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Crime Up - Monrovia Blames State; Historic Tours; City Wins Financial Reporting Award; Police Carry a Torch; Park at Train Station

In his weekly update (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) Monrovia City Manager Oliver Chi reports ...

~ Serious crime is up in Monrovia, as it is across the state. In 2016 it went up nearly 20% in the city compared to 2015. Chi said the state's new laws (AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57) have attracted out-of-state criminals. He writes: "Many are unaware that during the past several years, the State has enacted multiple new laws that have taken away and weakened certain law enforcement authorities, which have eroded public safety efforts."

~ The Monrovia Historical Society has scheduled four narrated tours of Monrovia, each of which only has room for just 14 people.

- June 24, 10 a.m. - The Northwest Quarter
- July 22, 10 a.m. - The Northeast Quarter
- Aug. 26, 10 a.m. - The Southeast Quarter
- Sept. 23, 10 a.m. - The Southwest Quarter

Cost is $50 per person per tour, or $40 for Monrovia Historical Society members.  ($25 off if you buy all four tickets.) All proceeds go to the society to preserve and share Monrovia's history.  To buy tickets contact the Monrovia Historical Society at 256-3423 ormonroviahistoricalsociety1896@gmail.com.

~ Monrovia has been awarded the Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, the highest honor possible through the GFOA program.

~ Non-metro riders can now park at the train station parking lot during off hours for $5. Off hours are Monday through Friday - 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. and Saturday, Sunday and Federal holidays. If you are going to ride the train, parking is free.

~ Monrovia Police Department will participate in a Special Olympics Torch Run this Thursday, June 8.  Monrovia Police will pick up the torch at the intersection of Myrtle and Live Oak and carry it 5.41 miles to Red Lobster on Huntington Drive, where they'll hand it off to Arcadia Police.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Woman vs. Man; Man vs. Woman; Son vs. Mom; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for June 1-4. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 1 at 10:43 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 900 block of S. Magnolia when he recognized a subject he knew to have an outstanding warrant. The officer detained the subject, confirmed the warrant and took him into custody. The subject was booked and held pending a court appearance.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
June 1 at 2:31 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle in the 400 block of W. Huntington Drive for committing a vehicle code violation. The officer contacted the driver and a computer check revealed an outstanding arrest warrant, and that the subject was unlicensed. The suspect was taken into custody, booked and held pending a court appearance.

Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 6:33 a.m., a solo-vehicle traffic collision was reported in the 900 block of E. Huntington Drive. Officers arrived and contacted the driver, who demonstrated signs of alcohol intoxication. The investigation determined the subject was intoxicated and collided into a parked vehicle. No injuries were sustained. The suspect was arrested, booked and held for a sobering period. She was then released with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Domestic Violence – Suspect Arrested
June 2 at 8:52 p.m., a domestic dispute was reported in the 100 block of N. Myrtle. A couple who were living together were ending their relationship and the female was moving out. As the male subject was helping her get her things out of the residence, the female became upset and threw a hard object at the male subject, striking him in the back of the head and causing a large laceration. The female was arrested for domestic violence.

Domestic Violence
June 3 at 7:12 a.m., a female resident in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue called police to report that she and her boyfriend were involved in a verbal argument that turned physical. The male suspect fled prior to police arriving. The female subject had no visible injuries, however, she complained of pain to her shoulder. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
June 3 at 8:11 a.m., a vehicle vandalism was reported in the 200 block of W. Chestnut Avenue. The victim parked his vehicle on the street and left it there overnight. He returned to his vehicle in the morning and found damage to his driver-side window. A rock had been used to smash the window. No entry was made and nothing was taken from vehicle. The investigation is continuing.

Petty Theft – Suspect Arrested
June 3 at 7:23 p.m., a petty theft was reported at a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington Drive. A male suspect entered the business, selected items and then exited without paying. An officer responded and the suspect was arrested and taken into custody.

Public Intoxication – Suspects Arrested
June 3 at 8:52 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Palm and Alta Vista to check on the welfare of two females. They arrived and found both women were extremely intoxicated and unable to care for themselves or others. They were arrested for being drunk in public.

Family Disturbance / Battery – Suspect Arrested
June 4 at 8:59 p.m., a family disturbance was reported in the 900 block of S. Fifth Avenue. Officers responded on the report of a mother and son arguing. The investigation revealed the son had hit his mother and tried to prevent her from calling the police for help. The suspect was arrested.

Monrovia City Budget; Outsourcing Check Processing; Raise Park Maintenance Fee? Etc.

Divvying up the budget pie.

At its Tuesday, June 6 meeting (agenda: https://goo.gl/u7Rx5B) the Monrovia City Council will consider...

~ Its 2017-19 General Fund budget, which, "is structurally balanced in both years." The city expects that for 2017-18 it will bring in $42.4 million and spend $41.65 million, and for 2018-19 bring in $43.64 and spend $43.54 million. https://goo.gl/EiZylW

~ Outsourcing utility bill check processing to the Whittier company, RT Lawrence. It'll cost about $22,166 the first year of the contract, then about $15,516 annually thereafter. As more residents
utilize online payment, this cost may decrease. https://goo.gl/awCl3J

~ Raising the fee for the citywide Park Maintenance District by 24 cents, from $11.53 to $11.77 for a single-family dwelling unit. https://goo.gl/0tnrwi

~ The fee for the Lighting and Landscaping Maintenance District. City staff is recommending leaving it as is. https://goo.gl/wLxYUe

~ Granting a Conditional Use Permit so Bowden Development can build a four-unit, two-story resdential project at 902 W. Colorado Blvd. https://goo.gl/D4HFFd

~ Granting a Historic Landmark designation to the house at 228 W. Olive Ave. Staff is recommending approval. https://goo.gl/sKxWeV

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at Wang's Place

 
Dinner recently at Wang's Place, on Lemon just east of Myrtle. It is kind of an outgrowth of the old Wang's Palace, but has a more hip, bar feeling to it. Got the orange chicken for $12.50 And a beer for $5. I don't know why it is but I'll get the same brand of beer at different places and it tastes different. Anyway, it tastes great here. And the orange chicken was good and filling.

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia's AeroVironment Gets $36.5 Million Contract From Australian Military


The Australian Defence Force has selected Monrovia's AeroVironment to provide it with its Wasp hand-launched drone system. The contract calls for the delivery of Wasp AE systems over a three-year period, as well as training and logistics support for up to ten years, for a total AeroVironment contract value of up to USD $36.5 million. https://goo.gl/7Ezozk


- Brad Haugaard

Stolen Car Hits Parked Car - Driver Abandons Car; Woman Arrested After Man Gives Her a Lift

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 29-31. - Brad Haugaard]

During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 420 service events, resulting in 79 investigations.

Theft From a Vehicle
May 29 at 10:56 a.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista regarding a theft from a vehicle. The victim reported that she had secured her vehicle the day before at 2:00 p.m. When she returned to her vehicle and entered, she realized it was unlocked. She then saw items strewn about the vehicle. The items had previously been in the glovebox and center console. She reported that several items were missing. There was no sign of forced entry. The investigation is continuing.

Hit & Run Traffic Collision / Stolen Vehicle Recovered
May 29 at 9:27 p.m., a hit and run traffic collision was reported at Encinitas and Foothill. The suspect vehicle hit a parked vehicle. The driver exited the suspect vehicle and entered a silver sedan that fled the area. The suspect vehicle that remained unoccupied at the collision was found to be a stolen vehicle reported to the Los Angeles Police Department the day prior. A silver sedan resembling the description of the vehicle the suspect fled in was stopped by officers nearby, but none of the witnesses were able to identify the suspect or the vehicle that fled the location. The subjects were identified and released. The investigation is continuing.

Assault – Suspect Arrested
May 30 at 3:51 p.m., police dispatch received a call from a subject reporting her boyfriend had been involved in a fight at a business in the 700 block of E. Huntington and he was unconscious. Officers responded and determined two subjects had been involved in a fight. The victim sustained injuries to his face and the suspect had fled the scene. The officer conducted further investigation, identified the suspect and entered a wanted person entry into the law enforcement database for the suspect's arrest. On May 31, the suspect came to the Monrovia Police Department Lobby and turned himself in to police. The suspect was arrested without incident.

Violation of Restraining Order
May 30 at 7:55 p.m., a suspicious vehicle was reported to police with its engine running in a business parking lot in the 2100 block of S. Myrtle. Officers arrived on scene and detained two subjects inside the vehicle. A computer check revealed there was a domestic violence restraining order against one of the parties and the other party was the protected person of the order. The protected person advised that he voluntarily picked up the restrained subject because she was hitch-hiking from Arizona. Officers arrested the restrained person and took her into custody for violation of the court order.

County Considering Stormwater Tax, But Monrovia's Costs May Be a Bit Less; And More


The City of Monrovia's new web site.

In his weekly update, City Manager Oliver Chi writes that ...

~ A recent test shows that stormwater runoff in Monrovia contains less lead than previously thought, which will reduce the clean-up costs for the city. Chi writes that, "the Regional Water Board correspondence provides us with formal notification that we will not have to capture / treat as much stormwater as we once thought."

~ Meanwhile, the LA County Board of Supervisors is considering a parcel tax increase, to be decided upon over the next nine months, to do stormwater cleanup.

~ Parking Company of America will begin operating the Monrovia Transit system on June 1.

~ Here is the summer edition of the activity guide Monrovia Today: https://goo.gl/Bdg3Vt

~ The Fourth of July Concert and Fireworks Show at Library Park will begin at 7 p.m. with a performance by Night Owl, then a free 20 minute fireworks show at 9 p.m.

- Brad Haugaard

State May Require Schools to Start No Earlier Than 8:30 A.M.

A bill by State Senator Anthony Portantino, who represents Monrovia, to require middle and high schools to start their days no earlier than 8:30 a.m. has passed the Senate and now goes to the Assembly. Portantino's office says 8:30 is the "optimal time to start school for improved public health of teenage students" and that, "This is believed to be the first time a school start time bill of this nature has passed any legislative house in the country."

Source: Portantino press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Drunk Driving; Drunk Sleeping at the Wheel; Drunk Yelling; Woman Dragged by Hair; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 25-28. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 25 at 8:03 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1100 block of S. Ivy when he recognized a male subject near the intersection of Cherry and Ivy. The subject was a wanted suspect in a fraud incident that occurred a week prior. The suspect was arrested and held pending his court appearance.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 25 at 7:01 p.m., officers responded to the intersection of Mayflower and Diamond regarding a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a pedestrian. Monrovia paramedics arrived on scene and treated the injured party. Both parties were identified and a traffic collision report was completed.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 26 at 12:05 a.m., an officer observed a vehicle commit a vehicle code violation near Mountain and Huntington. The driver was stopped and the investigation revealed the driver was intoxicated and too impaired to drive a motor vehicle. He was arrested and held for a sobering period. He was later released with a citation to appear in court.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 26 at 4:09 a.m., police dispatch was notified of a vehicle that was stopped in the middle of the street in the 100 block of E. Central and the driver appeared to be slumped over the steering wheel. Officers arrived and determined the driver was intoxicated. The subject was too impaired to drive a motor vehicle and he was arrested for driving under the influence. The subject was held for a sobering period and later released with a citation to appear in court.

Shoplifting
May 26 at 2:40 p.m., a shoplifting incident was reported by a business in the 500 block of W. Huntington. A male suspect stole merchandise and ran out the emergency exit. As he exited the store, he dropped the merchandise and fled the area. Officers conducted an area check, but the suspect was not located. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 26 at 2:58 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle in the 400 block of W. Hillcrest for a traffic violation. The driver was found to have an outstanding warrant for his arrest. He was arrested per the authority of the warrant.

Domestic Violence / Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 27 at 12:34 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 700 block of W. Foothill on the report of domestic battery. The female victim reported that her boyfriend pulled her hair. Officers spoke to both parties and learned the male suspect pulled his girlfriend’s hair and dragged her from the bedroom to the living room by her hair. The suspect also had a warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and taken into custody for domestic violence and the warrant.

Warrant / Possession of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
May 27 at 2:42 p.m., loss prevention at a business in the 300 block of W. Huntington called police to report a male and female inside the store acting suspicious. Officers arrived and contacted the two subjects in the store. A computer check revealed the female had an outstanding warrant for her arrest. She was arrested for the warrant and while being searched, methamphetamine was found in her possession. The additional charge was added.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 27 at 5:08 p.m., a possible drunk driver was reported to police at Duarte and Myrtle. An officer located the vehicle in the 700 block of E. Huntington in a business parking lot. The officer contacted the driver, who was behind the wheel with the engine running. Through investigation, the driver was determined to be driving under the influence. The driver was arrested for DUI and also had a suspended license.

Injury Traffic Collision / Driving Under the Influence
May 28 at 12:04 a.m., officers responded to the area of Myrtle and Central regarding a multi-vehicle traffic collision. Four vehicles were involved in the accident and three people were injured. The investigation showed a vehicle was traveling south on Myrtle and it collided at a high rate of speed with three other vehicles that were stopped at the intersection. The driver appeared to be intoxicated and was injured. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. Two other occupants from the other vehicles were also taken to the hospital for minor head and facial injuries. The case will be brought to the District Attorney to file charges.

Wanted – Suspect Arrested
May 28 at 8:48 a.m., officers on patrol in the 400 block of W. Huntington located a vehicle affiliated with a male subject wanted for questioning by the El Monte Police Department. The vehicle was stopped and the wanted subject was located. He was later released to the El Monte Police Department. The vehicle was returned to the registered owner.

Disturbing Subject / Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
May 28 at 10:04 a.m., officers responded to the 100 block of W. Palm regarding a disturbing subject yelling in the area. They arrived and located a male subject who was yelling at a second subject and being disruptive. The male subject was extremely intoxicated and was arrested for being drunk in public. He was held for a period of sobering.

Grand Theft Auto – Suspects Arrested
May 28 at 11:00 a.m., a vehicle was reported stolen from the 1100 block of Royal Oaks sometime between 6:30 and 11:00 a.m. The vehicle was equipped with LoJack. The vehicle was located in the Arcadia Mall parking lot and two suspects were arrested.

Threatening
May 28 at 2:47 p.m., a resident in the 1700 block of S. Mayflower called police to report her ex-husband had returned and demanded for her to let him into the residence. She told him no and that she was going to phone the police. He then threatened her, telling her he was going to kill her when she left the house. The victim indicated that the suspect was homeless and was unstable. Police conducted and area check for the suspect, but were unable to locate him. He was entered into the law enforcement database as a wanted person.

Injury Traffic Collision
May 28 at 8:28 p.m., an injury traffic collision was reported in the 1800 block of S. Mountain. The vehicle was witnessed colliding into a parked vehicle. Officers arrived and found the driver collided into a parked truck and trailer. The driver sustained injuries from the collision and was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Permanent Sign Posts Go In For Hillside Preserve

 
The city has begun installing the permanent trail sign posts for the Hillside Wilderness Preserve. You can see the temporary sign in the lower right. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Church Offers Community Development Grants

Visited the Fellowship Monrovia church this morning, the church that meets at Monrovia High, and saw this item in the church bulletin:

 

Kinda cool idea, providing seed money for projects to benefit the community. I hope other churches pick up on the idea.

- Brad Haugaard 

Route 66 Concert - Jazz and 40s Music Exploring America's Great Highway


The San Gabriel Valley Choral Company will present "Route 66 - Music and the All-American Highway," a concert with soloists and instrumentalists featuring American music from the 1940s, jazz, show tunes and songs that explore our relationship with this historic highway and tell stories of life's journey on Saturday, June 24, with a silent auction and refreshments at 6 p.m., and concert at 7 p.m.  Tickets are $5 for children, $15 for students and seniors, and $20 for the general public. The concert will be held at Saint Luke Episcopal Church at 122 S. California Ave. in Monrovia. More information at www.choralcompany.org or by calling 818-802-9620.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Council to Study 2017-19 Budget

The Monrovia City Council will study the 2017-19 fiscal budget at a special meeting on Tuesday, May 30, at 5 p.m. At City Hall if you'd like to join them.

- Brad Haugaard

Dinner at T Phillip's

  
Dinner at T Phillip's, at Myrtle and Colorado. Got the Buffalo Chicken Salad for $14 and a small beer for $6.50. Fresh and spicy.   

- Brad Haugaard 

Monrovia Police: Drugs and Alcohol; Another Catalytic Converter Stolen

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 22-24. - Brad Haugaard]
During the last seven-day period, the Police Department handled 430 service events, resulting in 86 investigations.

Violation of Restraining Order
May 22 at 10:03 a.m., a resident in the 1400 block of S. Magnolia called police to report her adult daughter was at her home in violation of a restraining order on file against her. Officers responded and located the daughter near the residence. The daughter would not comply with officers orders to stop and speak with them. She was detained by the officers. She complained of pain and was eventually taken to a hospital for treatment. A verified complaint will be filed with the District Attorney’s office for filing consideration of the restraining order violation charges.

Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance – Suspect Arrested
May 22 at 7:32 p.m., a resident in the 200 block of E. Central called police to report a male subject in her rear yard, hunched over and possibly drunk. Officers located the subject, who told them he was under the influence of heroin and alcohol. The suspect was determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and was arrested and taken into custody.

Vandalism
May 22 at 10:04 p.m., an officer was on patrol in the 1000 block of S. Canyon when he observed what appeared to be gang graffiti on the north wall of a building off of Almond. The graffiti was written in black spray paint. The graffiti was photographed and graffiti removal was notified. The investigation is continuing.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 23 at 2:00 a.m., an officer was on patrol in the 800 block of E. Olive when she saw a male subject in the park digging through a trash dumpster. The officers contacted the subject and a computer check revealed he had a warrant for his arrest. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody for the warrant.

Possession of a Controlled Substance / Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
May 23 at 8:35 a.m., officers were dispatched to Magnolia and Oaks regarding a suspicious vehicle reported in the area. Officers located a vehicle matching the description provided by the caller and contacted a male subject inside the vehicle. During a consent search, officers located heroin, other drugs and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle. The suspect was arrested and the vehicle was stored.

Public Intoxication – Suspect Arrested
May 23 at 9:43 p.m., a suspicious female subject who was trying to get into several vehicles in a parking lot in the 300 block of W. Huntington was reported to police. The caller told police the subject appeared to be under the influence or intoxicated. Officers located the female and determined she was too intoxicated to care for her own safety. She was arrested for public intoxication.

Grand Theft
May 23 at 10:05 p.m., a grand theft from a vehicle was reported in the 1300 block of S. Alta Vista. The victim reported that the catalytic converter was removed from his 1998 Honda Accord sometime between May 20 and 22. The vehicle was parked on the street on Alta Vista. The investigation is continuing.

Vandalism
May 24 at 3:00 a.m., officers were on patrol in the 100 block of E. Duarte Road when they observed graffiti written on the wall of a business. The graffiti was written in black spray paint. The investigation is continuing.

No, Sheriff's Department Not Dumping Homeless in Monrovia; Utility Billing Error; Etc.

Proposed bike roads.

In his weekly report (https://goo.gl/x5Ghqs), City Manager Oliver Chi reports that ...

~ No, the Sheriff's Department is not dropping off homeless people at the Monrovia train station. Chi writes that, "what actually occurred was that several deputies who are part of the Sheriff’s Department Mental Health Evaluation Team were riding on the Gold Line headed toward Los Angeles when they heard a call for service regarding an individual bothering a train patron at the Monrovia station." They got off the train at Monrovia and "attempted to provide the individual with services" but he declined and walked away.

~ Oops! There was a utility billing error for May for customers who (mostly) live in the north part of town. The batch of payments was "inadvertently not posted." The $5 late fee notices have been reversed.

~ The water and sewer tax rate is going up starting July 1. "For the typical residential customer, a 0.4% CPI rate adjustment will result in a $0.22 / month water bill increase, and a $0.04 / month sewer bill increase."

~ A household hazardous waste and e-wast disposal event is set for Saturday, June 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Huntington Millennium Center at 181 W. Huntington Drive, at the northwest corner of Huntington and Myrtle.

~ California American Water Company (Cal-Am) is undertaking a pipeline replacement project along Mountain Avenue between Huntington Drive and Bloomdale Street. Should be done by the end of the month.

~ Precision Concrete Cutting has made 7,000 sidewalk repairs in Monrovia so far, grinding down uneven spots, and will begin working on the area between Colorado Boulevard and Hillcrest and west of Myrtle.

~ Work on water lines under Foothill Blvd is set to begin on Monday, May 30. Expect some closed lanes and parking restrictions.

~ The city has identified some streets to be "Class III" bike routes, which means roads identified as being for both cars and bicycles. This means signs and striping on the roads.

~ Monrovia Council Member Becky Shevlin has been elected by her peers at the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments to serve on its Executive Board as the Third Vice President.

~ Santa Fe Middle School will now be called Santa Fe Computer Science Magnet School.

~ You can now print documents through the Monrovia Library. Just go here: https://goo.gl/oGGqFt

- Brad Haugaard

Brush Fire Breaks Out In Bradbury, Situation Now Under Control With No Threat To Monrovia

Earlier this afternoon, the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a brush fire that broke out above Crestview Court in Bradbury.  Utilizing a combination of ground and air resources, firefighting personnel were able to keep the fire contained to only 1.5 acres.  There are some remaining firefighters that are still on the scene responding to a few minor spot fires, and crews are beginning to clean-up the burned area.

It is important to note that there is no threat to Monrovia as a result of this fire!  Crestview Court is located east of the I-605 Freeway, however, as a precaution, the City has closed both Canyon Park and the Hillside Wilderness Preserve for the remainder of today.

Moving forward, there may be some lingering smoke for the next few hours, however, please rest assured that the fire has been successfully contained.  The Monrovia Fire Department will continue to monitor this situation, and if anything changes that may impact the safety of our community, the City will be certain to provide notification immediately at that time.  For additional information about this matter, please visit the City’s website at www.cityofmonrovia.org.

Source: City of Monrovia press release

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Police: Race Car Stolen; Driver With Sun in Eyes Hits Pedestrian; Etc.

[Monrovia Police activities from the Police Department's Neighborhood Watch Report for May 18-21. - Brad Haugaard]

Following are the weekend’s highlighted issues and events.

Stolen Vehicles
May 18 in the early morning hours, three vehicles were reported stolen to police. The vehicles were stolen from the 100 block of W. Walnut, the 400 block of W. Walnut and the 300 block of N. Encinitas. Two of the vehicles stolen were 1999 Honda CRVs and the third was a race car and trailer. All three vehicles were stolen sometime overnight. The investigations are continuing.

Theft From a Vehicle
May 18 at 12:15 p.m., a resident in the 400 block of E. Walnut called police to report a theft from his vehicle. Sometime during the night, someone entered his vehicle and stole his wallet and miscellaneous property. The vehicle was left unlocked. The investigation is continuing.

Grand Theft
May 18 at 9:09 p.m., a grand theft was reported in the 1200 block of S. Alta Vista. The victim parked his vehicle on the street in front of the location. While he was away from the vehicle, the catalytic converter was stolen. The investigation is continuing.

Possession of Drug Paraphernalia – Suspect Arrested
May 18 at 9:52 p.m., an officer on patrol conducted a traffic stop for a vehicle code violation at Shamrock and Royal Oaks. During a consent search, the passenger of the vehicle was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. She was arrested and taken into custody.

Warrant – Suspect Arrested
May 18 at 12:36 a.m., officers responded to the 700 block of W. Huntington regarding a possible theft of a bicycle. During the investigation, they ran a computer check on one of the subjects at the location and discovered he had an outstanding warrant. He was arrested for the warrant.

Traffic Collision – Vehicle vs. Pedestrian
May 19 at 6:45 a.m., police responded to a traffic collision in the 100 block of E. Pomona where a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle. Officers arrived and determined the pedestrian was walking south across Pomona toward a gas station. The vehicle was traveling east on Pomona and the driver had the sun in his eyes. He did not see the pedestrian and struck him at a low rate of speed. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment. The driver was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian.

Vehicle Burglary
May 19 at 8:15 a.m., a vehicle burglary was reported in the 400 block of W. Duarte Road. The victim parked and locked his vehicle in his assigned carport. Sometime during the early morning hours, the vehicle was entered and ransacked. There was no sign of forced entry and no loss occurred. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 19 at 6:55 p.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Myrtle and the 210 Freeway regarding a possible drunk driver. The officers checked the area and located the vehicle on Duarte and Myrtle. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was determined to be too intoxicated to operate a motor vehicle safely. The driver was arrested for DUI and later released after a sobering period, with a citation to appear in court on the charges.

Assault With a Deadly Weapon / Ex-Felon in Possession of a Firearm – Suspect Arrested
May 19 at 8:29 p.m., dispatch received a call reporting a family disturbance at a residence in the 500 block of E. Walnut. While officers were responding, calls were received stating a gunshot had been fired. Officers arrived, secured the scene and conducted an investigation. The investigation revealed an adult male suspect at the location pulled a 9mm handgun on his girlfriend's sister and pointed it at her. He discharged the gun, missing the victim and striking the ground. The weapon was recovered at the scene and the suspect was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Theft From a Vehicle
May 20 at 10:28 a.m., a theft from an unlocked vehicle was reported in the 300 block of Meadow Lane. The victim called to report that sometime during the early morning hours, someone entered his vehicle and took a drill that had been left inside. The investigation is continuing.

Driving Under the Influence – Suspect Arrested
May 21 at 6:10 a.m., officers were dispatched to the area of Myrtle and the 210 Freeway regarding a vehicle blocking the roadway. The officers arrived and located a vehicle blocking the northbound lanes of travel. A female subject was asleep behind the wheel and the engine was running. A passenger was in the front seat, also asleep. The investigation revealed both subjects were extremely intoxicated. The driver was arrested for DUI and the passenger was arrested for being drunk in public. Both subjects were held for a sobering period.

Monrovia Police Ticket Campaign Against Non-Bucklers Through June 4

As summer kicks off and families hit the road for vacations, the Monrovia Police Department and the California Office of Traffic Safety is reminding motorists to Click It or Ticket. Aimed at enforcing seat belt use to help keep you and your family safe, the national seat belt campaign will take place May 22 through June 4, concurrent with one of the busiest travel and holiday weekends of the year.

Monrovia Officers will conduct 28 seat belt enforcement operations during the two week Click It or Ticket mobilization to help lower California's traffic deaths. In addition to these special patrols, officers on routine patrol will also be looking for unrestrained drivers and passengers to stop and cite.

"Our law enforcement personnel see firsthand the loss of life when people refuse to buckle up," said Chief Jim Hunt. "It's such a simple thing, and it should be an automatic next step after sitting down in a vehicle. As the Memorial Day weekend approaches and the summer vacation season ramps up, we want to keep our community members safe and make sure people are doing the one thing that can save them in a crash: buckling up. If the campaign wakes up the hundreds of thousands of Californians who still don't heed the dangers of unrestrained driving and gets them to buckle up, we'll consider it a success."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly half of the 22,441 passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in 2015 were unrestrained. During nighttime hours, that number soared to 57 percent of those killed. That's why one focus of the Click It or Ticket campaign is nighttime enforcement. Participating law enforcement agencies will be taking a no-excuses approach to seat belt law enforcement, writing citations day and night. In Monrovia, the ticket cost for an adult seat belt violation is $162, with penalties for not restraining a child at $465.

In 2015, 545 Californians where killed because they did not buckle their seat belts according to NHTSA. Nationally, almost twice as many males were killed in crashes as compared to females, with lower belt use rates, too. Of the males killed in crashes in 2015, more than half (52%) were unrestrained. For females killed in crashes, 42 percent were not buckled up.

"Please, help us spread this life-saving message before one more friend or family member is killed as a result of this senseless inaction," said Chief Hunt. "Seat belts save lives, and everyone needs to remember to buckle up, every trip, every time."

Funding for these operations is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

For more information on the Click It or Ticket mobilization, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/ciot

Source: Monrovia Police press release

- Brad Haugaard

Clifton Middle School Representatives Going to Washington DC to Accept 'School to Watch' Award

At its May 24 meeting (this Wednesday) the Monrovia School Board will discuss Clifton Middle School's upcoming trip to Washington D.C. on June 21-24 to receive an award for being named a "2017 School to Watch," as well as the Board of Education's support and attendance at the banquet in Washington D.C., as requested by the California League of Middle Schools. The "School to Watch" award is an honor bestowed upon only 11 schools in California, and highlights "high-performing model schools that demonstrate academic excellence, responsiveness to the needs of young adolescents, and social equity." Details at item K5

- Brad Haugaard