Basic Cars

Every month, the Sherman Oaks Community Neghbourhood Watch "Block" Captains meet with the three Senior Lead Officers (SLOs) assigned to Sherman Oaks. Twice a year, they hold longer meeting called the Basic Car Meeting, which is open to the public, with special guest speakers, crime prevention information, and crime updates. Here are some interesting items discussed tonight:

• Captain Miller of the Van Nuys Community Police Station started off the night with basic statistics within the station's jurisdiction (so that includes Van Nuys and other areas of the Valley). Violent Crime is down 50% from two years ago. Property crimes (residential robberies, stolen cars, etc) top off the list for problems in this area.


• Four years ago, the City began the Neighbourhood Prosecutor Program to address a wide range of Quality of Life issues such as transients, misuse of vacant buildings, and parking issues with on location filming.


• Once a month, the LAPD works with the Southern California Shopping Cart Retrieval (don't know if that's really the company's name) to do a Sherman Oaks "sweep." Starting next month, they are being efficient by doing their monthly sweep on Wednesdays. What is Wednesday? Trash Day! So while patrolling for shopping carts, they will also be patrolling for people digging through your trash.


• An officer from the Community Tagger Taskforce presented useful information on tagging and graffiti. Interestingly, the conversation led to a good many of the local taggers are youth from south of the boulevard (Ventura). One young South Boulevardian was caught and fined $85,000 in the damages he caused. It was paid in cash.


• When it comes to gangs and tagging, look out for the number 13 or XIII. Supposedly the 13 identifies the tag as a bona fide Southern Californian gang. 14 or XIV can mean a gang from Northern California.


• Since power tools can make you a few bucks on the black market, construction site burglaries have been on the rise. A good way to identify a construction site bandit is if it is Sunday. No construction is allowed on Sundays, therefore, no one should be there.


• Supposedly, a few years ago, a good deal of classic and/or unique cars were being stolen in Sherman Oaks. It ended up being "some guy" in Beverly Hills adding to his collection.


• Quote of the Night: "If they are in Sherman Oaks, they are not homeless." While tempted to leave that one to your imaginations, I should explain. There is a difference between Transients and Homeless. As explained, transients will not accept social services available to them that would help them get off the streets.