Sunday Safety Update: 03/20/2016 - 03/27/2016

Disclaimer: So, first I apologize for how long it's taken to get this up, The Crime Reports Website was down for much of January. I did talk to the director of Media Relations at a public safety meeting and tell our neighborhood resource officer, they weren't aware it wasn't updating. Just a reminder these are trends, and the presence of crime in one area in the past doesn't guarantee it will reappear in that area in the future.

Here are this week's trends in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood. 
 
The biggest story is the one the map doesn't tell.

There is a marked increase in thefts and auto thefts within the neighborhood. Just South of MacArthur Park there is a cluster that induces drugs, assault, breaking and entering and kidnapping. This would be east of Orange and West of Alamitos, south of Anaheim. If you are close to that area keep am eye out. There is no neighborhood association in the area. The closest is AOC7 and Craftsman Historic District which operates east of Orange. The kidnapping was on Thursday at about 3pm.

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We support the LBPD but are very concerned how much violence is not making the news

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Within our neighborhood auto thefts begin around MacArthur Park and trend North East towards 15th Street. There are also thefts that begin at Cherry and 17th and then trend South West to 15th and Rose. You'll want to keep eyes on Gardenia, Rose, Gaviota and 15th, which is where both trends converge.

The big story the map doesn't tell is actually three stories combined

This closure was the day after the shooting, no word on why it happens

There are three major things that are not making this map. 

#1: Last Monday there was a shooting at Walnut and 15th. Here is the article confirming it. 

Police are investigating a non-injury drive-by shooting that happened near Long Beach's Lincoln neighborhood Monday afternoon, authorities said. Officers responded to a shooting call at 2:40PM on Monday, March 21 on the 1400 block of East 14th Street,

Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) spokesman Brad Johnson said."Officers arrived on scene and found that 2 male adults in a vehicle drove up to a parked car with 3 to 4 subjects inside," said Johnson. "The parties exchanged words, and then there was an exchange of gunfire and both parties fled the scene."

 A few notes, this article incorrectly identifies the neighborhood. The 14 block of East 14th Street is actually the MacArthur Park Neighborhood. But that's just the beginning of some sloppy journalism all around. 

#2: The second example comes the next day when several streets in the same area were shut down as another shooting had occurred around  10 in the morning the next day. Alleys, streets and major arteries were shut down. It was almost impossible to get from 17th Street to Anahiem if you were between Cherry and Orange. Somehow, what caused the shut down never made the news. The only way you know about this was if you saw it.  If it was connected to the earlier shooting, it's really odd this closure would have occurred an entire day later.

#3: Wednesday it gets worse, a lot worse: Thursday, 03/25/16, this story broke: 

Long Beach police are investigating a possible gang-related shooting near the Signal Hill border Wednesday night that involved at least two suspects exchanging gunfire, according to authorities. Officers were dispatched to Walnut Avenue and East Pacific Coast Highway at 8:06pm on Wednesday, March 23 regarding a shots heard call, Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) spokesman Brad Johnson said. 

What was left out of this story:

• There were at least thirty shots fired. It could have been as many as fifty.
• There were a lot of calls on this shooting so information wasn't sketchy.
• There were also shots fired around Falcon and 11th.
• This was at least the second shooting in the area that week.
• There were likely crime scenes at MLK Park and the LBCC West Campus
• MLK Park has a reputation as a very dangerous gang hang out
• We did three community walks that week, so we were keeping an eye on things

The fact that nearly thirty shots may have been fired should have been the lead. There were enough details, I am sure the police knew this. There was also no warning for residents even though the two suspects continued to drive through the neighborhood after the shooting took place. What's even odder is the article on this shooting is almost entirely impossible to find when searching recent news on Long Beach area shootings. Usually, when you do a keyword search cross referencing Long Beach with shooting, the most recent appears.. When I do the same here, this shooting isn't on the first few pages of the search. If I add the date or location, I still have trouble finding it. 

We're about to do a Go Long Beach Run and get the dumping and tagging for this week taken care of. I can tell you it's down. But based on that information please keep all eyes open. Keep an eye on your neighborhood and watch out for your neighbors.

First Clean Up of 2015: Gundry and PCH to Gundry and Anaheim: 10/23/2016: 8am

Sunday Safety Update: 11/22/2015 to 11/28/2015

Disclaimer: Please note these maps are meant to show which direction crime is trending, areas to keep an extra eye on and places to remain vigilant in order for Central Long Beach residents to remain safe. That said, previous trends don't guarantee future trends will repeat in the same direction and patterns. Also, an absence of crime in one area, does not guarantee an absence in the future.

The darker the arrow, the stronger the trend.

So this week, in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood, there was a steep drop off in crime. There is more tagging, both reported and unreported. There is an attempt by the taggers to try and claim Fire Station 10 and the alley behind the U-Haul Station. Because of this, both will be monitored every single day until it stops.

There is a trend of property crime leading into some thefts from cars along the east side of Junipero. I will remind everyone again to keep your cars locked and read this article. While on the phone with a friend who works on Anaheim; she had to shut down the business for theft from a car to get investigated. The car was unlocked. You may think you have nothing of value, but these crooks left with sunglasses. Once they're inside, they don't want to leave empty handed.

Whenever I do clean ups, I find lots of cars with windows open. There were at least 10 on 14th Street last week. Please be very careful with your cars anywhere near Rotary Centennial Park or Orizaba Park, as car thefts and thefts from vehicles tend to cluster there.

There is a much stronger trend of assaults just south west of our neighborhood. If this map is extended a little west, they start to get bad. So please keep safe in the south end of the Poly Neighborhood. Additionally the trend of assaults identified did move east as predicted, and that does make the tagging in the alley behind the U-Haul much less surprising. 

Because of this, an eye will be kept on PCH between Alamitos and Cherry for the next two weeks, whenever possible.

Other Shootings

There has been an officer involvded shooting since the last reported shooing. The suspect is currently in the hospital in stable condition.

Long Beach police officers responding to a call of an assault late Thursday shot a man holding a meat cleaver who turned out to be the person who reported the attack, authorities said Friday.

An officer arrived at a residence in the 300 block of East Sunset Street about 11:20 p.m. after receiving a 911 call, according to a police statement. As the officer approached the front door, “a male exited the residence holding a meat cleaver in a threatening manner and confronted the officer.” - Full Story

The next Community Watch Meeting:

Linden-Roosevelt Neighborhood
Monday, December 7th
7 – 9 pm
Roosevelt Elementary Room A101
1574 Linden Ave   
  
The Central Long Beach Neighborhood Alliance
Community Watch Meeting
12/13/2015
4pm - 7pm
Events Page
Fox Coffee House
425 W Willow St, 
Long Beach, CA 90806

There is also a meeting some people will be attending regarding Long Beach PD wearing body cams. I would have liked to go, but I have three separate meetings on that day. I will still let you know what comes of it.

Sunday Safety Update: 11/15/2015 to 11/21/2015

Disclaimer: Please note these maps are meant to show which direction crime is trending, areas to keep an extra eye on and places to remain vigilant in order for Central Long Beach residents to remain safe. That said, previous trends don't guarantee future trends will repeat in the same direction and patterns. Also, an absence of crime in one area, does not guarantee an

Within the borders of the MacArthur Park Neighborhood not much is happening. It's been very quiet around the park itself. And thanks to our neighborhood resource officers, the park itself and the alleys are spotless. When I passed by for today's clean up, the other side of 14th was worse than the park itself.

There is a weak trend of assaults at PCH and Alamitos heading northwest towards fifteen, where a slightly stronger trend of unrelated crimes dips south back into the neighborhood. Be vigilant around PCH and Alamitos by the college and by Alamitos and 15th. Also be very careful if you're in the north end of the neighborhood just to the east of us.

There is a weak trend of car thefts heading from the AOC7 around Hoffman and 11th heading North East towards Gaviota an Anaheim. In that same neighborhood last night at around 10th and Vina, the streets were blocked off and a police helicopter was in the area.  I know due to neighborhood contacts, I have not yet learned the reason. I will share as soon as I do.

Within pour neighborhood there is a lot of activity around Junipero that starts with strong trends heading East or West and weaker trends heading South East or North West. If you're in the area around Anaheim and Junipero, please keep your items locked. There have been increased breaking and enterings, which will get worse as we approach the holidays. Also, there is a strong trend of different kinds of crime around Spaulding Street. Anywhere on Spaulding west of Junipero keep an eye out for your friends and neighbors.

Because I have a few off days, there will be extra neighborhood walks, Go Long Beach Requests, and Josephine A Villaseñor and I are going to work on a more structured version of a Community Watch that would allow better communication between neighborhoods and better training on conflict deescalation, disaster preparedness and and self defense.

District One: Brings Graffiti Clean Ups to Weekend & Expands Alley Lighting Initiatives

Yesterday I went with District Six Candidate Josephine A Villaseñor at the District One Willmore Community Watch Meeting. Some great news from the meeting. Graffiti reports will now be handled on weekends too. In other words, if tagging happens, you no longer have to wait until Monday for it to get painted over. Also, Rep Lena Gonzalez initiative to light up the alleys in District One, may spread to all of Long Beach, with an initiative coming up before City Council in December. Thank you to Lena Gonzalez and District One from the MacArthur Park Community Association.

The next Community Watch Meeting:

Linden-Roosevelt Neighborhood
Monday, December 7th
7 – 9 pm
Roosevelt Elementary Room A101
1574 Linden Ave   

Josie & I will also be hosting one at Fox Coffee House this December with everything we've picked up including starter packets early in December. 

Wedensday Safety Watch: Spike Around Raymond And Anaheim

The MacArthur Park Neighborhood: Notice there is a trend of burglaries around Anaheim and Raymond in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood heading South East out of the neighborhood. Thefts from cars seems to be trending south from Rotary Centenial Park towards Orizaba. Also keep an extra eye open around Anaheim and Obispo.

Neighborhood Expansion: 
Today We're Watching Out For Wrigley

Neighborhood Expansion is when this site/ MacArthur Park will be doing three things to look out for neighboring communities including: mapping crime trends, aiding in clean ups and doing Go Long Beach Runs for that neighborhood. As of today it moves from being a response to bad things happening, to something that will happen every week. This week MacArthur Park is keeping an eye on Wrigley in support of Wrigley.

Auto thefts begin around Hill and Earl then trend South East based on the time of day. They seem to begin at 8pm, then another one happens about an hour later. From 20th Street, the there are a few more incidents trending north east based on the day, that includes theft from a car on Sunday and property damage on Monday. 

Keep an eye on 22nd and Cedar where three things happened in one night, including a breaking and entering at 8pm, another one in the same area an hour later and a theft from a car later that night. Bare in mind these incidents are from about two weeks back.


Wrigley: For more community watch information go here to the Wrigley Neighborhood Community Watch: facebook.com/wrigleyneighborhoodwatch/  or join the Wrigley Group for a Better Wrigley.