing from the home


• Suspicious changes in wills, powers of attorney, titles/deeds etc.


• Unpaid bills or additions of persons to accounts


• Mail is missing or changes of address

These are just some of the indicators of possible elder abuse. Pay close attention to your older family members, neighbors and friends. Adult Protective Service (APS) is an LA County group that responds to reports of suspected elder abuse. APS can be reached at (877) 4 R SENIORS. A social worker will respond accordingly along with Law Enforcement resources if needed. Another resource for information on elder abuse can be found at HelpGuide.com.

Don't Panic - Police Use Social Media Too!

The title pretty much says it all. The use of social media by Law Enforcement is growing; be it by individual Officers or by Departments. There are a multitude of reasons why the use of the Internet and social media has caught the eye of police. The most obvious is for investigative purposes. Solving crimes and tracking down people is much easier with the use of the Internet. Just like anyone can search for names, phone numbers, locations and information using various search engines, so do we. There are also services that provide much more detailed information that conduct more intense searches for a fee. This type of information is not unique to Law Enforcement, but is available to just about anyone who is willing to pay for it.

Law Enforcement has also gotten better at sharing information between agencies which allows for greatly improved capability to identify suspects and link criminal information. Secure Internet has provided that ability to us. The Internet has also allowed us to use sites to look for criminal activity. Sites like Craiglist and Ebay allow us the opportunity to proactively go after persons who participate in criminal behavior. Other sites where sexual predators seek victims or trade information are monitored and participated in so that we can further investigations as well.

The most important thing to remember is that just like you, the information that we access on a daily basis is public and readily available by anyone when it comes to normal use of the Internet. Unless we are conducting an investigation that is criminal in nature and we obtain search warrants or court orders, private information us exactly that - private.

A growing aspect to the use of the Internet by Law Enforcement is the use of social media. Social media is a great opportunity for police to interact with the community, share information, keep the community informed and vice versa. CNN ran a recent article on the topic, taking a look at Lakeland Police Department in Florida. A similar post on DygiScape by Joe Manna offers some links to other Law Enforcement uses of Twitter. Both articles discuss the use of social media by police. Cops2point0.com is a website hosted by Christa Miller and Scott White that is dedicated to examining and discussing better uses of social media by Law Enforcement. A few other local agencies use blogs or Twitter to reach out to their community. Take a look at Whitter PD, LAPD, and LASD Santa Clarita Station.

In addition to agency websites, there may be police associations, like APOA & Torrance POA, or individual police officers that host their own blogs, Twitter, Facebook or other social media related sites. Take a look at PoliceOne.com for a list of just some police related blogs. It is interesting to read the assorted posts and opinions.

Bottom line, don't panic...police use social media too!

National Stop On Red Week

The week of August 2-8, 2009 is National Stop on Red Week. The Federal Highway Administration created the program in 1995 to education the public and promote safe driving habits. The program calls attention to the dangers of red light running each year. Regardless of measures taken by Law Enforcement agencies to convey to the public the dangers involved, some motorists still continue to ignore the law and run red lights. Red light running is one of the leading causes of collisions throughout the State. Additional information can be found at the FHWA website or at StopRedLightRunning.com. As always, drive safely and drive smartly!