Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Watch Lookout Newsletter - Winter 2009  

 

CHARLOTTE’S CORNER

Download Newsletter in PDF Format  Visit the Neighborhood Watch Website

 

Welcome winter and the holiday season!
We continue to see crimes of opportunity during this time, including burglaries from autos and homes of attractive holiday gifts and other items purchased using stolen credit card numbers. Remember to keep your personal information to yourself and to take gifts into your home and keep them out of sight. Neighborhood Watch personnel celebrated the holiday by riding on the Santa Float in Area #2. Though it was cold, the rain had not begun and lots of children were able to tell Santa Peter and his elves, Millie, Yuriko,
Pattie and Anne, what they wanted for Christmas.

We took more than three hundred photos of folks on the police motorcycle at the Hometown Fair this October. The donations given were presented to Jailer Gary Dusyn, who unfortunately recently lost his battle with lung cancer. Those who are graduates of the Trifecta Program will remember his unique jail tours filled with his delightful sense of humor. Additionally, many folks learned about the Neighborhood Watch program and several signed up to be block captains for their blocks.

During the past several months seventy seven more people were trained in the emergency preparation effort here in Manhattan Beach. Seventeen Map Your Neighborhood meetings were held where neighbors learned the nine easy steps that will keep the local blocks in mutual support after an earthquake or other significant disaster. Twelve selected blocks participated in the statewide ShakeOut drill held in October.

The October 22nd Neighborhood Watch community meeting featured a welcome and crime update from Police Chief Rod Uyeda, a follow-up report regarding the October 15th ShakeOut drill from Battalion Chief Frank Chiella with two participating block captains, and a presentation by Detective Joe Aiello featuring the latest in skimming devices used at ATM sites. Nearly one hundred Neighborhood Watch personnel attended.

We are excitedly looking forward to 2010 when Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Watch will celebrate thirty years of support to our police personnel through a strong network of block captains, area coordinators, and executive personnel. Anyone who has been part of the program will be included and invited to the events surrounding the celebration. More information will be available after the holidays. We hope all of you will participate and enjoy a look back at all of our accomplishments.

Keep safe and vigilant! 

To Call or Not to Call 9-1-1

As part of an effective Neighborhood Watch program, everyone plays a role in creating and maintaining a safe environment. One of the ways we can all contribute is to be proactive about reporting crime and suspicious activity. Don't assume that your neighbors have already reported the activity or that the police already know; call 9-1-1 immediately. The important thing to remember is if you need an officer immediately, use 9-1-1.

However, the Manhattan Beach Police Department also has an alternative number for dispatch that is received in the same call center where the 9-1-1 calls come in. This is considered the non-emergency number (310) 545-4566. A few reasons for calling this number include, but are not limited to the following:

• To report a nuisance, such as noise or parking complaints
• You have questions about something suspicious occurring in your neighborhood,
  but you are not sure it is criminal activity
• To report a problem with solicitors or trash/recycle diggers
• To report a person who seems to have no purpose of going door-to-door in the
  neighborhood or looking into windows of parked cars
• Parked vehicles that are occupied at unusual hours, or abandoned vehicles
• Unfamiliar vehicles moving slowly, especially with no lights on or without an
  apparent destination
• To report a crime such as a theft that has already occurred and the suspect is
  no longer at the location

Be alert and observant wherever you are and learn to recognize signs of criminal behavior. Report all crime to the Police Department, even if it is only an attempt. The police need your accurate information as quickly as possible about suspicious activity or crime in progress. Remember, crime cannot be controlled or prevented if it is not reported.

If you are in another city in the South Bay, the following are the direct numbers to their Police and Fire dispatch.

El Segundo Dispatch (310) 524-2760 Hermosa Beach Dispatch (310) 524-2750 Palos Verdes Dispatch (310) 378-5211 Redondo Beach Dispatch (310) 379-5411 Torrance Dispatch (310) 320-2611 Hawthorne Dispatch (310) 675-4443

Remember, dialing 9-1-1 from a cell phone may cause some delay, so program your cells with (310) 545-4566.

We Resolve

We at Neighborhood Watch have a resolution for the New Year and would like to share it with you. In keeping with our new Mayor Mitch Ward’s vision that improvement of our City’s emergency planning will be of “paramount importance” including disaster preparedness measures, training programs and community outreach programs, we have our own goals along those lines. Millie, our amazing volunteer who has attended all but one of the Map Your Neighborhood block meetings so far, has resolved to attend 25 meetings this year. But in order to make this possible, we need your help in hosting these meetings. If you have been trained and are ready to take the next step and outreach to your block, please let us know and we will help you plan your block meeting. If you have not had this training, we have one scheduled for Thursday, January 28 at 7:00 PM in the Police/Fire Community room and will have more scheduled each month. You will join the ranks of the 116 other block captains that have been trained by Sally, 27 of which have trained their blocks.

Come see what all the buzz is about – it’s easy, fun, doesn’t take much time, and it’s a great gift to give your neighbors. It is all about having a plan and looking after one another when a disaster strikes. And this resolution is so much easier to keep than trying to lose those pesky 10 pounds!!!

Remembering Gary Dusyn

Police Services Officer Gary Dusyn lost his brief but brave battle with lung cancer in November. Gary will always be remembered as a long-time friend and supporter of Neighborhood Watch dating back to 1990 when he gave his first jail tour to a group of block captains as part of the newly formed Trifecta program. His most recent tour was this year in February. When Gary found out he only had one person taking that tour, he still didn’t hesitate to go on with it. It didn’t matter to Gary whether he had one person or a roomful of people, everyone mattered.

Since that first jail tour, Gary was always there for Neighborhood Watch and he even looked forward to giving the tours, almost as much as our block captains did. His tour was unique, given only the way Gary could do it. It was not only extremely informative and enlightening but also very entertaining. Gary’s unique brand of humor was evident when he would regale us with colorful stories of the many prisoners he encountered over the years. We all know Gary loved to laugh but more importantly he loved to make others laugh which he did regularly on the tours. But block captains also learned so much and had a much better understanding of how the jail system in Manhattan Beach worked, thanks to Gary’s generosity in sharing with our volunteers his knowledge and insight into his unique job. It was obvious that he cared.

Gary took the time out of his busy schedule to attend all of the Trifecta graduations which took place over the tenures of three different Police Chiefs. He personally greeted and thanked the many block captains (over 200) that had toured the jail with him.

Gary was a one-of-a-kind human being who would go that extra mile for his fellow employees and the volunteers of the police community that he regularly interacted with. He left his mark on people and that was a great thing. He was not only funny, but knowledgeable, supportive, creative and hard working as well - everything you would want in an “ambassador” for the Police Department. Gary is survived by his wife Carol and children Lisa and Jason Baumgart. Gary will be missed greatly by all of us who were lucky enough to know him.

Ask Andy

“Ask Andy” is our new column featuring frequently asked questions that will be answered by Lieutenant Andy Harrod. Many of you remember Andy as one of the very first Crime Prevention Officers when he interfaced with Neighborhood Watch from 1982 through 1990. Andy is still a good friend to Neighborhood Watch and is often our “go to” person when we have a question. So if you have any questions pertaining to the Police Department, please let us know and we will “Ask Andy” in our next newsletter. Meanwhile, we recently had a chance to chat with Lieutenant Harrod and asked him what he would like to share with all of you as this year comes to an end. The following are some of the highlights.

Lieutenant Harrod’s first and foremost pet peeve (and you have heard this many times before) is that people are still leaving their cars unlocked or leaving articles in plain sight in their vehicles. He begs us all to please take the extra time to protect our property.

Andy would like to remind everybody that using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s talking on the phone or texting, is not only illegal, but extremely unsafe. In our community we have experienced a number of accidents where drivers were on their cell phones and lives were changed in an instant. Most of these could have been avoided if the drivers had not been distracted. It’s time to hang up or switch to hands-free units.

The Police Department also takes the issue of driving while under the influence of drinking and/or drugs very seriously. The Department has assigned two officers for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) enforcement in our community, in addition to the normal monthly deployment of the South Bay DUI Task Force. Additionally, checkpoints are set up throughout the City periodically to curb DUI. These have been proven to be very effective in taking drunk drivers off the streets of our town, keeping us all a little safer.

One thing that Andy is very excited to share with all of you is the recently launched “Lost and Found” pet site on the City’s website. I just tried it and it couldn’t be easier. Simply go to the City website. At the top of the page you will see several topics. Click on Residents and then on Local Pet Services. On that page look for “Lost and Found Pets.” If you check this site out right now, you will find a Rottweiler waiting to be reunited with its owner.

Another great way to get all your questions answered and to have some fun with your neighbors at the same time is to host a Neighborhood Watch meeting in your home. Not only will a police officer come to lead the meeting, but also representatives from Parking and Animal Control will be invited to share their knowledge and field questions. It is a great way to kick off the New Year by getting your neighbors together. To schedule a meeting, please call Millie or Sally at the Neighborhood Watch office (310) 802-5183 today.

Welcome New Block Captains!

Sue Allard became interested in becoming a Neighborhood Watch block captain while attending a Dine and Discover luncheon featuring the Map Your Neighborhood program. She came on board shortly after in November. Sue and her husband Tom have lived in Manhattan Beach for 38 years where they raised their two children. Sue is looking forward to getting her neighbors together in January to kick off the New Year with a block meeting.

New block captain Nate Hubbard has lived in MB since 1985. He and his wife Stephanie, a teacher at Pacific School, have been married for almost 22 years. They have 3 daughters. Nate has been involved with YMCA Indian Princesses, the Community Police Academy, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Metlox Construction Issues Committee, softball, volleyball, club soccer and has been a coach and referee for AYSO, to name a few activities! His family loves traveling, skiing and kayaking together. 

One of our newer block captains, Claudia Elliott, is a familiar sight around City Hall on Wednesday afternoons where she also volunteers. She and her husband moved to Manhattan Beach in 1963, where they raised their two children. Claudia is an Registered Nurse and worked at the former South Bay Hospital for 9 years and then at Little Company of Mary Hospital for 20 years. Her hobbies include quilting, gardening, church and senior activities and playing with her six grandchildren. Claudia appreciates her wonderful neighbors on 21st Street and being involved with Neighborhood Watch is something she has been wanting to do for a while and finally is able to do it.

Thank you to all of our block captains and welcome to our ever growing group!

Inside the MBPD

We are delighted to share with you some of the latest changes inside the Police Department, including promotions and retirements. Many of you know Lieutenant John Dye who has been a regular at most of our annual Neighborhood Watch meetings. After 31 years with the Police Department, Lieutenant Dye is retiring but will return to head Parking and Animal Control for a short term until a new supervisor is found. Officer Jim Ruiz, a former Field Training Officer, is also retiring with 30 plus years of service.

In January, several promotions will take effect. Bryan Klatt who recently was a patrol sergeant after heading the Traffic Bureau, is promoting to lieutenant and Detective Joe Aiello, who was the guest speaker at our Fall Neighborhood Watch meeting on skimming devices will be promoted to sergeant. Officer Rob Cochran will soon be seen on a police motorcycle when he joins the ranks of the Motor Officers. Community Services Officer Brian Holtzman has been selected to the position of Animal Control Officer. Finally, congratulations also go to Officer John Loy who is the new School Resource Officer at Mira Costa and Officer Claudia Heydinger, the new School Resource Officer at all the other schools including Manhattan Beach Middle School.

Street Sweeping

The Police Department would like to remind residents that there are only 3 days during the year when there is no street sweeping: Christmas Day, New Years Day and Thanksgiving Day. However there is no enforcement of street sweeping on the days that City Hall is closed or when local holidays are observed. Specific street sweeping inquiries can be made by contacting City staff directly through the City website or by phone.

Street sweeping inquiries can be made from your personal computer through the City of Manhattan Beach website homepage.  From the homepage click on “Residents," select “Citizens’ Request,” select “Make a Request,” choose “Utilities,” then select “Street Sweeping.” Or, click directly to the Online Street Sweeping Inquiries Form. Online inquiries will recieve a return e-mail from City staff the next business day.  This system allows the City to track street sweeping issues and other requests for service.  Visit the Public Works Department website to view the daily Street Sweeping Schedule maps.

Street sweeping inquiries can also be made by contacting City staff by phone:

Manhattan Beach Public Works Department
8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday
(310) 802-5313

Clean Street
8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, 7 days a week
(310) 538-5888, ext. 2

Manhattan Beach Police Department, Front Desk
24 hours a day, 7 days a week
(310) 802-5140

And while you're on the City website, check out our Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Tips!

Stay Safe and Have a Happy New Year
from Your Friends at Neighborhood Watch!