“Malcom X” or so he calls himslef - a local homeless guy who seems to just not like wearing clothes was taken in for (another) mental evaluation today. He favors the basketball courts, and has no interest if children, or anyone is present during his…. stance. He is rumored to be one of the more prolific item-snatchers along the basketball courts and is no stranger to police custody. He does this every few days but usually the police are successful in encouraging him to put on clothes. Today - he wasn’t interested and immediately took a physical stance to be arrested. He was loaded in the back of an ambulance and taken to be evaluated. See you in a few days… Malcom.

Los Angeles Police Department Anonymous Crime Tip Program Public Fact Sheet
In response to demand from the public for secure and anonymous ways to submit crime tips to the
authorities, the Los Angeles Police Department has developed two new anonymous tip services for use by
the public. They are:
1. Text-a-tip Service:
User types “LAPD” plus their tip on their cell phone or PDA and texts it to “CRIMES” (274637). The text message is encrypted and an alias is generated, masking the identity of the sender from the police. The police have no way of determining the user’s identity.
2. New Web Tip link
Users go to www.lapdonline.org and follow the link for “Anonymous Web Tips.”
The user then fills in a form and submits it via the Internet. The tip goes through a secure server where, again the identity of the sender is masked from the detectives receiving the Web tip.
Call 911 in an emergency…
If you see a crime in progress or need to report an emergency, please call 911. These new crime tip services are for non-emergency investigative information only and will not generate a radio call or summon the police to your location. Delete your text-a-tip messages… For your safety, you should always delete all text messages to and from “CRIMES” (27463) from your in box and your out box.
Note: The program is available on most, but not all major wireless carriers, therefore we cannot guarantee this program will work for all participants. Although the program is complimentary to participants, standard text messaging rates may apply. Check with your carrier and wireless plan for details.
How to Submit a Tip via Text Messaging
To text a tip to the Los Angeles Police Department, you must have text messaging enabled on your phone and subscribe to a participating cell phone carrier. To begin your tip session, text the word “LAPD” to the number 27463, which spells the word “CRIMES” on your phone’s keypad. While handset menus differ by carrier or model, here are some basic steps on how to compose a text message to text-a-tip.
Find “Messaging” or “SMS” on your phone’s main menu.
1. Create a new txt message or send txt or SMS text.
2. When composing your message:

• Enter the number 274637 as the mobile # or in the “to” line
• Then, in the message body, type word LAPD, a space, and then your crime tip information
• (LAPD is not case-sensitive)

3. Hit “Send” to send the message.
4. You will receive a response from Crime Stoppers shortly, which will start the secure txt dialogue. When you complete your tip submission, for your safety, you should always delete all text messages to and from 274637 from your text message in box and out box.
What is Text Messaging and How Do I Know If I Can Send or Receive a Text?
Text messaging is also known as SMS or “short message service.” Text messaging is a way to communicate on your mobile by sending or receiving plain text messages. To determine if you can send text messages, it is best to contact your wireless provider or refer to your mobile device’s manual. You will not be asked to reveal your identity to the Police in order to provide information about a violent crime and the Police will not be able to trace the text message in any way. A special computer server will encrypt your message and mask your identity before sending your tip to the Police. This service is truly anonymous.

Types of Crimes to Submit
The LAPD wants information on every type of crime, not just those covered in the media. The text tip line is not traced, and we are not interested in the user’s identity. We believe these new anonymous forms of providing tips to the Police offer a way for callers to rid their neighborhoods of crime SAFELY.
When to Submit a Tip
You may submit a tip anytime, anywhere, 24/7.
Cost to Send
Although the LAPD service is free and requires no purchase or fee for participation, standard messaging rates and other fees may apply. Check your mobile plan for more details.
Help
At any time, from your mobile phone, send a text message with the word “HELP” to CRIMES (274637) for program information. This is for operational information, not to solicit help from the LAPD.
Privacy
No mobile phone information is collected by the Los Angeles Police Department as part of this program. Your text -a-tip is completely anonymous to the Los Angeles Police Department and is only identifiable via a four-digit tip code that will be provided to you. Any information you submit is directed to the LAPD’s Regional Crime Center detectives, who will disseminate the information to the appropriate LAPD investigative officers.
To Stop the Program
To stop the program at any time , which will prevent LAPD from being able to securely respond back to you, you can opt out via text message. Send a text message with the word “STOP” to CRIMES (274637). You’ll receive a one-time opt-out confirmation text message. If you choose to, you can submit a text tip again at a later time by texting the word LAPD along with your tip to CRIMES (274637).

Super bummed … Shorty got busted stealing a bike today. An expensive bike that carries a felony charge. I see him almost every day. He lives in the park, sleeps on the alley sidewalks at night and is a fixture at the basketball courts. Today he told me that I clearly found that smile he dropped. He’s always cheerful and is a regular part of my morning walk. I’m obviously not a fan of crime, but I also know that these guys do what they do which is part of getting along and living in their chosen lifestyle. Nothing he hasn’t been through before.

Noticed today that Mike Hunt is back on the beach, out of jail after serving many months for an assault charge. Butter up. Butter down. Isn’t soap and bath salts nominal utility?

And so goes the boardwalk…

Part two just posted:
Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

Criminal street gangs in LA call their form of organized home burglary “floccin”, and in many instances once long-time rival gangs have joined forces to burglarize homes. Their target: The West Side of Los Angeles. Why? They are pretty much guaranteed to get a MacBook Pro. In the first of a two part series by FoxLA 11 - see how LAPD is trying to combat this new highly organized crime gang.

 Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

Please add “Shopping Cart theft” to the laws that everyone ignores… because it is a rampant issue that impacts communities all over Los Angeles and it is not only beyond enforceability - who would do it? The “victim” in the crime is the grocery store or market - and although they have become more clever in their deterrents - people still steal them right and left. For police to enforce the theft, the victim would have to report the crime. Stores have learned to just build the cost of the loss into their operations, and pass it right along to YOU!

Supposedly there is a coalition that is out to pick up these abandoned carts called the Shopping Cart Retrieval Company. Their website says, “The California Shopping Cart Retrieval Corporation (CSCRC) was formed in 1993 to create a professional, efficient means of returning shopping carts to grocery stores in Southern California after they are removed from store property. ”

You can let them know 24 hours a day where to find abandoned carts and they’ll come to pick them up - or download their iPhone app and report it that way!

Shopping carts cost approximately $100~$300 each. Getting them back saves all of us money.

Last night some citizens reported a sea lion snapping at them on Venice Beach just north of the pier. LAPD dispatched their beach units for the “415 Sea Lion” and sure enough the cute little bugger was resting on the beach not wanting to be messed with. He had a tag on his ear, showing that he has been rescued and rehabbed in San Pedro in the past. People make the mistake of wanting to pet them, and they 100% do not want that and will be happy to bite you with jaws equal to ten dobermans in return. As the officers shined their flashlights on the sea lion… tons of grunions were flipping around on the beach. Sergeant Gonzales picked up a fish, tossed it to the sea lion and he gobbled it right up! That must have reminded him that there are tons of fish in the water because the sea lion turned around and high-tailed it back into the water. Officer Ballerini led the way for him with his flashlight. All but one grunion survived.