Echo Park

Security Association Newsletter

Spring 2008

Select Patrol Report

EPSA News & Events
Community Safety meetings are held the second
Thursday of every month at 2pm at the LAPD Stop-In
Center on Echo Park Avenue (just south of Sunset Blvd.,
next to the Bank of America). All Echo Park residents and
members of the business community are welcome. The
next meetings will be held April 10, May 8 and June 12.
The Second Annual Northeast Youth Job Fair will take
place May 10, 2008, 10am – 1pm, at the Glassell Park
Community and Senior Center, 3750 Verdugo Road (at
Eagle Rock Blvd.)
The Youth Job Fair is open to City of Los Angeles resi-
dents ages 16 to 24. Attendees will have a chance to
complete applications and/or interview for seasonal
summer jobs and permanent positions with approxi-
mately 40 local employers, including Vons, Universal
Studios, Jack in the Box, Roto-Rooter and Starbucks.
By Darin Williams
Select Patrol Founder/President
In January, I pledged that as a
service to the community, Select
Patrol would work to improve the
environment of the public parking
lots located on the south side of Sunset Boulevard,
between Lemoyne Street and Echo Park Avenue.
The lots had become dumping grounds for trash and old
furniture. At night the lack of proper lighting provided
cover for drug sales and prostitution and a haven for
homeless men who built shelters from discarded furniture.
With input from the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce
and Council District 13, we developed a plan to clean the
lots and address the issue of the homeless men who for
so long had called the parking lots home. Our daytime
continued on page 2

Employers and others interested in participating in the

event should call the Office of the L.A. City Attorney at
(213) 847-8045.
Spotlight on Echo Park. Select Patrol vehicles have been
outfitted with new spotlights which will be shined at
every member's house at night. You cannot miss these
extra-bright lights. If you don't see them, call us!
Safeguard Your Portable Electronic Devices. In
February, LAPD detectives issued an alert regarding an
increase in burglary and theft of portable electronic
devices such as GPS systems, i-Pods and laptop computers
from motor vehicles in the Northeast area of the city.
LAPD offers these suggestions for safeguarding your
portable devices:
Keep all valuables out of plain view. Never leave a
GPS in its cradle or on the dash.
Install an anti-theft device in your vehicle.
Park in a well-illuminated area when possible.
Keep a list of serial numbers for all devices
Inscribe devices with an identifying number such Then and now: Gone are the abandoned furniture and debris
that made the parking lots a haven for the homeless.
as a driver’s license number.

EPSA P.O. Box 26201 Los Angeles, CA 90026 Tel: (323) 860-9914 Email: epsa@echoparksecurity.org
Online: www.echoparksecurity.org
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 Echo Park Security Association Newsletter Spring 2008

Select Patrol Report continued from page 1 New Senior Lead

officer, Ed Aguero, logged countless hours of patrol
Officer for Northeast
time in and around the lots. Every time he saw a bottle Division
of liquor tipped, or a person passed out on the
asphalt, he made a call to the police.
Bob Hill is the new Senior
However, despite his zero tolerance for drunken behav- Lead Officer for the Northeast
ior, Ed also established a rapport with many of the men Division, serving the Echo Park
who camped out around the retaining walls during the area north of Sunset Blvd.
day. He offered information about shelters and medical (The area south of Sunset
New SLO Bob Hill serves
treatment to those who would take it. Although several Blvd. is served by the Rampart the area of Echo Park
seemed willing to get help, it is unknown how many of division.) north of Sunset Blvd.
the men actually took the steps to do so.
Officer Hill has worked in Echo
Along the way, the Select Patrol team met with business Park in the past as a patrol officer. He replaces SLO
people and residents who had pursued their own initia- Sonia Rimkunas, who has been promoted and has left
tives to improve lighting and to fight conspicuous crimi- Northeast to undergo training for her new assign-
nal activity. In addition, everyone involved received plen- ment. Sonia's energy, responsiveness and involve-
ty of support from Kabira Stokes Hochberg and Billie ment in Echo Park will be missed after the eight years
Jean Londoño from the Council District 13 office. They she worked with us. EPSA is planning a lunch in her
were instrumental in improving the lighting systems as honor when her training will permit.
well as in coordinating the police and other City Depart-
You can reach Officer Hill at (213) 793-0760 or
ments in regard to ongoing upkeep of the parking lots.
24404@lapd.lacity.org.
The overall environment of the parking lots south of
Rampart Division SLO Louis Ford continues to repre-
Sunset, while far from perfect, is significantly better
sent Echo Park south of Sunset Blvd.) You can reach
than it was at the end of last year. Let's maintain our
Officer Ford at (213) 793-0775.
vigilance, and keep what we have gained this Spring.
Your Guard,
Darin Williams
(323) 644-1014

EPSA Frequently Asked Questions

Question: “How can I get graffiti removed?”
Answer: There are two ways to submit a graffiti
removal request:
Online: http://www.lacity.org/bpw/OCS/grsr.htm.
By telephone: Call the Graffiti Removal Hotline at
(800) 611-2489.
Requests are immediately routed to the agents
responsible for abating the graffiti. A Service Request
Number is provided so that New Patrol Vehicles
you may check on the status In February, Select Patrol added three new vehicles
of the request. Graffiti is gen- to its fleet, including a Ford Expedition, the largest
erally removed within four
Select Patrol vehicle ever. The Expedition is dedicated
business days.
to the nighttime patrol operation in Echo Park.
Note: You must have the
street address in order to
submit a request.

EPSA P.O. Box 26201 Los Angeles, CA 90026 Tel: (323) 860-9914 Email: epsa@echoparksecurity.org
Online: www.echoparksecurity.org
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