By Mary O’KEEFE

Last week the Glendale Police Dept. held an informative meeting for Neighborhood Watch leaders and those interested in the program. Presenting the program was Officer Matt Zakarian.

Zakarian is well known in the Crescenta Valley area for his work within the community, including as a founding member of the CV Drug and Alcohol Prevention Coalition. Zakarian is now part of the GPD Crime Impact Team.

At the meeting he said one of the ways to prevent crime is by developing strong Neighborhood Watch programs. The talk on Friday at Sparr Heights was a step toward strengthening present Neighborhood Watch programs, and creating more throughout the area.

Zakarian was not alone at the presentation; he came to the meeting with several representatives of the Crime Impact Team, detectives and staff including those from the Burglary Unit and traffic officers. Among the information distributed to the  audience was GPD statistics from December 2018 of all incidents responded to by police, including seven calls about a barking dog and 10 burglary-in-progress calls.

Former community officer, now detective with the Burglary Unit, Abe Chung spoke about what happens after a police report is filed concerning a burglary. He emphasized that police need as much information as possible  – even the smallest detail could be something that leads them to the suspect. He spoke of one suspect who would burglarize vehicles, either unlocked or locked, and find garage remote controls. With that he would enter residences.

“This was [usually] about 3:30 in the morning, when the residents were home,” Chung said.

In one case, the suspect stole a resident’s pants and his wallet. He later used the credit card at a local coffee shop; however, police were not able to get surveillance that was helpful.

“But at one of the [burglary locations], I noticed some half-eaten strawberries on the ground,” he said. He was able to get DNA from the strawberries.

Processing the strawberries for DNA was not something done quickly – it took several months; however, detectives did get a “hit” on a suspect who had then been arrested in New Jersey.

“So I needed to [now] build the case,” he said. “We got search warrants for his home.”

The suspect lived with other family members. Chung said when he walked into the suspect’s 8-by-10 bedroom it was filled with stolen property. GPD was able to identify other victims, including three in La Cañada Flintridge, two in the area of the Los Angeles Police Dept. and six or seven in the Glendale and CV areas – all from finding half-eaten strawberries.

“You can help us,” he told the audience.

He added that residents know their neighborhoods so well they might notice something out of place easier than responding officers.

“Every little detail helps,” he added.

In addition to Chung, presenters included the Crime Impact Team: Lt. Danny Carver, Sgt. Patrick Magtoto and Officer Gonzalo Zendejas. Tahnee Lightfoot was also on hand as the media relations/social media representative. It is her job to keep the public informed via social media and to act as the media spokeswoman for the department.

Lightfoot explained how she will go through all the reports every morning and share information with the public through the department’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. 

And we use Everbridge for [major] events like earthquakes,” she added.

Lightfoot’s job is to keep the flow of communication open between the police and the public when incidents are occurring, including posting information on missing persons like when an elderly person walks away from his/her home, as well as communicating what is happening in general in the Glendale area.

An audience member asked for clarification on calling 911.

“We were told at one time not to dial 911 [from a cellphone] because it would go to [California Highway Patrol],” the audience members said.

But Lightfoot said to call 911 in case of an emergency. Carver added that calling 911 from a cellphone from within the City of Glendale will go to GPD dispatch.

“It is all up to the [closest] cell tower,” he said.

GPD volunteers were also represented including Jon Bales and Dave Coulter who spoke of their roles in crime prevention.

Coulter told the audience of his assignment when a request is made for vacation watch. Volunteers are a presence in neighborhoods especially when residents are on holiday away from their homes. Volunteers check resident doors to make certain they are still locked and check back gates to make certain they are still closed. They report any suspicious behavior to GPD officers.

Coulter advised anyone in the Glendale area who would like to sign up for a vacation watch to go online to www.glendaleca.gov and click on Vacation Watch or to call (818) 548-4818.

More Neighborhood Watch meetings are being planned. For information, email Officer Zakarian at mzakarian@ci.glendale.ca.us.

  Mary Okeefe