South American Crime Ring Arrested Today

At a press conference earlier today, the FBI, US Attorney and local DA's announced that the masterminds behind the South American criminal ring targeting communities like Brentwood had been arrested. Mayor Bass called BHA to give us the good news. You can read more about this criminal tourism ring that operated out of a rental car company or US Attorney Martin Estrada's remarks.

Key Takeaways from Monday's Meeting

460 people registered for Monday's meeting and 300 signed on to hear what the City is doing to fight crime in our area. Statistics show a 45% increase in residential burglaries and a 150% increase in "hot prowls" (where the criminals encounter the resident). Coupled with the recent home invasions (where the homeowners were threatened), Brentwood residents do not feel safe in their home.

Mayor Karen Bass and Police Chief Dominic Choi acknowledged there is a crime problem in Brentwood, committed to doing everything they can to solve it and promised to keep these resources here until they do.

additional high visibility patrol cars in the area (amber lights on during patrol)
air support
specialized detectives assigned to help solve the crimes
extra officers walking San Vicente Blvd
unmarked police vehicles patrolling the area

The LAPD Communications Division Commanding Officer, Captain Ray Valois, addressed the community's issue with the wait time calling 911. He acknowledged that the time on hold for 911 was unacceptable and that he is doing everything he can to recruit and train new operators. He has hired more people in the last year which has improved the response time, but it is still not good enough. The focus is to bring 911 up to the national standard of answering 90% of all calls in 15 secs or less (not 6-7 minutes). Unfortunately, until 911 is fixed, we will experience longer wait times for the non-emergency police line. The Mayor and the Police Chief are aware there is a problem and are focused on fixing it. So while we wait for the City to retain and recruit more police officers (which is ongoing) and more operators are hired to get through to the police faster, what should we do?

What We As a Community Can Do

Tonight at 5:30pm, community groups will come together on a zoom meeting hosted by the Brentwood Community Council to discuss what they are doing to enhance security and make Brentwood a less desirable place for criminals. Whether it's 24/7 private security patrols, Flock Safety cameras, Neighborhood Watch groups on WhatsApp, or home hardening technologies like glass film, individual streets and residents have started to band together to do what they can to protect their homes and family. As we have stated many times before, USE YOUR ALARM. While none of us want to be prisoners in our home, if you are in for an extended period of time, set your alarm so those glass break sensors work. Get a mobile panic button on a string or make sure you know your alarm company's panic code in case you are home when someone breaks in. A panic call will not set off the alarm but will notify your security company of an emergency and will send help. This is especially important given the longer wait times on 911.

See Something, Say Something

Many of you have noticed suspicious cars in your neighborhood or individuals jumping fences or going around into your neighbor's backyard. You do not have to be the victim to report it. If you see someone who you think is scoping a home out or has gone into the back, and thus trespassing on your neighbor's home, make a note of all the details (date, time, appearance, address, any video footage) and file a trespass report online or email our Senior Lead Officer Matt Kirk. You can try the non-emergency LAPD line, but the wait times can be as long as 45 minutes. Or email BHA and we will pass it along. You can find Officer Kirk's number on our website under the Public Safety Tab. You can also find our Burglary Prevention Tips under the Resources Tab.

Flock Safety Cameras

BHA is working with Flock Safety to install cameras within BHA boundaries. Placement is key and many factors go into placement of the cameras. Currently cameras are only allowed on private property, even though public right of ways may be better suited. Mayor Bass and Councilwoman Traci Park are working to help expedite the process of getting access to City property so we can more easily add another layer of protection to our neighborhoods.