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.

---

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

---

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.

City Council Candidate: Meet and Greet: 03/20/16 Ernest McBride Park

Sunday Safety Uodate: 02/28/2016 to 03/06/2016

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.

The two obvious patterns are there are some thefts trending south east along 17th Street. Outside of the neighborhood there crime is trending east along 10th and away from the place where the homicide occurred last Sunday. There have been two homicides in Central Long Beach and three in Long Beach over the last week, and three in Long Beach all together. Both homicides in our area were on Sunday in the early morning hours after 2am. Of the incidents you see on both maps, a lot was happening on Friday, March 4th. If you hear gun shots, never assume they're fireworks. Always call them in.

• On Sunday February 28, 2016, at approximately 3:24 a.m., Long Beach Police were dispatched to assist the Long Beach Fire Department in the 1000 block of Norman Court on a call of a dead body. I still can't find a name for the victim.
• A possibly gang-related shooting in North Long Beach Thursday afternoon left one man dead and another with non-life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Officers responded to Artesia Boulevard and Butler. The deceased has not been identified.
• On Sunday March 6th, 2016 at about 2:44 a.m. LBPD found a man (adult) with an apparent gunshot injury in a vehicle a few blocks south and east in the 1700 block of Pacific Ave. The victim has been identified as Ryan Davone Martin, 23, of Long Beach. 

There is a trend of thefts and thefts from cars moving from Rotary Centennial Park towards the neighborhood. But the pattern is somewhat weak. There is also a trend of thefts moving away from a meth arrest right outside the neighborhood towards the Poly Neighborhood. Based on these patterns, keep an eye on Junipero, along the east side of our neighborhood. Also keep an eye on 10th Street and Poly High School. 

There are a lot of dumped items in the neighborhood and along PCH, in most alleys. 

Also based on a patrol along PCH to Magnolia, Magnolia to Hill, Hill to Pacific and Pacific to PCH and PCH back home, we would have had to stop every ten seconds to report everything we saw., I'm going to do a Go Long Beach Run early tomorrow to get at the dumped items. Remember, if you see something say something. Three fatal shootings in one week is three too many. And the gangs do not own this city, be strong and take it back.

Also, we still have two clubs for a car to give to anyone willing to take the pledge to keep their neighborhood clean. 

Sunday Safety Watch: 02/07/2016 to 02/20/2016

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 guarentee it will reappear in that area in the future.

The map above spans two weeks. You will notice all the patterns are weak, hence the pink lines. The darker the arrow, the stronger the trend. First off, not much is happening according to the map in February. It does appear assaults and property crime [graffiti] are on the rise. They seem to weekly trend up from Cherry towards 14th Street and Gundry. Josie and I did a patrol through the neighborhood pretty late into the night, and it was rather quiet.

A Go Long Beach Run through the area showed Gang tagging is up. In response, we hit several areas outside the neighborhood with Go Long Beach. We also used Code Enforcement with businesses that refuse to take the tagging down. - See the Neighborhood Expansion Report Below

There is also a week trend of assorted crimes along Spaulding in the East end of the MacArthur Park Neighborhood of Central Long Beach. There is also a trend of thefts along Alamitos. Bear in mind the construction on Alamitos around Rosa Parks Park gives bad people a place to hide. When walking along Alamitos, please carry a flash light and walk in pairs when possible.

Neighborhood Expansion: Heavy tagging by the East Side Longos, a tagging crew and somebody else. Cedar and Chestnut Streets are the strong hold for the East Side Longos. I was verbally assaulted by a "gang" member when I was taking the pictures, didn't scare me. I stood my ground and he backed off. Also meet Gustavo, his garage has been tagged 6 to 7 times and he repaints it every time, he knows who does it ,talked with the father of the boy but the father didn't care. Attention: The post about the tagging I did, the GO Long Beach App had most of the tagging cleaned up before 12pm today. I want to thank them for their fast response. So I'm going to try to help him repaint it and talk with the kid and father.- Josephine Villasenor/ Wrigley Community Watch

The police have released a recap of crime stats last year via the website Next Door: Here's a summary. Total Part 1 crime increased 15.9% from 2014; violent crime increased 18.8%; and property crime increased 15.4%. The number of aggravated assaults increased 18.9%; and 17 of the 36 murders in 2015 were gang-related. Reductions were seen in four property crime categories: residential burglary decreased 11%; garage burglary decreased 7.2%; commercial burglary decreased 12.1%; and arson decreased 8.2%.

The West Division Leadership Forum will be held on 02/24/2016. It will again be held at Grant AME Church at 1129 Alamitos Ave, at 6pm. The subject will be preventing auto theft, which we covered in detail here.

Midweeek Safety Map: 11/11/2015

There seems to have been a shooting tonight. I know the helicopters were over Anaheim/ Hoffman/ Walnut and 10th. Here are early trends. There will be a Go Long Beach Run tomorrow. All dumped items will be reported and all tagging will be removed. 

There was also a homicide in North Long Beach last night at Orange and 52nd that left a 19 year old murdered. Here are the details.  And here are details including the sketch of a suspect in a 1975 homicide of a Long Beach police officer. 

Here's the update on last night's shooting at 14th and Gundry. While Swat closed down the intersections of Walnut to the south and Gundry to the north, no suspect is yet in custody. Go Long Beach Runs have started as far east as the Washington Neighborhood to MacArthur Park. Keep your eyes open on Anaheim and Ceda,/ Locust and 16th, Pine and 16th and Long Beach Blvd and 16trh. More details to come as I learn them

Also, we will be getting out park rangers back. If City Council can afford a billion dollar pool in Bellmont Heights you can afford to keep Central Long Beach safe. 

Community Watch meetings start today.

Washington Neighborhood
Wednesday, November 11th
6 – 8 pm
The Guidance Center
1301 Pine Ave

Willmore Neighborhood
Thursday, November 19th
7 – 9 pm
Drake Park Community Room
951 Maine Ave

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

Sunday Safety Update: 10/11/2015 - 10/17/2015

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 that same area later on. as well.  

First, crime is not only up, but it is up significantly for the MacArthur Park Neighborhood. The line up Cherry is partially the result of two shooting that happened in our neighborhood and appear to be gang related. 

Two men were wounded in a shooting at about 5:35 a.m. Wednesday that may have been gang-related, police said.

The unidentified men were sent to a hospital for treatment of wounds described by police as not life-threatening. 

“The preliminary investigation indicated the victims were walking down the street when they were approached by three suspects and shot,” according to a statement from police spokeswoman Nancy Pratt.- Full Story.

The shootings took place around 15th and Cherry. There will be an intense graffiti/ dumped item/ a neighborhood patrol for the next two weeks. There was a lot of graffiti that popped up just prior to this and that seems to be a reliable indication some type of violence is about to occur.

Also notice the patterns of car thefts just outside our neighborhood. It is clearly heading north west. Please keep all cars locked in that area. Reread preventing car theft, especially if you live in that area.

There is renewed loitering in the plaza at Walnut and Anaheim. It had died down, but seems to have picked up. Be very careful in the area because drug activity appears to be happening there as well.

---

Use the Go Long Beach App to remove graffiti, even if you don't live where you see it

---

Also notice along Alamitos there is a trend north east towards 17th street. Because a lot is happening around 17th street, really remain vigilant and keep your eyes out for your neighbors on that street.

As we approach the holiday season, here are some safety tips.

1.  Ship items to a location where they will be personally received, and/or ask a trusted neighbor to collect and hold the item rather than leaving it in a common area.
2.  Request carriers to ship items to their local store or distribution center to be held for pick up.
3. Advise your local post office when you will be out of town so they can hold your deliveries until your return.
4. Track the progress of your anticipated delivery and if you don’t receive it as expected, contact the issuing company, and when possible request proof of delivery.
5. Remove valuables and holiday packages from your vehicle, and don’t use it as a storage area - More tips from the LAPD

Upcoming Safety Meetings: 

Long Beach residents are invited to the MacArthur Park/Whittier School Neighborhood monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 20, 2015, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Mark Twain Neighborhood Library located at 1401 E. Anaheim St. in the Community Room.  Free parking is available at the library parking lot.  - UPDATED

There will be a community meeting for District Six on Tuesday October 27th at Mark Twain Neighborhood Library!  6pm. I am not sure what the topic will be, last time it was starting a community watch.

Join Commander Robert Smith and his staff for this informative meeting on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 6:00pm. The new location will be 1129 Alamitos, at the Grant AME Church  We will be having a presentation on Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation; Also a Code Enforcement overview. 

Sunday Safety Update: 09/27/2015 to 10/03/2015

This week's map shows that inside the MacArthur Park Neighborhood we saw a nice improvements this week. There were only three reported incidents inside our borders and two them were a stolen care being found. One was an assault on the north end of MacArthur Park itself. There was a build up of tagging along Anaheim trending West. It will all be dealt with within the next two days. Because there is another clean up scheduled for the east end of our neighborhood on Saturday, we will also do an extensive Go Long Beach run for all of the MacArthur Park Neighborhood before that clean up begins.

Now, on the other side of Old Zaferia Way there is a serious build up of auto thefts that are clearly trending out way. This is a very clear pattern, and there have been almost no car thefts on the west end of Old Zaferia Way for almost three weeks. Please keep cars locked and safe anywhere near Orizaba Park and Rotary Centennial Park. In the mean time, reread How to Keep Your Car Safe, as the constant reminders seem to helping bring down overall car thefts. 

In what is defined as Cambodia Town East on Next Door there is a serious build up. In order to help quash it, I am declaring Neighborhood Expansion and temporarily placing Cambodia Town East within our borders for the next two weeks. Because of this, a Go Long Beach Run will be done in the area to get all tagging and dumped items out of the area. 

That kind of attention to detail, does seem to help settle things down quickly. 

There were shootings on 09/29/2015 and 10/06/2015 outside our neighborhoods.  Here are the details

2600 Delta Street. A barrage of bullets and people scrambling for cover is how witnesses described a Long Beach shooting that they say left two innocent bystanders critically injured. Witnesses said they heard as many as twenty shots just as McCraw, riding his bike, stopped to chat with a friend on this street corner. Investigators are not releasing many details, but gang detectives are on the case. Two men (adults) were shot tonight (Sept. 29) in West Long Beach in the 2600 block of Delta Ave. (just north of Willow St. between the 710 freeway and Santa Fe. Ave., 7th Council district.)  More detail

1900 Caspian Ave: A man was hospitalized in critical condition today after a Long Beach shooting that may have been gang-related, police said. The shooting occurred in the 1900 block of Caspian Avenue around 9:45 p.m. Monday, said Long Beach police Lt. Dave Faris. The victim was shot once in the lower torso.

Be safe West Long Beach. 

We may do an additional Go Long Beach Run in that area, providing we have the time. If you haven't already joined Next Door to connect with your neighbors, please consider it. it's a great way to use social media to bring your neighborhood together for good.

Sunday Safety Update: 08/30/2015 - 09/05/2015

You will notice that there are assaults and thefts that start at 14th and Gaviota and trend South West. While there isn't a lot happening in our neighborhood, that assault was a big incident. It happened on Thursday: 09/03/2015 at 5:47am. 

Long Beach police are investigating a possibly gang-related shooting in the MacArthur Park neighborhood early Thursday. Officers responded to a call of shots fired around 5:47 a.m. near 1400 Gaviota Avenue. Officers learned that a man was driving in the area when he was shot at by male suspects who were on foot on the street, Pratt said. The victim’s vehicle was hit by gunfire but he was not struck. There were no reports of any injuries. The case is being investigated as possibly gang-related. - Read the article

This shooting was not fatal. That said, after it happened we made plans to clean Gaviota south of 15th Street this week. We are currently half done. This is the second shooting in Long Beach this week, the first happened two days earlier St. Mary's two days earlier. A subject is in custody.

One thing I have noticed is increased activity in the neighborhood both at night and during the day. Please keep an eye on all of Gaviota from Anaheim to PCH; there was a lot of loitering, even at the north end of Gaviota last night, I have not seen in the past. Also notice, the car thefts around Orizaba and Rotary Centennial Park haven't restarted yet, but be prepared. 

Also, keep a close eye around 10th and Alamitos. There was a shooting very close to that area a few weeks ago, and there is still a lot of activity in that area, as we speak. We have also asked for no loitering signs, where there is excessive amounts of evening activity that may be unsafe as well as No Parking Over 6' on streets, like Orange and Gundry. that are currently overrun by trailers leaving their trash in the streets.

We've gotten some of the no loitering signs put up and are waiting on the parking signs. 

Midweek Safety Update: Crime Up Significantly

This is an early entry into the crime updates. There is increased activity between Walnut and Rose south of 14th Street. The loitering at 1335 Walnut and homeless encampment at Walnut and Anaheim is increased. This coincides with car thefts, assaults and robberies. Please be very cautious on Walnut, Gaviota or Rose south of 14th Street.

There are also a lot of incidents along 11th Street from Cherry all the way to Alamitos. This includes a cluster of burglaries along Alamitos and assortment of incidents that trend west starting at Cherry. We will be adding 11th Street to our Tonight's: Community Watch Route. And if we See Something, we will be Saying Something. Also notice that last week we predicted car thefts would start this week along Rotary Centennial Park, and that's exactly what's happening.

A large percentage of the incidents that you see on the map happened on Sunday 08/23/2015, the same day as the shooting on Pine and PCH. Please familiarize yourself with that shooting so the victim is a name instead of a statistic. Neighborhood Expansion has resulted in 17 additional Go Long Beach requests so far.

Sunday Safety Update: 08/08/2015 to 08/16/2015

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 in the same direction.  

Okay there's some good news and some bad news. The good news is that the MacArthur Park Neighborhood was nearly crime free this week.

Th bad news, on Monday I had a text from friends in the AOC7, that there had been a shooting. While this shooting wasn't fatal, it left three people injured and a juvenile in critical condition. It also happened outside a residence well known for criminal activity.

Now if you follow the map Crime Reports gives for the current week you will notice the assaults trend North five days later. There are three assaults at virtually the same street, except further north, just past Anaheim.

---

Attend Next Tuesday's [08/18/2015] Start A Community Watch Meeting

---

Also, look at the vehicle recoveries just outside our neighborhood. Notice that they follow Old Zaferia Way which connects Rotary Centenial Park and Orizaba Park. If past trends repeat, the car thefts will trend up that old street north west towards PCH and around Rotary Centenial Park Again.

You will notice a very similar pattern on the outskirts of our neighborhood three other places. Be aware there are a series of car thefts trending towards the loitering on 17th and Orange. Because there have been two shootings in that area, both fatal, on each side of Orange, be very careful on 17th street. There is also an assault/ property crime that is trending up towards MacArthur Park. Several of the last maps showed multiple assaults in exactly that area, so be very cautious around MacArthur Park, especially the south end.

Also be cautious around Dawson and Anaheim, as a combination of thefts from cars and assaults seems to trend that way. 

Now Onto Some Better News:

Police arrested 26-year-old Long Beach resident Jorge Luis Cruz Saturday. It’s the first arrest of five June murders. On Saturday, officers investigating a vehicle in the 1300 block of Ohio Avenue around 5:50 p.m. recognized the passenger, Cruz, because there was a warrant out for his arrest, according to information the department provided. Cruz fled the scene and police set up a containment zone to try to capture him with the help of helicopters and service dogs.

June’s four other shootings — involving victims Anthony Holston, Ruben Barrera, Alicia Todd and Iran Maese — are still open cases. 

A stabbing which took place on July 4th, has also been solved. A 24-year-old Long Beach man was behind bars on suspicion of fatally stabbing his former roommate during an argument. Norman Mathew Perdon was jailed Friday on suspicion of stabbing 38-year- old Allen Estes of Long Beach on July 4, according to Long Beach police. Estes was found around 5:30 a.m. by police near the intersection of East Anaheim Street and Dawson Avenue. He died at the scene.

North Side Longos Go To Jail

The Long Beach Police Department’s (LBPD) North Patrol Division has arrested 17 members of the North Side Longos gang since this past May, they announced Friday. According to a release, North Patrol Division Directed Enforcement Team (North DET) gathered information linking the gang to a “violent crime spree” earlier this year, and spent the past few months identifying individuals associated with the gang who were responsible for the crimes. 

And The Search For Justice Continues

The Remaining Unsolved Homicide Cases June/ July

17th and Alamitos Area 

The area of 17th street and Orange is an area of persistent loitering. It is the home of Ritchie's Liquor Store, which has in the past defended and encouraged the loitering. Some of those, often more than twenty people a night, hanging out at the intersection do not reside in Central Long Beach. This intersection has been described as "a mess," by almost everyone except the current city council representative for District Six. There have been two shootings on either side of this intersection, one in June and one in July. 

Remember the names Anthony Holston and Tomas Palmas.

Also be aware 17th Street is the darkest street at night of any street in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood. While the city was told about this a month ago, not one tree along 17th has been trimmed. Some like this one, are now falling, blocking the street and in danger of hurting someone.

Virtually Every Light on 17th Street is Obscured

The names and information are shared because these are real people. In the past 90813 has been a zip code famous for unsolved homicides. The more their names are repeated, the less likely their killer is to walk away free. We've gotten two of them, Anthony, Thomas, Alicia and Iran and their families still need justice.

Anthony Holston III, a 20-year-old black man, was shot and killed Friday, June 5, near the intersection of East 17th Street and Alamitos Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records. I have looked for other information to make Anthony more of a person and less of a statistic, but so far haven't found any yet. East side of the Alamitos and 17th intersection.

Tomas Palmas, a 42-year-old Latino, was shot and killed July 10 in the 1700 block of Cerritos Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. There is a Facebook Page related to this shooting that will tell you more about Tomas. dedicated to his memory. West side of the Alamitos and 17th intersection.

North of MacArthur Park/ Just South of Signal Hill

Alicia Faith Todd, a 21-year-old black woman, Alicia Faith Todd, was shot and killed Wednesday, June 24, in the 1100 block of East 21st Street in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. Todd was a former Milikan High School Student. From Todd's memorial fund page, "Alicia was an intelligent, strong, vibrant young woman whose life was stolen from her by a random act of gun violence. Our hearts break for a family devastated, for a beautiful girl's life taken way too early, for a mother who has to do the unthinkable and bury her child, and for a broken society that doesn't value human life."

Close To Downtown

Iran Francisco Maese, a 35-year-old Latino, was shot and killed Sunday, June 28, in the 700 block of Linden Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records.

Douglas Jerome Wilson, a 37-year-old black man, was shot and killed Monday, June 22, in the 800 block of Chestnut Avenue in Long Beach, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s records. 

Two down; four to go.... 

Sunday Safety Update: 07/12/2015 to 07/18/2015

There was much less reported activity, and for at least one week very little violent enough to make the press. You will notice the trend of car thefts and thefts from vehicles has moved a little bit south of Rotary Centenial Park, but it still remains in about the same area. Earlier maps showed more car thefts in that area, so please keep your cars locked.

You may also notice a lot of tagging centered around Gardenia and Cherry. This is two separate groups tagging the area. It is a different gang on Gardenia than it is on Cherry. The loitering on Anaheim and Walnut is a homeless camp. The loitering on 17th and Alamitos is much more serious, likely involving drug sales. 

All tagging has been reported for clean up. All dumped items have been reported for pick up.

Please keep your eye on the following three things: any out of place activity on Gardenia between 14th and 15th street. Keep all cars locked anywhere near Rotary Centennial Park, also on Dawson and Spaulding. And if you happen to pass the intersection of 17th and Alamitos, especially at night, be observant and be safe.

I am going to report every tree blocking a street light for trimming right now since 17th is now arguably the darkest street at night in the MacArthur Park Neighborhood, now that Gundry has been addressed. Also, so far this week up until Tuesday, all looks pretty clear. During our joint clean up, several neighbors who wanted to get involved in the area immediately around MacArthur Park did get in contact with us. We should be meeting more here pretty soon, as we're going to try for our first solo clean up next.

Sunday Safety Update: 07/05/2015 to 07/11/2015

The MacArthur Park Neighborhood was quiet last week; the outskirts, not so much. Within the borders of the neighborhood itself there were mostly car thefts, vandalism and a few assaults in places were assault is unfortunately common in the neighborhood. Based on what happened last week, please keep your car locked around Rotary Centennial Park. Also, be very cautious around Dawson/ St Louis and Anaheim. That was the location of the homeless man who was stabbed on the 4th, and things are still happening in that area, though they are occurring less often..

May and June has seen a 5.3% spike in crime. And there have been an alarming number of shootings, too many of which have been fatal. “We are very concerned about a recent spike in violent assaults,” said Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna, in a release. “We are working closely with city departments on a public safety initiative, and increasing our efforts to enhance partnerships within the community. Keeping our city safe is everyone’s responsibility, and I look forward to working together to make an impact on crime.”

This slowed the loitering down

While Mayor Garcia did post on his Facebook Page a notice that he was concerned which prompted a lot of community feedback, it has rapidly been buried by other posts touting his one year record. Underlying concerns that the violence may be the result of gangs, was quickly denied by Long Beach police at a community meeting to discuss the violence which has predominately affected Central Long Beach. Since the meeting there was another shooting on the other side of the intersection of 17th an Alamitos, closer to Cerritos street. While it does not show up as a homicide in the Crime Reports map, the victim has since been pronounced dead of his injuries.

42-year-old man shot on a Long Beach street this week has died of his injuries, authorities said Saturday. Police responding to a report of a shooting found Tomas Palmas, 42, lying in the street in the 1700 block of Cerritos Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

The other side of this intersection is where Anthony Holston the III was murdered on June 5th, 2015. The police, the mayor, sixth district council, the police, the Press Telegram and the Long Beach Post have all been informed about the incredible amount of loitering and drug traffic at this intersection. The police briefly had a camera at the intersection, which really stopped the loitering until it came down a week later.  In other words, even though this happened outside our neighborhood, please be very cautious at the intersection of Alamitos and 17th. Also be aware, if anything else happens on either side of this intersection, absolutely everyone in the city government who needed to be informed to prevent it, was informed, and so has the press. Minor Update: Most of the street lights on 17th in this area are obscured by trees. I'm going to try to report them for trimming.

Yes, I know this update was released on Tuesday.

The City Has Released This Press Release Regarding Crime

The City of Long Beach announced today the efforts underway from the Long Beach Public Safety Continuum in response to recent increases in crime. In 2014, the City achieved the lowest reported number of violent crimes in 42 years. However, over the past few months, overall crime has increased 5.3 percent when compared to the 5 year average through May 31, 2015.

“Every department in the city is working to address this summer spike in violence and to keep every community safe,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.

“We are very concerned about a recent spike in violent assaults,” said Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. “We are working closely with City Departments on a public safety initiative, and increasing our efforts to enhance partnerships within the community. Keeping our city safe is everyone’s responsibility, and I look forward to working together to make an impact on crime.”

The Police Department continues to be proactive in efforts to combat crime. Officers are responding to high priority calls citywide in under five minutes, allowing for more opportunity to capture suspects and start investigations.

The City of Long Beach strongly encourages the community to be an active member in combating crime, and asks that “If you see something, say something.” All cities need the members of the public to come forward and provide information on what is happening in their community.

“Our police need our support so if you see a crime being committed, it needs to be reported so we can hold those who commit violent crimes accountable," said Mayor Garcia.

A CITYWIDE PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORT

The Police Department continues to partner with the City Prosecutor’s Office by enforcing Gang Court Orders, to suppress gangs from having control over our neighborhoods. Ninety-nine Gang Court Order arrests have been made so far this year, while 167 Gang Court Order arrests were made last year (2014).

With the support of City Council, $350,000 in non-recurring funding is currently being used to target residential property crime, allowing the Police Department to bolster efforts towards investigating and preventing burglaries. As of the end of May, the city has experienced 212 fewer residential burglaries for 2015, in comparison to May of last year, which is a 21.9 percent decrease.

Here’s a comparison of some categories of crime through May 2015, and compared to the five-year average (avg.): 

• Murder, down 27 percent; down 47 percent avg.
• Aggravated assault, up 33 percent; up 12 percent avg.
• Garage burglary, down 3 percent; down 9 percent avg.
• Auto burglary, up 5 percent; down 5 percent avg.
• Grand Theft Auto, up 6 percent; up 4 percent avg.
• Petty theft greater than $50, up 72 percent; up 8 percent avg.

The entire Long Beach community benefits from the City’s Public Safety Continuum, which augments Police and Fire services with the work of several other City Departments and services all contributing to making Long Beach a better, and safer, city, including Library Services; Parks, Recreation and Marine; Workforce Development; City Prosecutor’s Office; Code Enforcement; Homeless and other Health Services; Graffiti Removal; and Affordable Housing.

The City also reaches out and works extensively with our community partners, including neighborhood organizations, non-profit agencies, and other government agencies.

The City’s Violence Prevention Plan, known as Safe Long Beach, has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice, which provides an advantage in receiving federal grant awards to implement the plan.

Safe Long Beach is a comprehensive strategic plan for action to prevent violence in families, schools, and communities. Addressing a broad safety agenda, Safe Long Beach draws upon the City’s many existing assets. These include strong neighborhoods and neighborhood organizations, a thriving downtown, continuously emerging economic development opportunities, award winning schools, and stable leadership.

By forging relationships across disciplines, professions, and neighborhood boundaries, the Plan seeks to help provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives.

The City will be planning an event in the area most affected by the recent increase in crime to offer services from the Public Safety Continuum, and engage youth in our community in a positive way.

For more news, pictures, videos and announcements of what’s happening in Long Beach, ‘Like’ us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofLongBeachCA

Recap: Meeting To Address The Social Media Threats of Violence

On June 25th rumors of violence against 150 African American and Asian woman from a gang began to surface on the internet. When these rumors started circulating, I had the choice of sharing or not sharing. It was actually not an easy choice. If I did publish it, I may be contributing to the culture of mistrust. And if those rumors are false that's exactly what the person who is spreading them wants. And if they are true, I have failed to protect those who truly need it. I chose not to for a simple reason, I knew nothing of the source. And publishing un-sourced information is akin to tabloid journalism.

Also something about the rumors felt off and the idea of publishing made me increasingly uncomfortable. So if you're wondering why I didn't share those social media threats, that was my reasoning.

There was a meeting tonight at Temple Baptist Church to address the increased violence in Long Beach over the month of June and those social media threats that accompanied them. The person giving that presentation was the East Division's Commander Robert Luman. There were somewhere around 100 people in attendance and the population was pretty diverse, overall a good representation of Central Long Beach's demographics.

In a nutshell, Luman calls the social media treats not credible. The reason cited was that targeting African American and Asian woman would not bolster the gang's reputation. Nor, would it help bring the gang any revenue. So from a practical perspective, the gang has nothing to gain by doing so. This information comes from current gang members, the LA Sheriff's Department and those working with the gang members in prison. One possible alternate explanation is another gang started the rumor to draw attention away from themselves.

What the meeting failed to explain was: "If the social media threats are not credible, why has there been so much more violence in June?" An additional question that remains unanswered was: "if there is no gang involvement, why are women, children and in quite a few cases the homeless being targeted in these crimes?" It was stated there will be additional town hall style meetings where residents of Central Long Beach will be able to ask these kinds of questions.

The community meeting also did very little to quell some people's concerns over recent officer involved shootings. When pressed on the issue Luman said answering questions about specific cases may jeopardize prosecution.

Back to the gang connection, Luman's did explain there is a difference between the crime being motivated by a gang and the crime involving a gang. The implication is of course that while gangs may be involved in some of these shootings, there isn't enough evidence to say that the gang is primary motivation for the shooting.

The end of the meeting involved the host asking members to share possible suggestions on how to bring an end to the violence. Those suggestions included more officers patrolling the sixth district, keeping community centers open later, more summer programs, more coordination between the city, the community and LBUSD, increased support for Long Beach's non profit groups which often intervene with the violence, trying harder to connect with your neighbors and their cultures, better community policing and introducing yourself to your neighborhood police before you need them so you have a better connection to them when you do.

UPDATE: Press Telegram's Article on This Meeting