By Rob Glushon
On March 5, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell spoke before an overflow group of 200 Encino homeowners at the Encino Community Center about crime trends in Encino and the City of Los Angeles. The Community Meeting was hosted by the Encino Property Owners Association (EPOA) which has fought for public safety since 1964.
Chief McDonnell gave some good news including a large decrease in crime including a 70% drop in burglaries in Encino along with planned future resources such as drones and a Real Time Crime Center using technology to achieve a faster and more effective response to incidents.
The LAPD Chief also spoke of the challenges of having fewer officers than other major cities and that even with the hiring of new recruits, because of attrition, we will have a net loss of officers this upcoming year. Notwithstanding the limited resources of staff and resources, Chief McDonnell reported that crime is down throughout the City and praised his rank and file officers for their work.
He also commended EPOA for its partnership and leadership in working with the West Valley Division and that neighborhood involvement is essential for the most effective protection from crime.
Homeowners also heard from Asst. Chief Tingerides, Valley Bureau Deputy Chief Ciufetelli, Captain Brian Wendling and Senior Lead Officers Tim Walia and Darryl Scoggins.
EPOA has been working with the Encino Neighborhood Council on getting greater LAPD resources to improve protection and enforcement in Encino including drones, cameras with license plate readers and a Real Time Crime Center.
Rob Glushon is President of the Encino Property Owners Association. To stay informed on issues impacting the Encino community, sign up for the EPOA’s newsletter at encinopoa.com.
