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Echo ParkSecurity Association

Crime Down in Area

LAPD year-end statistics show a small overall decreasein criminal activity in 2007 in the Northeast and Rampartdivisions, which include Echo Park. Homicide and Rapeshowed the greatest decline in both divisions. Robberyincreased in the Rampart division, while Northeast saw abump in Burglary/Theft from a Motor Vehicle.

According to Northeast Senior Lead Officer SoniaRimkunas, the Echo Park (Northeast) area in particularsaw a 9.18% decrease in overall crime. Most notably,

Burglary decreased by 35% and Robbery by 25%.

A decrease of 9.18% in overall crime is pretty good,noted Officer Rimkunas, since Chief Bratton's goal forthe city this year was 5%....so Echo Park almost dou-bled that decrease. And what's even more fantastic isthat last year we ended the year with decrease of 19%in overall crime....so to have two years of significantdecreases is GREAT!

*BTFV = Burglary/Theft from a Motor Vehicle

Statistics are from www.lapdonline.org, 1/04/08. Statistics are prelimi-nary and subject to further analysis and revision.

First, on behalf of the Echo Park crew -- Bob, Ed, Glendaand myself -- thank you all for your generous Christmasbonus this year. Your support of the Select Patrol teamthroughout the year and during the holiday season tellsus how much you all appreciate our work in the commu-

nity. Thanks again!

Secondly, I want to update EPSA members and the com-munity in regard to our planned foot patrol for the EchoPark business district, which had been scheduled to rollout last month. Unfortunately, we were not able to launchthe program because we did not believe there was suffi-cient time to screen, hire and train the number of officersrequired to staff that assignment.

Those of you who have been with us over these past 13years in Echo Park know the caliber of people who workfor Select Patrol, and can appreciate that our hiring

process is not a willy-nilly proposition. It takes time todevelop good officers, and we will never cut cornerswhen it comes to the safety of our community.

We plan to visit the foot beat again later this year. I willkeep you posted.

Your Guard,

Darin Williams(323) 644-1014

NewsletterWinter 2008

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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Select Patrol Report

By Darin Williams

Select Patrol Founder/President

Rampart Northeast

Violent Crimes YTD % Change YTD % Change

Homicide 25 -17% 18 -28%

Rape 49 -35% 25 -22%

Robbery 1225 +8% 516 -2%

Aggravated Assault 822 +3% 715 +1%

TOTAL VIOLENT 2121 +4% 1274 -1%

Property Crimes YTD % Change YTD % Change

Burglary 754 -6% 795 -16%

Grand Theft Auto 1291 -6% 1450 -10%

BTFV* 1413 -2% 1713 +7%

Personal/Other 1148 -3% 1333 -11%

TOTAL PROPERTY 4606 -4% 5291 -7%

Select Patrol personnel attended an EPSA-hosted pizzaparty at which year-end bonuses were awarded.

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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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Police Seek Help in Solving Area

Slaying

Rampart Homicide Detectives are seeking informa-tion on the murder of 23-year-old Moses Salinas ofLos Angeles. Salinas was shot on November 21,

2007, at around 2:30 p.m., in the 100 block of WestKensington Road.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to con-tact Rampart Homicide Detectives at 213-207-2060during daytime hours. On weekends or after hours,contact the toll-free 24-hour number at1-877-LAWFULL (1-877-529-3855).

EPSA News & Events

Many thanks to everyone who generouslydonated to our Christmas bonus fund. We wereable to give a bonus of about $900 to each ofthe dedicated Select officers who patrol thisneighborhood. The EPSA steering committeehosted a pizza party for the officers and hand-ed out the bonuses.

Holding the line on inflation: Although gas costsare going up, there are no plans to raise theprice of the patrol service. EPSA membershipdues will remain at the current level of $54 perquarter (for a single address).

Community Safety meetings are resuming afterthe holiday break. Meetings are held at 2:00p.m. at the LAPD Stop-In Center on Echo ParkAvenue (just south of Sunset, next to the Bankof America).

All Echo Park residents and members of thebusiness community are invited to discussissues, share ideas and thoughts with yourneighbors, make your concerns known to your

LAPD representatives and hear the Senior LeadOfficers' perspective on local events.

The currently scheduled meetings are:

Thursday, January 10 Thursday, February 14 Thursday, March 13

If you can pay dues for the whole year, now is agreat time to do so. Paying in advance helpsyour EPSA volunteer block captains, as theyneed to deliver only one bill, and it helps you

because you can forget about paying foranother twelve months.

Echo Park Security Association Newsletter Winter 2008

EPSA Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Are Select Patrol officers armed?

Answer: Yes. Some members have mistakenly assumedthat the patrol officers are unarmed. As a member, youshould know that the Select Patrol officers are armedwith handguns. Each officer has received intensivetraining comparable to that of a sworn police officer.The Select Patrol officers are extremely cautious, asbefits those carrying deadly weapons.

LAPD Contacts

We are privileged to have Senior Lead Officers

(SLOs) from both Rampart and NortheastDivisions working on behalf of Echo Park.

Sonia Rimkunas is the

LAPD Northeast (north ofSunset Blvd.) SLO for our

area. You can reach OfficerRimkunas at (213) 793-

0760.

Louis Ford is the LAPD

Rampart Division (south of

Sunset Blvd.) SLO in EchoPark. You can reach Officer

Ford at (213) 793-0775.