March Lake LA Neighborhood Watch meeting held

Lake Los Angeles – M&G’s Restaurant – Tuesday March 18 35 people assembled at M&G’s for a LLA WATCH meeting.

Lake Los Anglee Resident Deputy Gilberto opened the meeting explaining the level of service and how it is determined. There is Routine Call, Priority Call and Emergent Call. Common sense tells everyone how these were determined. An emergent call is a “now” thing and takes priority. So it can be easily understood, Borruel gave examples.

“We are short staffed, putting in overtime and as soon as more deputies graduate from the academy, we will have more deputies on the department and on directed patrol."

Providing statistics on crime in the area is difficult as the crime analyst is so busy and with the recent disastrous fires it has put more stress on the process. January stats were discussed. In January we had 2 homicides. 11 Grand Theft Auto (GTA) were reported. As much as it seems a problem, and it is, last year at this time we had 31 GTA reports. GTA is a huge thing right now. District Attorney Hochman is working on a backlog of filings on GTA, but it is a catch-up thing right now.

Borruel spoke of spring break and how kids will be out of school and some getting into trouble. There are park activities for those kids so please encourage them to go to the park, go to the library and just stay out of trouble. “We don’t want to punish these kids. We want to educate them.”

Borruel warned everyone about who you let into your home saying, “Mostly don’t. Things can go south and getting someone out of your home will require a lengthy expensive eviction process. We can’t make them leave.”

Borruel warned people who find their stolen vehicles not to drive them home yourself. “Call us. Do not drive that car. It is a felony grand theft situation, and you need us to handle it. Again, it is a “see something say something” deal. Call us.”

I continue my work on graffiti and getting rid of it. I make that call and the person ridding the community of it responds quickly.”

The topic of Byrna guns, the alternative to lethal force. “It’s OK in your home but I advise you to NOT carry on your person or have it in your car!” You can read about Byrna at Byrna | Best Non Lethal Self-Defense Products. “

One person spoke about people on quads stealing mail. Borruel advised, “Call 911 as it is happening NOW and we want to catch these guys. Call for service. All calls have a tag. Be persistent if you need to. Ask for the tag number. Remember, NOW is everything to catching these people. We have new people working the desk and are in a training phase. You know it is happening NOW and that’s when we want to get the call, we want to catch them NOW.”

Attending with yard signs and printed material on Sexually Violent Predators (SVP) being dumped on the Antelope Valley on a wholesale basis was Mary Hutchinson Jeters who provided lawn signs and printed documentation with legislation pending on the topic. There are land/homeowners buying property to use as housing for SVP releases and to conveniently have those houses ready for use to house SVP. Don’t be comfortable with this as they are looking in Lake Los Angeles to buy. Mrs. Jeters said, "Several people stayed over and talked to me after the meeting. All of the flyers went in a heartbeat.”

The next LLA WATCH meeting will be April 15, 6:00pm to 7:00pm at M&G’s restaurant who graciously welcome us each month.