LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Juveniles

I have been made aware, as have many of you, that there have been fights involving juveniles in and around the village, and that videos of these altercations have been circulated online and in local outlets of news and information.

I realize that these instances are concerning to many residents for whom the issue of juveniles acting inappropriately in our community have become increasingly disturbing. Pacific Palisades Community Council has been discussing these matters at our meetings, and we have been helping find solutions by engaging the appropriate agencies.

Earlier in the year, when the disturbances were concentrated at Palisades Recreation Center, we implored the city’s Department of Recreation & Parks to work with us to install cameras that could pan, tilt and zoom to catch inappropriate conduct and help Los Angeles Police Department identify bad actors and address them. We asked LAPD to increase patrols and focus on areas of heightened disturbance.

Through a combination of community vigilance and LAPD allocating discretionary funds for other resources over to us, we were able to root out the disturbances at the park, reducing them markedly.

A few weeks ago, we were informed that the disturbances had moved to the LA City-owned parking lot on Sunset Boulevard. Businesses there had been adversely impacted by youth disturbances and we were asked to help.

At our urging, LAPD increased their patrols in that area after school and encouraged local businesses to hire a private security agency. The combination made a difference, and that area has seen a reduction in the concerning activity.

Still, residents and business owners are disturbed, and have asked to donate money for a plan to put more enforcement support in place. Now, we see video and reports of fights and unequivocally inappropriate, even toxic, activity in our common spaces.

Notably, LAPD has said that with the end of the school year approaching, the juvenile activity that has been occurring after school will noticeably recede, and Palisades Charter High School has sent out an email to all families reminding them of the importance of being aware of children’s whereabouts after school.

The communication stated that recently, there have been “disruptions occurring in the village, which are totally unacceptable,” and they ask parents to “check in with your children and ensure they are engaging in productive activities if they are in the village. Otherwise, they should be heading straight home.”

In light of all this, PPCC is working to craft a public/private partnership pilot where we can support the Council Office as they find a way to allocate some discretionary funding to LAPD, in order to enable an extra 15 to 20 hours of patrols in Pacific Palisades. Both LAPD Captain Rich Gabaldon as well as Councilmember Traci Park have welcomed the idea, and are discussing options.

We will keep the community abreast of developments and will continue to push for a solution. I welcome all ideas and suggestions from the community. Contact PPCC through its website: pacpalicc.org.

Maryam Zar
President, Pacific Palisades Community Council