Tag Archives: Front Page Local News

Eastvale Reports Success of Automated License Plate Reader Systems

Staff Reports

Eastvale – In 2019, the City of Eastvale installed Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) systems at the entry and exit points of the City, and on law enforcement vehicles servicing the community.  These installations were achieved as part of the City’s commitment to enhance public safety and to assist the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department with identifying reported vehicles and finding stolen cars and license plates. The City of Eastvale is pleased to report the effectiveness and success of these ALPR systems since inception.

“Since they’ve been installed, the Automated License Plate Reader camera systems have proven to be a vital tool used daily by our Riverside County Sheriff’s Department” Mayor Brandon Plott said. “This technology is an effective investigative resource that has contributed to the recovery of numerous stolen vehicles.”

ALPR systems are high-speed, computer-controlled cameras that automatically capture vehicles’ license plate information, compare the plate number to one or more databases available to law enforcement personnel, and send alerts when a vehicle of interest has been observed.  The ALPR systems are separated into two categories: fixed ALPR and mobile ALPR.  The City installed 30 fixed ALPR systems that have scanned over 32 million license plates, with approximately 14 thousand successful alerts.  The mobile ALPR systems, installed on law enforcement vehicles servicing Eastvale, have scanned over 450 thousand license plates, with approximately 260 successful alerts.  These combined alerts have led to the recovery of 43 stolen vehicles and 13 arrests for charges including the possession of a stolen vehicle.  The data retrieved from these ALPR systems have also been used as evidence to assist in a large number of investigations that led to numerous arrests.

The ALPR systems installed throughout the City of Eastvale are provided by Vigilant Solutions. Riverside County Sheriff’s personnel that have acquired these systems are required to follow appropriate protocols and practices to ensure compiled data is observed and used with integrity, community confidence, and compliance. The use of ALPR systems and information is restricted to official and legitimate law enforcement purposes only.

About the City of Eastvale
The City of Eastvale was founded on October 1, 2010 as an independent local government agency, governed by a five-member, elected City Council.  The City of Eastvale serves over 73,700 residents and encompasses 13.1 square-miles in western Riverside County.  Eastvale is a young and dynamic community filled with economic opportunity, tremendous growth, and strong values. 

Lt. Ronald McDonald

Local News: Lt. McDonald Retires After 53 Years of Dedicated Service to Pomona PD

Photo Courtesy: Pomona PD

By Pomona PD

Lieutenant Ronald McDonald retires today after more than 53 years of service to the Pomona Police Department and the residents of Pomona. 

Ronald began his policing career in 1965. At the time, the Pomona Police Department had its own police academy where Ronald was a graduate of the Pomona Police Academy Class #8. 

Prior to coming to Pomona, Ronald was hired as a Dispatcher and Reserve Officer by the West Covina Police Department.

At the Pomona Police Department, his assignments have included Patrol, Detective Sergeant, Administrative Staff Services, Internal Affairs, Major Narcotics Sergeant, Helicopter Observer, Field Sergeant, Community Programs, Special Operations Lieutenant, and most recently, Lieutenant Watch Commander in the Operations Division.

There is no doubt, Ronald’s 53 years of expertise will be missed by Pomona PD. On behalf of the Pomona Police Department, we wish Ronald a happy and well deserved retirement! 

Walnut/Diamond Bar: Patch.com Suffers Massive Layoffs

BY GLENN FREEMAN

(photo courtesy: Patch.com)

(photo courtesy: Patch.com)

Walnut/Diamond Bar – Just two weeks after an abrupt announcement in mid-January that AOL was partnering with Hale Global to run its troubled Patch.com network of hyper-local community news sites, the joint venture laid off hundreds of staff members.  With media reports saying upwards of 80 to 90 percent of the staff was let go, the move has severely impacted each of the 900 local sites.

According to news reports, staff members were notified of their termination via a conference call, wherein Patch’s Chief Operating Officer, Leigh Zarelli Lewis, relayed information on the restructuring.

“Patch is being restructured in connection with the creation of the joint venture with Hale Global,” Lewis said, according to an excerpt of the call printed on Jim Romenesko’s media blog. “Hale Global has decided which Patch employees will receive an offer of employment to move forward in accordance with their vision for Patch and which will not. Unfortunately, your role has been eliminated and you will no longer have a role at Patch and today will be your last day of employment with the company…Thank you, again, and best of luck.”

Locally, there are Patch sites for the communities of Diamond Bar-Walnut, Baldwin Park, Monrovia, Glendora, Claremont-La Verne, and Redlands-Loma Linda.  A Jan. 30 posting on the Diamond Bar-Walnut site by Editor, Melanie Johnson, says the local staff was among those let go.

“Hi, Diamond Bar-Walnut Patchers!  I am posting to let you know that Patch was recently purchased by a company who has decided to do some restructuring. As a result, the local editor positions have been eliminated, including mine,” Johnson posted.

The website is still being updated, but not as frequently and the content appears to be more broad and regional in nature. Former staffers say the sites are being updated from afar, with a small staff now covering all Patch sites within California (which had the most sites within the Patch network, by far).  What the future holds is still unclear, but more user-generated content has been mentioned by some.

In the Jan. 15 press release announcing the partnership, AOL and Hale Global said they are “Committed to re-launching Patch as an efficient platform that allows citizens and businesses to create and share locally-themed news and content – not just with those in their own communities, but to the wider world.”

Patch began in 2007 with the help of AOL CEO Tim Armstrong, who eventually encouraged AOL to buy the collection of hyper-local news sites in 2009.  Armstrong expressed confidence in Hale Global’s ability to turn the sites around, despite Patch’s financial problems.

“Hale Global has a strong track record of operational excellence and platform experience, and we are looking forward to working closely with them on Patch,” Armstrong said in the press release.  AOL plans to maintain a minority stake in Patch.