Jan

25

H.G.: Hello, Is Anybody Paying Attention?

Filed Under 2012 Issues, Crime & Police, Highlands Guy's Thursday column 

(Los Alamitos, 1/25/2012) by “Highlands Guy:” Took a stroll through the city website and ended up taking a closer look at the Los Alamitos Police Department words and data. Let me share some numbers with you:

Stolen Vehicle: 19
Robbery: 3
Auto Burglary: 43
Commercial Burglary: 27
Residential Burglary: 30
Assault: 24
DUI: 29
Theft: 97
Misc: 191

Total:  463

These numbers were extracted from the Los Alamitos City website. They represent a portion of the statistics released on a regular basis by the Los Alamitos Police Department. More specifically they reflect only the time period of January through August 2011.  Please note that I did not include the statistics for these additinoal LAPD classifications: Drunk in Public, Possession of Controlled Substance, Municipal Code, Identity Theft/Credit Card/Check Fraud.

Please note that crime definitions do evolve and are sometimes customized to meet the various needs of reporting agencies. But I have no knowledge of changes by our local constabulary.  

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Let me put a finer point on a couple of the categories:

  • I would think that the local Chamber of Commerce doesn’t tout the Commercial Burglary figures to potential investors in our fine City.
  • Also, when the County and Medical Center were glorifying the increase in customer traffic, they failed to mention the probable increase in DUI drivers in confluence with kids walking home from school.
  • While “Misc.” might be passed over and misinterpreted as not important, here are some of the types of crimes included in those numbers:  Arrest for warrant, Suspicious Person, Window Smashed, Lock Cut, Graffiti, Criminal Threats, Aggressive Panhandling, Parole Violation, Traffic Stop Suspect Arrested, Restraining Order, Scratched Vehicle, and on and on. Perhaps the police think of them as “Misc”, but I would suggest they need to be more appropriately interpreted.

What does it all mean?

To me it is evidence of a slow, but sure, erosion of the basic quality of life issues that brought most of us to the area. I am not going to address causes or solutions, but just mention I have not read nor heard anyone on the Los Alamitos City staff, either elected or paid, take any responsibility or propose any remedies for the elephant in the room.

Please note that my comments are said with the utmost respect and admiration for the job our first responders do.  I certainly understand that they put it on the line for us everyday. But that does not negate the need for policy and procedure questions from the governed.

The response from the LAPD is on the same page as the Weekly Crime Summaries the source of  the crime numbers above:

The (crime) triangle is made of the following sides: 1. Victim/Target, 2. Criminal/Desire, 3. Opportunity.

It goes on to talk about the issues related to awareness. Sorry, but this response is not adequate in the face of three recent assaults on local kids. (see “Four Los Alamitos High students robbed.”

Add the numbers up.  Are you good with them? If not, let the City Council know.  (Click here for Council contact info.)

“The more extensive a man’s knowledge of what has been done, the greater will be his power of knowing what to do.”
-Benjamin Disraeli, (1804-1881), British Prime Minister, Conservative Statesman,
parliamentarian.

…And that’s just the way I see it.

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Related posts:

  1. Los Al Weekly Crime Summary
  2. Los Alamitos Weekly Crime Report
  3. Los Al Weekly Crime Summary
  4. Los Al Crime: Stolen checks, passion at the dry cleaners?

Comments

One Response to “H.G.: Hello, Is Anybody Paying Attention?”

  1. Dave Emerson on January 26th, 2012 9:30 am

    Sadly, rather than focus on priorities like public safety, our City Council majority prefers to skip a meeting “due to lack of business” (see “City Council Meeting Cancelled Because of Lack of Business. Really?”) or waste hours (and thousands of taxpayer dollars) persecuting minority Council Members or citizens like Brad Sheridan. . . . or dealing with litigation that never would have arisen had they taken Sheridan’s advice!

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