Every year the LAPD Topanga Area Community Police Station works tirelessly to ensure the safety of the youth within our communities.

As we enter into the academic promotion, graduation, and eventually Summer break season and many of the youth in the Topanga Division have time off from school and other responsibilities, it becomes even more critical to remind parents how important it is that our youth relax and celebrate responsibly and our parents stay closely involved with their teenager’s activities.

This time of the year, young adults from all our local high schools attend prom nights and graduation night ceremonies, commonly referred to as “Grad Night.” These celebrations are designed to be joyous occasions filled with youthful exuberance as our teenagers celebrate one of the greatest achievements of their young lives. The LAPD Topanga Community Police Station wants to ensure that they remain joyous and do not turn to tragedy.

The overwhelming majority of the youth in Topanga Division are making the right decisions and taking personal safety and accountability seriously. However, the harsh reality is that some may make poor decisions during these celebrations that can result in severe consequences. This is an important time for parents to talk to their teenagers, educate them on the dangers associated with drinking alcohol, drug use and unlawful behavior to help them make the right choices.

The results of unsupervised teen parties can be tragic, as alcohol and drug use has led to death and injuries. Other times, complaints of loud, unreasonable noise is reported by neighbors. There are times when we also see an increase in sexual assaults directly connected to these types of gatherings.

We would also like to remind parents of the possible liabilities they face by hosting a party or having a party at their residence in which illegal activities occur.

California law holds parents liable, both civilly and criminally, in the event of any injury or death when alcohol is either furnished or allowed to be consumed by a minor on their property.

The Topanga Community Police Station has always taken policing neighborhood parties and disturbances seriously. It is our policy to maintain the peace, security, and serenity of our neighborhoods by responding to and abating neighborhood disturbances, including loud parties, unreasonably loud music and other noise-related incidents that disturb the quality of life of our community.

In these situations, officers must balance the rights of party participants to have a social gathering against the right of the neighbors to be free from unreasonable noise and disturbance.
The Topanga Area Community Police Station would like to remind you — Don’t Drink and Drive! Remember, underage drinking is against the law, but don’t complicate matters by adding driving to that.

By following a few precautionary guidelines and making responsible choices, our youth can have the incredible graduation celebration experience they expect and deserve.

On behalf of all the staff at your Topanga Area Community Police Station: Congratulations to our soon to be 2013 Graduates!

LAPD-Topanga Area Community Police Station

Community Relations Office

21501 Schoenborn Street

Canoga Park, CA 91304

topangapolice@lapd.lacity.org

www.lapdtopanga.org

T.R.U.E. is a community volunteer or sponsor opportunity to make a difference at your LAPD Topanga Community Police Station.

The T.R.U.E. Project

The pre-existing native and non-native drought-tolerant landscaping has been replaced with California native plants that use one-seventh the water of most non-natives and provide a lush, green look year-round.  Native plants are important because they save water, energy and wildlife and provide permanent homes for pollinators.  Fifteen new species of plants were added to the existing plant palette.

All of the plant species chosen are clay-adapted and heat- and drought-tolerant, once established. There will also be a rain garden which will slow, sink and spread the rainwater, helping to establish deep roots on the nearby landscaping.

The new California native plant landscaping and rain garden will be a good demonstration tool for the surrounding community and will be less costly to maintain than many conventional gardens.

Manzanita, Nevin’s barberry, California Lilac, Western Redbud, California Fuchsia, Buckwheat, Sage, Toyon and Santa Cruz Island Ironwoods are some of the new species that will be added to the garden, providing flowers and berries for year-round visual interest.

The T.R.U.E. project has the enthusiastic support of Councilman Dennis Zine and Councilman Mitch Englander.  Partnerships have been developed with the Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants, and a variety of local business owners and community members to install and maintain the new landscaping through volunteer or sponsored labor.

The landscaped portions of the Topanga Station have been divided into 21 zones, and can be adopted and maintained by a group, individual volunteers or sponsors.  There will also be community workdays, education sessions that teach people about how to install native plants in their home gardens.

How can you volunteer or sponsor a Zone?

Similar to adopting a highway, this is an opportunity for you, your family, friends, or business to support, either through a financial sponsorship a vital project within your own.

Volunteering

We ask if you would like volunteer to provide maintenance, water and nurture a zone, that you contact the Community Relations Office.

LAPD – Topanga Community Relations

21501 Schoenborn Street,

Canoga Park, CA 91304

Office               :     818.756.3180

Email: topangapolice@lapd.lacity.org

By: Officer Leslie Kincaid

You have just been involved in a traffic collision – your first one, and its rush hour.  Your car and the other car are a mangled mess in the middle of the intersection, but no one is injured, other than being upset.  You get out of your car and you hear the noise of other vehicles driving by, honking at one another trying to get around the mess in the roadway.  You hear the sound of the sirens of emergency response vehicles approaching and the commotion of all involved trying to figure out what to do next.  You are confused, disoriented and unsure what you need to do, should you move your car, should you leave it for any sort of investigation?

 Suddenly a tow truck pulls up and the driver tells you he needs to take your car and move it out of the roadway.  You trust that he must be right – he is a tow truck driver after all – and deals with these situations on a daily basis.  You tell the driver you have AAA or some other tow service your insurance company recommends you would like to use.  However, the driver insists because your car is in the roadway and it is a safety hazard it has to be moved.  You begrudgingly agree and the driver asks you to sign a form and you do, and/or the driver tells you to call his company to find out if your insurance company sent the tow truck – to which the person on the other end will tell you “Yes”.  The driver then proceeds to hook it up to his truck and drives away with your car.  The next day you contact the tow company to get your car repaired and find out the impound charges and storage fees are several hundreds of dollars.

These tow companies that are involved in this type of unscrupulous towing businesses are known as “Bandit Tow” companies.  Bandit towing has long been a problem that has plagued the City of Los Angeles; and for many, it is a lesson learned after it is too late.

It is illegal for a tow truck driver to solicit for tow service at the scene of a traffic collision.  These drivers often receive large kickbacks to impound your car.  The drivers will hand you a form (usually a blank invoice) and have you sign it, or they will tell you to call their tow company on a ruse to verify your insurance company sent them (they will say yes).  These two actions will move your dispute from a criminal matter to a civil matter, you “signed” for the tow or your cell phone record indicates you “called” for their service.  Unfortunately, this happens on a daily basis and the car owner has no recourse other than civil court.

As a person involved in a traffic collision, know your rights and protect yourself from exorbitant charges and unscrupulous tow companies.  It is recommended to use a tow company you have called or subscribe to for their service or call your insurance company and have them dispatch a tow service (ask for the name of the tow service company).  If a police officer is at scene have them call for your service via the Department’s communication operator.  If your car is hooked up to a tow truck to which you have not given consent, call the police.  If your car is in the roadway, stand in a safe place on the sidewalk or on the side of the roadway.  If you have a camera/cell phone camera, photograph your car, and the scene.  If a tow truck driver has solicited from you their tow service, it is recommended to record the conversation.  If your phone has a recording capability, record your voice and advise the driver you are recording the conversation.

With few exceptions a permit is required to operate a tow truck within City limits – the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners is the entity that grants such permits, to include Tow Operations permits as well as permits required for individual tow drivers.  The Board of Police Commissioners does not grant permits to everyone that applies.  Many tow businesses are operating in the City of Los Angeles without the proper permits, which they cannot get, usually due to a history of criminal activity, and operate as “Bandit Tow Companies.”  These tow companies and drivers are willing to risk the occasional arrest to reap the benefits of a lucrative business, which includes receiving kickbacks and finder fees from auto body shops, doctors and personal injury attorneys for new customer referrals.

Here are some abridged versions of the laws that pertain to this topic:

CVC 22513(b) makes it a misdemeanor for the owner or operator of a tow truck to stop at the scene of an accident or near a disabled vehicle for the purpose of soliciting an engagement for towing services, either directly or indirectly, or to furnish any towing services, unless summoned to the scene, requested to stop, or flagged down by the owner or operator of a disabled vehicle or requested to perform the service by a law enforcement officer or public agency pursuant to that agency’s procedures.

Los Angeles Municipal Code section 103.204(n) requires Tow Units to carry identification.  A tow unit shall have the permittee’s Police Commission identification number or both sides of the unit, in a conspicuous place.  An exception is they shall not apply to any towing operation that provides tow service exclusively to members of an association and receives remuneration only from the sponsoring association (e.g. Automobile Club or similar organization).

The City of Los Angeles contracts with eighteen tow companies to tow illegally parked and/or operating vehicles from City roadways.  These Official Police Garages (OPG) hold contractual rights to perform impounds from City Streets (www.opgla.com).

 When in doubt, do not hesitate to ask for identification or Police Commission permit number, if they are a legal tow company, they are required to accommodate your request.  The OPG Tow companies have in bold writing on the side of their vehicles “OPG.”

LAPD Topanga Bandit Towing  If you feel you have been the victim of a “Bandit Tow” company, contact the Police Commission Enforcement section at 213.996.1270.