Every Wednesday, Central Area detectives and supervisors meet and discuss the past period week of Central Area crime incidents and future strategies. We are fortunate to possess a wealth of knowledge and experience within our personnel, and each crime control meeting is both productive and illuminating regarding crime issues within our division. Recently, we have been analyzing our statistics with the purpose of achieving our goal of an even lower crime rate here in downtown Los Angeles. I am pleased to inform you that statistically, we are one of the safest areas within Los Angeles and we are striving to reduce our crime rate even lower.
Objectives
Our strategies include our cooperation with the BID services and the partnership with the community we serve. Deploying our police resources appropriately has been extremely effective in reducing crime and addressing the quality of life issues. Several area community leaders have come forward and provided our neighborhoods with the needed leadership to organize the efforts towards improving our city. We are open to suggestions as to how we can improve our service, and we welcome your involvement and service. To lower our crime rate, and to better the quality of life issues, we need to develop an environment free from blight, graffiti and disorder. With the cooperation and cohesive partnership with the community, we will achieve our goals of a low crime rate with a high degree of quality of life here in downtown Los Angeles.
What We All Must Do Together
United, we will be able to achieve a safe urban community that is productive and exciting. Be a good neighbor and keep your community clean and tidy. Report all “Quality of life” incidents to the prospective City entities and be prepared for any and all emergencies, such as earthquakes. For further information regarding City services, call 311.
CPAB
At this time, I would like to encourage all Central residents and business owners to join our LAPD organization known as CPAB, or the Community Police Advisory Board. Your input is very valuable to us and being a member of CPAB provides you with the opportunity to be involved in your neighborhood. The commitment is minimal and the benefits are enormous to both you and the community you will be serving. Contact your Senior Lead Officer at 213-972-1880 for further information.
As Always, an Open Door
We encourage you to be involved. Our station never closes and we welcome your advice, suggestions and of course, your criticism and compliments. We will continue to “Protect and Serve” in the downtown area and we look forward to serving our residents in the downtown area.
Captain Jodi Wakefield
Commanding Officer
Central Area
Senior Lead Officer Ken Lew
Cell Phone 213-793-0733
Basic Car 1A1 covers the communities of Chinatown, Olvera Street, Union Station, William Mead Housing Project, Solano Canyon, Bunker Hill Towers, Music Center and Victor Heights.
Burglary from Motor Vehicles
It appears that BFMV is a continuous concern for our area. For the month of September the community of Victor Heights is a huge concern for us. If you do, please remember to secure all personal belonging with you or in your trunk. The most popular items taken are GPS system, IPOD’s, laptops and of course money. Please do not leave these items in plain view.
Reminder: please do not leave valuables visible in the passenger compartment of your vehicle when you park on the street or in any parking lot.
Safety Tips
The weather is warm. Please do not leave your car windows partially down. A bad guy can use his arms, hands or any other objects to reach in and open your door to steal valuables or your car.
When at home, please do not leave your apartment or house windows opened or partially opened without a window jam. A bad guy can crawl in and do damage to your home or most importantly, serious damage to anyone living inside.
Neighborhood Watch
If you are interested in starting a Neighborhood Watch in your neighborhood do not hesitate to contact me at the above number. You are welcome to visit any of the below listed neighborhood watch meetings to see how things are run.
Dates to remember:
October 8, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m. Chinatown Public Safety Association Mtg. (758 N. Hill St)
October 21, 2008 @ 5:30 p.m. CPAB Location TBA.
Important numbers to remember:
Front Desk: 213-972-1298
Communication Division 213-928-8223
Central Detective Desk: 213-972-1203
Gang Detective: 213-972-1212
Vice Unit: 213-972-1273
Graffiti Hotline, Tree Trimming, Potholes, lighting, City Services, etc please call 3-1-1
Senior Lead Officer Jack Richter
951-532-5766
Email: 34991@lapd.lacity,org
Basic Car 1A29 covers the communities of the Arts District, Little Tokyo, and the South / Eastern section of skid row.
As our neighborhoods increasingly grow in population, we will see an increase in traffic and social problems such as crime. How can we work together to maintain our quality of life? Be a good neighbor and watch out for each other. Keep your neighborhood clean and don't wait for the City or someone else to pick up the trash or paint over the graffiti-we should do it ourselves! Report all criminal activity. Lock your doors and protect your valuables. Lock it, Stow it, Keep it.
This is the busy travel season so please be careful when you’re driving out there. If you are involved in a traffic collision here are a few tips:
If there are no injuries you just need to exchange information with the other party.
The information should include the name, address, license plate number and insurance company and policy number.
If you have a camera available, take pictures of the damage to the other parties vehicle, the streets the accident occurred on.
Attempt to locate witnesses.
If the other party refuses to identify themselves, call the police.
If you have any quality of life issues please do not hesitate to call me on my cell phone.
DO NOT LEAVE VALUABLES INSIDE YOUR PARKED VEHICLES
Watch for the 6th Street Bridge area to be fenced off in the near future.
Important numbers to remember:
911 for all emergencies
Front Desk: 213-972-1298
Communication Division 213-928-8223
Central Detective Desk: 213-972-1203
Gang Detective: 213-972-1212
Vice Unit: 213-972-1273
Graffiti Hotline, Tree Trimming, Potholes, lighting, City Services, etc please call 3-1-1
Join us on our walk every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. in front of Bloom’s Store, located at Hewitt / Traction!
Hello Skid Row.
We are back in the single digits as far as part one crimes for the week. Let continue to work together to bring order to skid row.
Crime Trends
Nothing more than quality of life issues. We are addressing them. There is now a handicapped access at the new crosswalk at 5th and San Julian. The tri light at 6th and San Julian has been extended for pedestrian crossing. The red curbs are coming to help curb the feedings and narcotic activities on 6th and San Julian..
Notable Mentions:
I would like to personally thank the Central Area Crime Suppression Detail for arresting the infamous drug dealer dubbed “Pony Tail” at the New Terminal Hotel. The residents at the hotel are forever grateful. Since his arrest, the narcotics traffic has dwindled.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
LADIES NIGHT IS COMING TO SKID ROW ON NOVEMBER 13th at 6:00 PM. (400 E. 5th Street. It will be at the James M. Woods Center. Please come join me for a night of education and empowerment for the ladies of Skid Row.
NOTIFICATIONS
I would like to welcome my new partner Rasheen Ford to the 1SL35 car. As you all know, I have been working alone for three years. Now with a partner, I will be more effective in serving this awesome community I love called Skid Row.
If you are being assaulted, or witness a violent act, please dial 911. There have been a few instances where citizens were being assaulted and decided to call me on my cellular phone. Please know that there are times that I may not be available due to meetings and days off. Though I am glad to serve you, you will receive faster service, if you dial 911 for emergencies..
JUST A THOUGHT FROM A SKID ROW COP
POLICE WORK 101
One day, a patrol officer stops and cites a man for jaywalking
In anger, the man lashes out “Why are you picking on me” Don’t you have anything better to do?
Why don’t you catch someone running a red light?
The next day, the officer stops a woman for a red light violation
The woman scolds the officer stating “Why are you picking on me officer? Don’t you have anything better to do? Why don’t you catch somebody for stealing or something?
The next day, the officer arrest a man for petty theft
The man lashes out at the officer stating “Man! I’m just trying to eat! Don’t you have anything better to do? Why don’t you arrest a drug dealer?”
The next day the officer arrested a cocaine dealer
The dealer spouts out in disgust “Man! I’m just trying to earn a living! I don’t have the boats or planes to bring this stuff in! Why don’t you arrest somebody for murder or something?
The next day the officer arrested a man for murder.
Murderer belts out in anger “Hey! Yeah he was running from me, but it was self-defense. Don’t you have anything better to do? Why don’t you find a pervert or something?
The next day the officer arrest a man for sexual assault
The suspect pleads his case stating “Hey! It was consensual! Don’t you have anything better to do? Why don’t you go find a terrorist or something!
The next day the officer arrest a man who later turns out to be a terrorist
The terrorist lashes out in anger “Why are you harassing me? A man can’t drive around with C4 in his trunk? Why don’t you arrest a pedophile or something?
The next day, the Officer arrest a man for a minor violation. As he talks to the man, he recognizes him as a wanted child molester based on a wanted poster. The sex offender looks at the officer and in a fit of anger yells “Hey! The kid solicited me! Why don’t you arrest a real criminal you fascist pig!
In frustration, the officer looks the man in the eye, takes a deep breath and states
“Listen Sir! You shouldn’t have been jaywalking!”
BOTTOM LINE:
JUST OBEY THEY LAW. LAWS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO OPRESS YOU, NOR ARE THEY DESIGNED TO CURB HOMELESSNESS. THEY ARE DESIGN TO CURB LAWLESSNESS. IF YOU DON”T BREAK THE LAW YOU WILL NOT GET A TICKET.
From Senior Lead Officer Joseph
Contact information
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at one of the following numbers:
Cell 213-793-0740 (Best number to reach me)
Email 32511@lapd.lacity.org
Senior Lead Officer Tim Nambu #27426 Senior Lead Officer Mike Fernandez #34636
Crime Trends
Although we are still getting a few Burglary From Motor Vehicles and GTA’s occurring in the area, the main problem has been Personal Thefts along the 7th St corridor. These thefts are anything from purses and wallets to cell phones and lap top computers. Please do not leave any of your property unattended, even for a minute. Otherwise theses items will sprout legs and disappear.
Quality of Life Issues
On September 20th, South Park BID sponsored a Community Cleanup Day. Graffiti was removed, abandoned mattresses and miscellaneous trash was picked up. Needless to say the clean up was a resounding success. South Park BID provided breakfast before the clean up and after the cleanup they provided a BBQ lunch for those who volunteered their time to give back to the community.
Contact Information
If you have any concerns or questions please feel free to contact me or my partner Officer Fernandez at one of the following phone numbers:
central community police station 
