Touching Base: A Message from the Chief
April 15, 2012
Dear Community Members and Department Personnel:
Welcome new readers. Touching Base is a weekly
distribution intended to keep you informed about your police department.
The topics and events appearing in Touching Base are selected at random
and represent a “snap shot” of the activities involving the Pasadena Police
Department. Touching Base is now posted on the Pasadena Police
Department’s Website at: www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/Police. Once at the website,
please scroll down to the heading “News and Events,” where you will find Touching
Base. I hope this new option will increase your access to Touching
Base.
Save the Date: Pasadena Mental Health
Center (PMHC) Fete is scheduled for April 28th. This year,
Pasadena Police Commander John Perez will be honored for his ongoing
support of the mental health center. PMHC provides guidance and
emotional support to a diverse array of everyday people at critical or
difficult times in their lives. PMHC is an affiliate of Five Acres
and is a 501(c) (3) organization. For further information about the fete,
please contact Pasadena Mental Health Center Events Manager, Jasmine
Abghari, at www.5acres.org
or phone number 626 798-6793 x2244. (Source: PMHC Events Manager
Jasmine Abghari).
Save the Date: The
2012 Pasadena Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast is set for Thursday, May 3rd .
Please consider joining Mayor Bill Bogaard, community members, civic
business, professionals, religious, and educational leaders at this very
special event. The event will once again be held at the Pasadena Hilton –
International Ball Room. The doors open at 6:30 a.m. and the program begins
promptly at 7:00 a.m. Pasadena Health Director Dr. Erich Walsh
will be the keynote speaker. His topic is “The Prescription for a Health
City.” You can purchase tickets online at: www.workingfaith.com.
Questions should be directed to Joyce Millikah, PhD, at 626-486-0691 or email
at jmillikan@workingfaith.com.
(Source; Dr. Joyce Millikah).
Save the Date: Mentoring
& Partnership for Youth Development (MPYD) is hosting its 5th
Annual Fundraiser and Dinner May 12th to celebrate 10
years of Mentoring at John Muir High School. The event will be held at
Brookside Golf Course and Mr. John Singleton (Academy Award Nominated
Director / Screen Writer) will deliver the keynote speech. For more information
or tickets, please call 626-396-5600 x82009 or email. info@mpyd.org. (Source:
MPYD).
Our
Community:
On April 12, Mayor Bill Bogaard and
Councilmember Chris Holden sent the following Open Letter to the
Community regarding the McDade shooting:
The officer-involved
shooting death of Kendrec McDade on March 24 is tragic for all
involved, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family. Currently, four
investigations are in motion: by the Los Angeles County District
Attorney, the Office of Independent Review Group, the United States Department
of Justice Civil Rights Program, and the Pasadena Police Department. We believe
the four separate investigations will ensure thoroughness, impartiality, and
fairness. City Manager Michael Beck and Police Chief Phillip Sanchez have
promised the full cooperation of our city and our police department to whatever
extent necessary to allow the investigating agencies to conduct complete and
fair investigations. We support the city manager and police chief,
promising full cooperation and transparency to our community. It is our
hope that the community will be patient, as these investigations cannot be
rushed. Findings are expected within several months and will be made
public through the City Council’s Public Safety Committee for all to review.
Many questions have
been raised about the shooting from city staff and members of the community. It
is our expectation that questions will be answered clearly through the
independent investigative process, regardless of the outcome. Our entire
community needs to know the truth as part of the healing process as we move
forward together. And, of course, the McDade family deserves the
information necessary to help them understand how and why they lost their son.
As elected representatives of our community, we urge all Pasadenans to be
patient and to allow the investigations to run their respective courses and
return their findings. Following the investigations, there will be ample
opportunity for the community and the news media to thoroughly review and
discuss the results.
In the meantime, and
for the long term, it is our hope that this tragedy will lead to dialogue and
actions that will ultimately draw our community closer. (Source: City of
Pasadena PIO Tim McGillivray)
On April 11, Lieutenant Phlunte Riddle
and I attended the Clergy Community Coalition meeting, which was held at Lake
Avenue Church. The monthly meeting facilitates networking between local
government and the clergy. Assistant City Manager Steve Mermell
was also present at the meeting.
On April 11, the City of Los Angeles presented the
Robinson Family with a Council Resolution celebrating the 11th
Annual Jackie Robinson Day. Los Angeles Councilmember LaBonge provided
brief remarks. Pasadena Police Lieutenant Phlunte Riddle and
I were in the audience and watched as the Robinson Family accepted the
award. It was a real honor to participate in such a special event to
honor a family who has had significant influence in our community.
On April 11, I stopped by a community dinner program
at the Jackie Robinson Center. Community Leader Walt Jackson, Pasadena
Human Services and Recreation Neighborhood Service Administrator Horace
Wormely, and Supervisor Jarvis Emerson, were also at the program.
The community dinner program is a generous resource provided by Robin
Salzer, owner - “Robin BBQ.”
On April 11, Assistant City Manager Steve Mermell
and I meet with the Pasadena Athletic Association, which is a local bicycling
club. In our meeting, we talked about bicycle safety and the relationship
between motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. If we hope to reduce traffic
collisions or accidents on our roadways, it is critically important that people
remain alert and aware of the traffic conditions.
On April 12, several Pasadena Police employees
attended the San Gabriel Valley Chapter NOBLE General Membership Meeting, which
was held at the Jackie Robinson Center. The keynote speaker was Bert Tibbet
(local business owner and former land developer), who provided his perspective
on the impact of the 210 Freeway on Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley.
Bert is also a Pasadena Police Volunteer.
On April 13, several Pasadena Police executives and
I attended a retirement ceremony for Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Captain Steve
McLean. Steve’s event was held at the Pasadena Masonic Temple and was well
attended. Steve recently retired from the sheriff’s department after serving
the county for more than 34 years. He was the top cop at the Altadena
Station prior to his retirement. Congratulations Steve on your
retirement!
On April 14, the graduation for Kids Safety Academy
#26 was held at the Tournament of Roses. This program was coordinated by
Police Specialist Arlene Ramos and supervised by Sergeant Michael D.
Bugh. Volunteer Photographer Mirsa Serrano took photos of the
kids and Volunteers Abraham Tarin and Robert Calzada
assisted. Deputy Chief Darryl Qualls and Commander Chris Russ presented
certificates to 19 children and were joined by their parents. Lieutenant Diego
Torres, Officer Steve Oberon, Park Safety Specialists Antonio Ambrozevicius
and Noel Herrera, Pasadena Police Foundation board members Mary
Wilson and Inman Moore attended. This program is funded by the Pasadena
Police Foundation for children ages 6 to 11 and is based on the principles of
Neighborhood Watch, where city lifesaving services work together to teach
children how to grow up to become safe, strong, and confident individuals. The
Pasadena Police Department began hosting Kids Safety Academies in Pasadena in
2003.
On April 14, I attended a community wide outreach
forum at the First AME Church of Pasadena. The forum included a panel
of local leaders to discuss relevant issues in our community. Topics
included parenting, mentoring, young people and the law, and programs available
to Pasadena youth. Panel members included Pastor Williams (First AME), Gary
Moody (Men’s Black Forum), Joe Hopkins (Attorney and Editor), Techumseh Shackeford
(MYPD), Pasadena Police Lieutenant Rodney D. Wallace and me.
Pasadena’s Finest:
On March 28, The Pasadena Police Department hosted a
Mutual Aid Area “C” Training day, which was held at the Rose Bowl. Over
200 local law enforcement agencies from Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties
participated in the training, which focused on crowd control, mobile force
tactics. The training day was coordinated by Pasadena Police Sergeant Bobby
Crees, Officer Mike Gligorijevic, and officers assigned to the
Special Enforcement Section (SES).
On March 29, several Pasadena Police employees
partnered with the Special Olympics of Southern California and hosted the
Tip-A-Cop event at Hamburger Hamlet, Pasadena. The event was a huge
success and we raised some money for the Special Olympics. Special thanks to
the event coordinator, Pasadena Police Officer Anthony Riley, and all
who assisted with the program.
On March 29, several Pasadena Police employees
attended the California Attorney General’s Zone 1 meeting in Los Angeles.
As part of the meeting, several awards were issued to local and state law
enforcement officers. Pasadena Police Deputy Chief Darryl Qualls and
Officer Anthony Russo were honored for their efforts in establishing the
Pasadena / Altadena Reintegration Council and Enforcement Team. The Pasadena
Police Department’s Special Enforcement Section (SES) received an award
as SWAT Team of the year. The award acknowledged SES’s efforts to reduce
gang activity and eliminate nuisance locations within our community.
Lastly, Pasadena Police Volunteer Harry Kouladjian was honored for
donating more than 5,000 hours of service to our community.
On March 30, Pasadena Police Explorer Ariel Jones
was honored by the Pasadena Rotary Club for her leadership and participation in
the Rotary Youth Leadership Award (RYLA) Conference. Along with another young
person (who attended the conference), Ariel provided a few brief remarks about
her experience at RYLA. Special thanks to Rotarian Dave Cardenas for
selecting Ariel for this great opportunity.
On April 2, I received an email from Councilmember Steve
Madison’s Field Representative, Takako Suzuki, commending
Pasadena Police Lieutenant Peter Hettema and Police Specialist Laura
Morris for their participation in the District 6 PERT Training.
On April 2, Pasadena Police Lieutenant Rodney
D Wallace attended the First Responders Reception hosted by Vice President Joe
Biden. Approximately 75 law enforcement and fire service professions from
around the nation attended the reception in Washington, DC.
Office of Community Oriented Policing Director, Bernard Melekian,
attended the reception as well. Rodney represented the
Pasadena Police Department as well as the National Organization of Black Law
Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), where he currently serves as the West Region
Vice President.
On April 5, I received an electronic message from
Beverly Hills Police Chief David Snowden commending Pasadena Police Commander
Lisa Rosales for her participation as a panelist for a promotional process
at the Beverly Hills Police Department. Chief Snowden said Lisa’s experience
certainly provided valuable insight.
On April 5, I received notice that Pasadena Police
Corporal Bobby Jenkins and Officer Sean Dawkins assisted with the
Victory Park Spring Event, which is sponsored by the Department of Human
Services and Recreation. With Bobby and Sean’s support, Recreation
Supervisor Kenny James was able to provide a pancake breakfast to 70 residents
who attended the event. This event is a great example of the
collaboration between city departments while serving our community.
On April 11, the Pasadena Police Department hosted a
training day focused on homeland security and defense. The program was
designed to educate Terrorist Liaison Officers (TLOs) and other first
responders about appropriate reporting methods when terrorism is
suspected. The training facility was pack with officers and civilians
from several local jurisdictions. Special thanks to Pasadena Police
Officer Anthony Burgess for coordinating the training, which was held at
Parsons.
Critical Incidents:
On March 30, at about 9:15 p.m. Pasadena Police
Helicopter Pilot Mark Mendenhall and Tactical Flight Officer Ryan
Smith responded to the City of Los Angeles at the request of the Burbank
Airport Tower staff. While flying to Burbank, Mark and Ryan learned that
a commercial airplane pilot had suffered a laser strike during flight. While
searching the area, Mark and Ryan also suffered a laser strike. Mark and Ryan
determined the origin of the laser and notified ground units, who responded to
a North Hollywood residence. At the residence, law enforcement officers
contacted the suspect who admitted to pointing the laser at the airplane and
helicopter. The suspect was arrested without incident.
On March 31, at about 6:30 a.m. Pasadena Police
received a call regarding an armed subject in the 500 block of South Arroyo
Parkway. On arrival, officers observed the subject and ordered him to
surrender. He then fled to a nearby parking structure. The area was
contained and the suspect was ultimately arrested. A search of the area
resulted in the recovery of a replica handgun and burglary tools. It was later
determined that the suspect was on active parole.
On March 31, at about 12:00 p.m. Pasadena Police
Canine Officer Donovan Jones and his K9 partner assisted a regional
narcotics team with their investigation. Donovan and his partner
conducted a narcotics search, which resulted in the recovery of 1.5 pounds of
tar heroin. The suspects were arrested without incident and the evidence
was recovered.
On March 31, at about 3:30 p.m. Pasadena Police
officers responded to the area of Mentone Avenue and Pepper Street regarding a
shooting. On arrival, officers talked with the victim (B/M, 40s) who said
he was sitting in his personal vehicle when the suspect(s) drove (slowly) by in
a car and shot at him. Fortunately, the victim was not hit by the gunfire. If
you have information about this incident, please call Pasadena Lieutenant
Tracey Ibarra at 626-744-4241 or you can report the information anonymously by
using Crime Stoppers (800-222-TIPS, http://lacrimesstoppers.org).
On April 1, the Pasadena Police Department
responded a call for assistance by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department,
Altadena Station. The sheriff’s deputies were investigating a barricaded
suspect near Lincoln Avenue and Altadena Drive and requested specialized
resources from PPD. Ultimately, PPD officers used the Bearcat Rescue
vehicle to evacuate residents who were near the incident. After the
residents had been evacuated our mission was complete. Unfortunately, the
barricaded suspect committed suicide. The entire case was investigated by
the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
On April 1, at about 8:00 p.m. Pasadena Police
were notified about two missing juveniles. The parents of the children
reported them missing when they failed to return home after attending a
celebration. PPD detectives were notified and responded to
investigate the missing juveniles. After an extended period of time, the
juveniles were located unharmed, near a Metro Train Station. The incident
was covered by the local media: www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_20304894/pasadena-police-seek-two-missing-12-year-old.
On April 10, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Pasadena Police officers monitored a large protest which started near Marengo
Avenue and Green Street. The protestors obeyed all appropriate laws as
they walked to a business located near Colorado Boulevard and Lake
Avenue. There were approximately 250 marchers; however, there were no
arrests associated with the protest. Lieutenant Richard Aversano and
Sergeants Rudy Lemos and Vasken Gourdikian monitored the
demonstration.
On April 11, at about 12:05 p.m. Pasadena Police
officers responded to the 300 block of Penn Street regarding a residential
burglary. A witness called police after seeing the suspect in the
backyard of his neighbor’s home. As PPD offices arrived to
investigate, the suspect fled; however, he was detained a short distance
later. Following a field investigation, Officers Ralph Ordonez and Lucia
Varela determined a residential burglary had occurred. The suspect was
arrested without incident and process at the Pasadena jail.
On April 12, at about 11:15 p.m. Pasadena Police
officers responded to the 2000 block of El Sereno Avenue regarding shots
fired. On arrival, officers learned that several males were standing near
Montana Street and El Sereno Avenue when the suspect fired several shots
at them. Fortunately, no one was injured. If you have information about
this shooting, please call Pasadena Lieutenant Tracey Ibarra at 626-744-4241 or
you can report the information anonymously by using Crime Stoppers
(800-222-TIPS, http://lacrimesstoppers.org).
Sincerely,
Phillip L. Sanchez
Chief of Police
Pasadena Police Department
207 N. Garfield Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91101
(626) 744-4545
Mission First, People Always