LAPD Shares Safety Plan for Pacific Palisades & Requests Resident Reports
By Laurel Busby
News & Information Editor
Since checkpoints into Pacific Palisades were closed on June 14, local crime has seemingly been nonexistent, according to representatives of the Los Angeles Police Department speaking on a June 24 Zoom call with Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Traci Park.
The only reported crime may not be a crime at all. A water tank that a contractor ordered for delivery on Sunset never arrived.
“They ordered it, and it never showed up, so they filed an online report,” Commander Jonathan Tom said. “But that is the only report that we’ve received.”
Tom noted that he has seen forwarded emails from Palisades residents who have heard about home break-ins, burglaries, and thefts, but “none of those have shown up in the official reporting system.”
The police representatives, who also included Chief Jim McDonnell and Deputy Chief of Operations for the West Bureau Gerald Woodyard, requested that residents report crimes and suspicious behavior so that the police can address any problems. The Palisades is the only neighborhood in the city with its own LAPD email address (palisades@lapd.online) to report suspicious behavior, which might range from loitering on vacant lots to potentially illegal access of manhole and utility covers. As many details as possible in these reports are requested to aid the police in their investigations.
Non-emergencies can be reported at 877-ASK-LAPD or at the West L.A. Station (310) 444-0701. Certain crimes, including vandalism, theft, narcotics tips, lost property, and minor traffic collisions, can be reported online at www.lapdonline.org.
Residents can also meet with officers daily at 10 a.m. roll calls throughout the Palisades to ask questions, make suggestions, and learn more about police operations. A Canyon roll call will be June 25 at the Chevron Station (17301 PCH), and other roll calls this week are: June 26 (15345 W. Sunset), June 27 (14801 Pampas Ricas), June 28 (16801 PCH), and June 29 (17940 PCH).
Currently, 24 hours a day, two sergeants and twenty LAPD officers are assigned to patrol and safeguard Pacific Palisades, the LAPD representatives said. In addition, both the California Highway Patrol and private security companies have a substantial presence in the area, and a Stop-In Center for the LAPD has been established at 15224 Sunset, so that officers can save time by writing reports or taking breaks without needing to drive to the station in West L.A.
According to the officials, there are no plans to change this level of police presence.
“We’re going to be committed to the Palisades long term,” Deputy Chief Gerald Woodyard said. “That’s our goal. I want to dispel any myths that we’re going to be leaving in July. That’s not the case. We’re going to be there long term.”
A reduction of officers will happen at some point, but the timetable has not been decided, Woodyard said. However, the numbers of crimes in the area will impact that decision.
Chief McDonnell said, “We’ll be continuously assessing where we are. Our hope is to be able to transition this to private security along with the normal … personnel from LAPD to be able to ensure the safety of the Palisades, … but I don’t want to give an impression to anybody that we’re going to be there with the numbers we currently have forever because we can’t afford that. But it will be an orderly transition. It won’t be a sudden pull out. It’ll be done with looking at the numbers and a solid assessment on needs.”
In a question-and-answer period, one resident questioned the need for both continued PCH lane closures and the 25-m.p.h. speed limit. Councilwoman Park noted that the Santa Monica stretch of PCH has falling debris due to movement on the hillsides, and the City of Santa Monica is “shoring up” the area.
“As for the 25 m.p.h. speed limit between Santa Monica and Malibu, there continue to be lane closures, very heavy utility and infrastructure work happening along PCH as the utilities are working on undergrounding, and the Army Corps is still working on debris removal at the 327 properties on PCH. For motorist safety [and] for worker safety, they are trying to deliberately keep the traffic slow…. It's probably weeks out until we see anything that resembles normal or pre-Jan. 7 conditions so everyone please bear with us. I know it’s inconvenient, but it’s for everyone’s safety.”
