La Palma Police Department
Community Newsletter
The Source
Issue 88
May 2012
From the Desk of the
Police Chief
Eric R. Nuñez
Police Chief
The month of May is very
special for two reasons: the
first is a happy reason, as
we celebrate Mother’s Day
and thank them for all of the
wonderful things they do and
the sacrifices they have made.
The second reason is a painful
reminder that law enforcement
officers still make the ultimate
sacrifice to keep us safe.
President John F. Kennedy
proclaimed May 15 as Peace
Officers Memorial Day in 1962.
The week in which this date
falls has been declared Police
Week.
Currently, tens of
thousands of law enforcement
officers from around the world
converge on Washington,
D.C. to participate in events
which honor those who have
paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Our State’s capitol also hosts
an annual remembrance for
officers killed in the line of
duty. These are some facts
about fallen officers from the
National Law Enforcement
Memorial Fund (http://www.
nleomf.org/ ):
• There are more than
900,000
sworn
law
enforcement officers now
serving in the United States,
See Chief
Page 2
Project Safe Streets
Driving home after work can be risky for the shift worker, particularly since they have been awake all
night. For the evening worker, coming home around
midnight increases the risk of meeting drunk drivers.
Alcohol is a leading factor in fatal traffic crashes,
playing a part in about half of all motor vehicle-related
deaths.
People think that opening car windows or listening
to the radio will keep them awake; however, studies
show that these methods do not work. In fact, these
actions should be a red flag that fatigue has set in,
and you need to pull over immediately. If you are
sleepy when your shift is over, try to take a nap
before driving home. Remember, sleep can quickly
overcome you.
Why is night driving so dangerous? One obvious
answer is darkness. Ninety percent of a driver’s
reaction depends on vision, and vision is severely
limited at night. Depth perception, color recognition,
and peripheral vision are compromised after sundown.
Older drivers have even greater difficulties seeing at
night. A 50-year old driver may need twice as much
light to see as a 30-year old.
Another factor adding danger to night driving is
fatigue. Drowsiness makes driving more difficult by
dulling concentration and slowing reaction time.
See Night Driving
Page 2
•
•
•
This Newsletter h as important information about your police department.
Ang papel na ito ay may nakalagay nang informacion tungkol sa aping policia.
Este documento con tien e informacion importanta d el d epartamento de policia.
In This Issue:
Memorial Day
Page 2
Neighborhood Watch
Page 3
City News Briefs
Page 4
Chief
Continued
from Page 1
which is the highest figure ever. About 12 percent of those are female.
•
Since the first recorded police death in 1791, there have been over 19,000 law enforcement officers killed in
the line of duty.
•
A total of 1,799 law enforcement officers died in the line of duty during the past 10 years, an average of one
death every 53 hours. There were 163 law enforcement officers killed in 2011.
•
Violence with weapons is on the rise. This past year, 71 officers were killed by firearms-compared to 59 in
2010.
•
On average, over the last decade, there have been 53,469 assaults against law enforcement each year,
resulting in 15,833 injuries.
•
The deadliest day in law enforcement history was September 11, 2001, when 72 officers were killed while
responding to the terrorist attacks.
•
There are 257 female officers listed on the Memorial; 11 female officers were killed in 2010.
Over 19,000 families have felt the pain of losing a son or daughter in law enforcement. As we celebrate Mother’s
Day, we should thank those mothers and fathers who raised individuals that choose to put their lives on the line every
day. I wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day, and especially to my mother, who gave me the opportunity
to serve.
Project Safe Streets
•
•
•
•
•
Continued
from Page 1
Follow these steps to arrive home safely:
Carpool if possible. Have the most alert person do
the driving.
If you are sleepy, stop to nap, but do so in your locked
car in a well-lit area.
Take public transportation, if possible.
Drive defensively.
Don’t stop off for a “night cap”.
Fortunately, you can take several effective measures
to minimize these after-dark dangers by preparing your
car and following special guidelines when you drive. The
National Safety Council recommends these steps:
• Keep headlights, tail lights, signal lights, and windows
(inside and out) clean.
• Have your headlights properly aimed. Mis-aimed
headlights blind other drivers and reduce your ability
to see the road.
• Avoid smoking and drinking, as smoke’s nicotine and
carbon monoxide hamper night vision.
• If there is any doubt, turn your headlights on so others
can see you.
• Reduce speed and increase your following
distances.
• Don’t overdrive your headlights. You should be able
to stop inside the illuminated area.
• When following another vehicle, keep your headlights
on low beams so you do not blind the driver ahead of
you.
Memorial Day Ceremony
JOIN YOUR COMMUNITY IN REMEBERING THOSE WHO HAVE
SERVED OR ARE CURRENTLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY.
Monday, May 28, 2012
9:15 A.M. Musical Interlude
9:30 A.M. Ceremony Starts
At the Eternal Flame in front
of City Hall
Support our troops by donating personal hygiene products,
snacks and sporting equipment. Donation are being accepted in
local business with La Palma and in the Recreation &
Community Department, City Hall and the Police Department.
Veterans please call to
reserve your spot
today
  
(714) 690-3350
www.CityofLaPalma.org
La Palma
Neighborhood Watch
JROTC Presentation
On Tuesday, March 20, members of ASB provided training for John F. Kennedy High
School JROTC cadets on terrorism. Information was presented on various types of terrorist
groups, as well as formal and informal terrorist organizations. The contemporary history of
terrorism from pre and post-9/11 was reviewed, and information on international, national,
and local terrorist activity was also presented. The cadets were also provided with information on the pre-indicators
of terrorist activities, and were given direction on what to look out for and how to report suspicious activity. Plans are
being made for further training opportunities for the cadets through ASB presentations.
Assist La Habra Police Department
On Friday, March 30 at 12:30 a.m., La Habra Police requested assistance in an attempt to locate and detain a
named burglary suspect. The suspect was involved in a domestic dispute with a woman inside her La Habra home.
According to the La Habra Police, the suspect broke into his ex-girlfriend’s home and began to argue with her. The
argument escalated and the suspect threatened the victim with bodily harm. The victim called police and the suspect
fled from her home. The suspect resided in La Palma, and officers remained in the neighborhood until the suspect
arrived. Officers saw a red SUV pull into the driveway of the suspect’s home, and two occupants exited the vehicle.
The passenger, identified as the suspect, avoided officers and entered his home. The suspect refused to exit his
home or to communicate with police in person. Officers continued to negotiate with the suspect over the phone for
over an hour in an attempt to convince the suspect to voluntarily surrender. After additional officers from Cypress
Police and the La Habra Investigations team arrived at the scene, the suspect surrendered to the police and was
taken into custody without incident.
Stolen Vehicle Recovered
On Sunday, April 8 at 7:00 p.m., officers observed a tan Jeep with its hazard lights flashing stopped on La Palma
Avenue at De Vries Lane. Two male subjects were observed walking towards the Jeep carrying a red gas container.
One subject entered the driver’s side of the Jeep, while the other subject continued walking south on De Vries.
Officers walked up to the Jeep and noticed two hypodermic needles on the passenger seat. A records check of
the vehicle showed that the Jeep was a stolen vehicle from the City of Anaheim. One subject was arrested, while
the other was released at the scene. Police discovered additional contraband in the Jeep, including burglary tools,
methamphetamine, and other narcotic paraphernalia.
DUI Arrest
On Wednesday, April 11 at 11:00 p.m., officers responded to the area of Walker Street and Orangethorpe Avenue
regarding a single-vehicle traffic collision. Officers discovered a single vehicle had struck a power pole and rolled
over. The driver, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured, but trapped inside the vehicle. Orange County Fire
Authority responded and removed the driver from the vehicle. Officers noticed several signs of intoxication, and
conducted a DUI investigation. The driver was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence.
Burglary Arrest
On Friday, April 13 at 2:30 p.m., Buena Park Police detectives were following a burglary suspect when they lost
sight of him in the area of Valley View Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. The subject’s vehicle description was broadcast
to police agencies. Officers located the vehicle, unoccupied, in a Smoke Tree Condominium parking space. As
officers were setting up to watch the vehicle, Cypress Police Department reported that a resident had interrupted
a burglary-in-progress on Watson, and the person matched the subject’s description. Detectives from La Palma,
Cypress, and Buena Park set up positions in the area. At 3:45 p.m., detectives observed the subject enter the vehicle
and drive towards Crescent Avenue. Officers initiated a high-risk car stop in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven, and the
subject was detained without incident. Stolen property from the Cypress burglary was recovered, and the subject
was arrested for burglary.
La Palma Police Department encourages you to call whenever you see suspicious activity in your
neighborhood or elsewhere. Remember:
IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.
City News Briefs
City Preparing 2012-13 Budget - The
City of La Palma has been actively working
on development of the City’s proposed
Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget. At the April
17 City Council meeting, various capital
improvement projects, including paving
projects and water system improvements,
were discussed for inclusion in the draft
budget. On May 1, the overall General Fund revenues and
projected expenditures were discussed. The official draft
budget will be presented for community review at the May
15 City Council meeting. The Community will have two
additional opportunities to provide comments on and discuss
the proposed Fiscal Year 2012-13 Budget at the June 5 and
June 19 meetings, with formal budget adoption scheduled for
June 19. A variety of financial documents are available for
review on the City’s website at www.cityoflapalma.org/finance
or at La Palma City Hall. The City’s proposed budget will
also be available for review starting after May 15 and the final
budget document will be available after it is adopted by the
City Council. Residents are encouraged to participate in the
budget process and attend City Council meetings which start
at 7:00 p.m.
City Commemorates Memorial Day Each year, the City of La Palma honors
those who have served in the military
either at home or abroad, especially
those who sacrificed their lives so that
those who remain may continue to live in
freedom. The City’s Community Activities
and Beautification Committee would like to
recognize all veterans for their service and their willingness
to defend the American way of life. Please join the City on
Monday, May 28, at 9:15 a.m. in front of La Palma City Hall,
7822 Walker Street, as the City recognizes “Generations of
Sacrifice” during its annual Memorial Day Ceremony.
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Calendar of Events
City Council Meeting
City Council Chambers
Tuesday, June 5
7:00 PM
Neighborhood Watch Meeting
City Council Chambers
Wednesday, June 13
7:00 PM
City Council Meeting
City Council Chambers
Tuesday, June 19
7:00 PM
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS
La Palma residents who are licensed amateur radio
operators are invited to attend the next emergency
communications meetings of the La Palma Auxiliary
Communications Service at 6:30 p.m. on one
Wednesday a month.
For agenda details or more information, please
email Corporal Les Parsons (KJ6JBS) at lparsons@
cityoflapalma.org, or call (714) 690-3385.
La Palma Police Department
7792 Walker Street
La Palma, California 90623
www.cityoflapalma.org
[email protected]
(714) 690-3370
For emergencies dial 9-1-1
This Newsletter is hand delivered to every residence
in La Palma by the volunteer members of the La Palma
Neighborhood Watch. Get involved in your community
by helping to keep it safe. You are invited to attend
any Neighborhood Watch meeting, held every second
Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m., in the City Hall
Council Chambers. Contact Kirsten Rowe at (714)
690-3367 for more information.
www.cityoflapalma.org