Tag Archives: Public Safety

Recent Recalls

Staff Reports

  1. John Deere Recalls Tractor Backhoe- The mounting hardware could loosen and cause the backhoe frame to rotate toward the operator.
  2. SAHN Designs Recalls Bicycle Helmets Due to Risk of Head Injury- The helmets do not comply with the impact requirements of the federal safety standard for bicycle helmets.
  3. Asher’s Chocolates/Lewistown, Inc., an affiliated partner of Chester A. Asher Inc. (“Asher’s”) is initiating a voluntary recall of multiple chocolates, chocolate bars, cellophane wrapped chocolates, and individually wrapped chocolates, etc. under the Asher’s brand due to possible Salmonella contamination of items produced in their Lewistown, PA facility distributed nationwide.
  4. Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is voluntarily recalling one date code of Wegmans Italian Classics Striped Ricotta & Spinach Ravioli, 9 oz. (UPC # 0-77890-38934), sold between Tuesday, Aug. 2 and Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016 because the product may contain pieces of white plastic.
  5. Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 Ford Taurus, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT vehicles equipped with 3.5L GTDI Ecoboost engines and 2013-2015 Ford Taurus Police Interceptor vehicles. A component within the fuel pump electric module (PEM) may overheat causing a loss of electrical power to the fuel pump.
  6. Atherstone Foods, a Richmond, Calif. establishment, is recalling approximately 422 pounds of chicken wrap products due to misbranding and undeclared allergens.

Recent Recalls

  1. Dazzling Toys Recalls Chicken Toys– The toys contain small eggs and the chicken can break into small plastic pieces, both posing a choking hazard to children.
  2. Impax Laboratories, Inc.– announced today that the Company had issued a voluntary nationwide retail level recall on August 19, 2016 for one lot of Lamotrigine Orally Disintegrating Tablet (ODT) 200 mg
  3. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials are investigating an outbreak of hepatitis A illnesses linked to raw scallops.
  4. Kiddy USA (Kiddy) is recalling certain World Plus combination forward facing child restraints that convert to a high back booster seat, model 51 100 WP, manufactured from July 2, 2012, through October 5, 2013. The buckle/tongue on the affected booster seats may only partially engage. As a result, the consumer may have a false impression that the buckle is fully latched when it is not. As such, these seats fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 213, “Child Restraint Systems.”
  5. Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC– is recalling certain FS561 replacement tires, size 255/70R22.5, manufactured January 25, 2015, to January 27, 2016 (DOT weeks 0515-0416) for use on trailers. The affected tires may experience possible tread separation or detachment due to scrubbing during use.
  6. Whirlpool recalls microwaves due to fire hazard- Internal arcing during use can ignite an internal plastic component, posing a fire hazard.

ALICE Training

By CVUSD  

CVUSD staff members participate in the ALICE Training to prevent an “intruder” from entering the room.

Photo courtesy: CVUSD
CVUSD staff members participate in the ALICE Training to prevent an “intruder” from entering the room.

Chino Police: Action is better than just ducking for cover in active shooter situations

Chino Valley – Seconds after hearing gunshots on campus, Ayala High Principal Diana Yarboi crouched behind a student desk, pulled off a sneaker and prepared to hurl it toward the classroom door.
She and dozens of other Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) administrators and secretaries were learning to fight back against an armed intruder. They were participating in the ALICE (active shooter) training offered by Chino Police officers on July 29 at Rhodes Elementary School in Chino. The event was coordinated by Officer Robert Troncoso, a school resource officer at Buena Vista High in Chino.

ALICE is an acronym for four actions to take in an active shooter/attacker incident: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. The program is nationally endorsed by several law enforcement and safety agencies, according to Chino Police Officer Dustin Kato, a school resource officer at Don Lugo High.

Chino Police Department’s school resource officers – local law enforcement personnel stationed at school campuses – took a 40-hour course from the ALICE Training Institute in Ohio to become certified ALICE trainers.

“If you see something, say something,” Officer Kato said regarding the alert part of ALICE. Officer Kato said that among the lessons learned since the Columbine mass school shooting in 1999, is that 81% of the shooters had revealed their intentions to others before they took action.

Schools should go on lockdown when a reliable threat is discovered, the officers said. School officials should not just say lockdown over their public address system, but should also give details of where the shooter is on campus, where he is going, what he looks like, and other details to help people decide what action to take. This is the inform part of ALICE.

The counter part of the program trains people to distract, swarm, and fight back against an intruder, allowing people to escape or possibly detain the shooter.

Officer Kato said the best thing to do in a campus shooting situation is evacuate, if possible. He said most of the students killed in the Columbine High massacre hid under desks in the school library where they were “sitting ducks” for the killers.

The administrators and secretaries attending the training were divided into four groups and sent to unlocked classrooms at Rhodes. They experienced three scenarios: duck and cover only, distract and swarm the intruder, and barricade the door and prepare to fight.

In the first scenario, CVUSD staff members ducked under lightweight student desks as the “intruder,” Chino Police Officer Reggie Barber, burst in with a toy gun. Officer John Cervantes, who was among the trainers, said most of the group would have been killed using that strategy. He said people could have run out a back door of the classroom and possibly escape completely.

In the second scenario, the staff was asked to attack the intruder with perforated, light-weight plastic balls, simulating throwing heavier items to distract the intruder from shooting. Officer Barber retreated from the room when pelted from all sides by the balls. “It was intense, they were coming from everywhere,” he said.

Officer Cervantes told the staff members that most bad guys aren’t good shots, so distracting them, moving in different directions, or attacking the suspect helps delay shooting. “When we’re actively reacting to a threat, now we are a threat to them,” Officer Cervantes said.

In the third scenario, staff members were tasked with barricading the door with anything they could find in the classroom, including chairs, desks, and a looped belt held tight around the metal closer at the top of the door. The officers said a barricade can “buy time” for people to escape or get help from law enforcement.

The administrators and secretaries in one room built a ceiling-high wall of chairs and bookcases against the door, while one of them looped a belt around the door closer and held it tight to prevent the shooter from entering. The pretend bad guy was unable to get inside.

The ALICE program recommends keeping classroom and school office doors locked at all times. Officer Cervantes acknowledged that constantly having to unlock a door to let someone in or out can be inconvenient.

“But I’d rather be inconvenienced and save my life than save time,” he said.

Officer Cervantes said even locked doors can be defeated, so the ALICE training recommends the other tactics: people barricading doors and looking for objects to throw, such as books, staplers, paperweights, and even shoes.

“Always go over what you did and what you can do better,” Officer Cervantes said. “As a group, we have to prepare for (an armed intruder) and train.” He suggested that school officials and students take 15 minutes each month to drill for an armed intruder.

“What good are we if we just go into panic mode?” Officer Cervantes asked.

Chino Police Officer John Monroe said people usually go through three steps when they hear gunshots where they shouldn’t be: Denial, Deliberation, and Decisive Moment. In the denial step, a person might think the gunshots are firecrackers or some other harmless noise. In deliberation, they try to determine what is happening, and in decisive moment, they take some type of action, including running, hiding, or fighting.

“The faster you get to that decisive moment, the more people you save,” Officer Monroe said.

 

DB Coyote Sightings

Staff Reports

Diamond Bar– In the last few weeks, there have been numerous reports of coyote sightings.

One resident reported that, “Coyote sighting tonight behind my backyard nearby by Ronald Reagan Park and the fire station. My mom called me to tell me she was outside with our pug when she spotted out of the corner of her eye a coyote. She immediately grabbed our pug and ran inside. Luckily, we always go outside with our dogs for this reason. Keep an eye on your pets diamond bar!”

Another report was made by a resident saying, “Coyote alert…..behind the homes of Armitos between Pikes and Goldpoint. It stood behind the fence staring at my dog. I scared it off….and it ran toward the hillside behind the homes. Watch your fur babies.”

Not only were there report of coyotes, a Diamond Bar resident reports of a bobcat sighting while at home saying, “I sat quietly reading under our patio Monday evening when I saw something move in the corner of my eye and to my amazement it was a bobcat about to sneak past me to get to our back hill garden. To my surprise the bobcat stopped about ten feet from me considering its option and then as I stood up it turned, it jumped up on the wall and went on its way to our garden where it stayed for at least fifteen minutes, even with my wife and I stalking it!”

Diamond Bar residents have given some advice saying, “just wanted to warn anyone who has a very small dog: do not to leave it in your garden alone especially at dusk as not only do you have to watch out for coyotes but I have noticed that the bobcats are also around. They normally only feed on rats, mice and rabbits but a large bobcat could potentially kill a very small dog.”

The City of Diamond Bar also provided the following tips:

If coyote sightings are common in your neighborhood or place of recreation, the City recommends the following tips to help deter them for inhabiting private properties or having conflicts with small pets.

Make your property less hospitable for wild animals by removing shelter, water and food sources:

  • Thin ground level shrubbery that can serve as a den or hiding place, take down and store bird feeders, and promptly gather low-hanging fruit and collect any fallen pieces.
  • Teach your children to learn how to identify coyote and know what to do if they come in contact with one.
  • Keep a close watch on small pets, feed them indoors, supervise them while they are outdoors, and always walk dogs on a leash.
  • Store refuse containers in your garage or another secure area until collection day.
  • Also of great importance is that you and your neighbors do not intentionally feed or attempt to tame coyotes as this causes them to lose their innate fear of humans, thereby increasing the potential for encounters and conflicts with people and pets.

In the event you encounter an aggressive or fearless coyote, the Department of Fish and Wildlife suggest you take the following steps:

  • Make sure you are standing up and pick up any small pets or young children who may be with you.
  • Face the coyote and try to frighten it away by shouting loudly and waving your arms above your head to appear larger and menacing; do not stop until it has left. If it does not leave or starts walking toward you, throw rocks, sticks or other objects in its direction.
  • Retreat by walking backward so that you do not turn your back on the coyote.

Report incidents of aggressive coyotes or conflicts to City Hall by calling 909.839.7010 or visitingwww.diamondbarca.gov/wildanimal.

 

 

Eastvale: Public Safety and Planning Commission Vacancies

City of Eastvale

The City of Eastvale is seeking applicants for possible City Council appointment to the Public Safety and Planning Commissions. Interested parties are encouraged to submit a Volunteer Application with a resume and cover letter. City applications are available on the Employment Page at www.eastvaleca.gov. The filing deadline is January 8, 2015 at 1:00pm.

The Public Safety Commission and Planning Commission are five-member commissions composed of Eastvale residents appointed by the City Council. The Commissioners term of service runs concurrent with the council member that appointed the commissioner.

Duties

The Public Safety Commission advises the City Council on traffic concerns, Neighborhood Watch, Emergency Operations, and conducts Community Outreach for Crime Prevention. Additional details about the Public Safety Commission may be found on Public Safety Commission page of the City’s website.

The Planning Comission has the authority to review all development proposals for consideration of approval. The Planning Commission may advise the City Council in the development and application of policies affecting land use and development within the City. The Planning Commission may also review and make recommendations regarding any proposed changes to the General Plan, Zoning Regulations and Design Standards. Addition details about the Planning Commission may be found on Planning Commission page of the city’s website.

Please direct any questions on the position to the City Manager’s Office: 951-361-0900

Chino Hills Community Takes Action On Burglars

Staff Reports

Chino Hills – On Wed., Dec. 10, three men were arrested due to the awareness of community members and the quick response of deputies who were able to stop a burglary in progress.

Evan Blakely, 34, Michael Billingsley, 35, and Lloyd Girard, 33 – all from Los Angeles – conspired to burglarize a home in Chino Hills. They forced entry into the house and stole cash, jewelry and personal items from a home on Reservoir Drive.

According to the Chino Hills Police Department, a witness saw two men running from the house and a vehicle pick them up. The witness called 911 and gave a detailed description to deputies about the suspects, their vehicle and their direction of travel. Deputies arrived within minutes of the call and were able to take Blakely, Billingsley and Girard into custody without incident.

The suspects were detained and positively identified by witnesses. The stolen property was located in the suspects’ car as well as other evidence of the crime. Blakely, Billingsley and Girard were booked at the West Valley Detention Center. The victim’s property was recovered and returned to them.

This case exemplifies awareness in the community and quick response to suspicious behaviors. The details given by witnesses in this case made it possible for deputies to act quickly and effectively.

Denise Bar, a Chino Hills resident, recently posted her concerns with crime on Chino Hills Connections.

“OK, CHC, 41 crimes in six days. That is a lot. What can we, as homeowners, do to protect ourselves, our home, our family and what belongs to us?” said Bar.

It is unknown if the above witness read Bar’s post before jumping to action, but it was a decision that prevented loss and brought justice – safely.

Bar offers residents these helpful tips to keep your homes and property safe.

  • Get an alarm with a siren outside.
  • Get video surveillance.
  • LOCK doors and windows, including cars (and take everything out of your car!).
  • Leave lights and TV or music on when you leave the house.
  • Plaster alarm stickers on your property.
  • Always respond to someone knocking (if you don’t, they think you are not home).
  • Log off your computers and lock them. Don’t leave cash or expensive items out.
  • If you know you have a package coming from UPS [or other delivery], be there to get it or make arrangements with a neighbor.
  • IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

Theft crimes seem to be on the rise during the holidays, with more people being desperate and more opportunities presented with holiday purchases on doorsteps and left in cars within view. Bar’s opinions offer some good solutions.

Be aware this season – and always – and have Happy Holidays!
 

 

 

 

 

 

Eastvale: Is A Police Substation In Eastvale’s Future?

BY GLENN FREEMAN

More than three years after incorporation, some have wondered whether Eastvale, a city of nearly 60,000 residents, should have its own police substation. The young city currently contracts with the Riverside County Sheriff for policing services and are based at the department’s Jurupa Valley station.

Situated on Mission Boulevard near Valley, the station is approximately eight miles from the Gateway shopping center, where Eastvale’s City Hall is located. The station serves the cities of Jurupa Valley and Norco as well as nearby unincorporated communities, including Highgrove, Home Gardens, Coronita, and El Cerrito. There is also a separate substation in Norco.

Michele Nissen, Public Information Officer for Eastvale, points out that although officers begin their shifts with daily briefings at the Jurupa Valley station, “they head to Eastvale where they remain until the end of their watch. I think there is a misunderstanding that they come and go throughout the day from the Jurupa Valley Station, which is completely incorrect,” Nissen said in an email.

Lieutenant Mike Yates of the Jurupa Valley station confirmed that officers spend their entire shift in Eastvale following the daily briefing. He also said the average response time for priority one calls in Eastvale is 6.27 minutes.

Regarding the substation, Nissen says that due to budget constraints, there are no current plans to build one, and that to do so would be “cost prohibitive.”

Eastvale Planning Commissioner Joe Tessari says the idea of a substation “has been on the radar.” He agrees the current city budget makes it difficult to establish one in the immediate future. “However, we should keep it as a long term goal,” Tessari says.

Tessari expanded by saying he would like to see planning started on setting aside funds for a civic center, which he says would likely include a city hall and police substation. “A one-stop service center for the general public…Possibly 4-5 years down the road,” Tessari says, mentioning that any resolution with the state over the Vehicle Licensing Fees could help fund such a project.

In the meantime, Tessari, who was a candidate to fill the city council seat vacated by former councilmember Kelly Howell, suggests Eastvale could explore other options, including the possibility of sharing space at the current Sheriff’s substation in Norco.

“I’m not sure there is space (in Norco), but if our officers could change into their uniforms and park vehicles there, this would help save travel time,” says Tessari, explaining current patrol allocations from the Sheriff includes travel time to Eastvale from the Jurupa Valley station.

Located behind the Stater Bros. shopping center on Hamner Avenue near Fourth Street, the Norco substation is about two miles from Eastvale’s southern city limit and approximately five miles from Eastvale City Hall.

According to Captain Danny Feltenberger, who oversees the Jurupa Valley station, there are 27 full-time equivalent sworn positions in the Eastvale department. Finance documents for 2013-14 posted on Eastvale’s website indicate the contract will consume $6.17 million from the city’s overall general fund budget of $10.7 million.

In comparison, Chino Hills contracts with San Bernardino County Sheriff for its police. The city’s public safety budget for 2013-14 is $11.26 million and includes 38 deputies, according to Denise Sesma of the Chino Hills station.

Elsewhere, the cities of Diamond Bar and Walnut in eastern Los Angeles County both contract with Los Angeles County Sheriff for policing services, sharing a substation in Walnut. Finance documents for 2013-14 posted on the respective city websites indicate Diamond Bar pays $5.91 million for 21 deputies, and Walnut pays $2.87 million for 8 deputies.

“As for a substation (in Eastvale), that is a decision for the city to ponder and decide.  I would offer my input if asked. But ultimately, the decision and any associated costs would be decided and borne by the city of Eastvale,” says Capt. Feltenberger.