I was stopped in the street by someone screaming for help.   I recognized him from someone I arrested about month ago for a possession charge while hanging out in an area McDonalds.  Today he told me he needed help and was having chest pains, so I called him an ambulance. The extreme paranoid behavior and his history of Meth use, made me believe it was likely not a heart attack -but I'm no doctor.

Dear Neighbors,

Attached is the newest crime map and newsletter for the end of November. Crimes reported went down from 82 to 70 for my basic car area. You can see that RD 1548 (reporting district) continues to have the majority if incidents. This area is between Chandler and Magnolia and from Tujunga Ave to Vineland.

This area is also one of the most populated areas in the division. Combine this with the transit hub of the MTA Red Line and Orange Line, the numerous theaters, restaurants and night life attractions, and its no surprise that my crime cluster is in this area. With that said, we are working very hard to bring the crime numbers down even further. We have incorporated numerous crime reduction strategies and are using every resource at our disposal not only from our police station but we have been very fortunate to have other specialized units from outside the area to assist our division.

Burglary From Motor Vehicles (BTFV) is the most frequent crime reported in the area with 27 reported for the month. This is followed by Thefts with 22 reported. These crimes can be reduced with the help from the community. We have been diligent in getting out the "Lock it, Hide it, Keep It " campaign but its not enough. Especially with this holiday season.

Be aware of your surroundings and what you leave visible in your motor vehicle. Any and all items should be secured in the trunk if possible. Cell phones, purses and computer equipment are common items taken from cars everyday. Ipods and cell phone are not meant to be used as a "seat saver" in the area coffee shops while getting your order. It only takes a second for someone to walk by and take it. Its also not recommended to leave your electronic items charging in a wall outlet while working out in an area fitness center. Its very likely that when you return, your property will not be there.

Crime will happen but we can take some extra precautions and not make it so easy for someone to take your property. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please let me know. Have a happy and safe holiday from all of us at the North Hollywood Station.

To make the Crime Map a little easier to understand:
AGG is aggravated assaults
BTFV - Burglary thefts from motor vehicles
Robb - Robbery
GTA - Grand Theft of Auto Mobile
Burg - Burglary
and Theft persons or property.

Sincerely,

John Catalano
Senior Lead Officer- Basic Car 15A39
Los Angeles Police Department
North Hollywood Area

The North Hollywood Division has always had a close working relationship with East Valley High School. In the last school year, our focus was on crime reduction. As a result, we did see less crime in the area of the school and this "project" was a huge success. Not just in reducing crime but in forming a great working relationship with the school staff, students and the very active parent center located on the school campus.

We are more than six months into the new year and we continue to see a reduction in crime in North Hollywood (week ending July 21st, 2012). We have an area of the San Fernando Valley approximately 24 square miles with a large residential and business community that seems to grow daily.

I often receive questions from North Hollywood residents concerning parking tickets, so I wanted to address some of the more frequently asked questions.

While it is the primary responsibility of the Department of Transportation, the Los Angeles Police Department can also write for any violation observed.

Officer Catalano's BIKE THEFT Update

Over the last few months, we've noticed an incredible number of bikes being stolen from the North Hollywood area. It didn't make a difference if they were inexpensive or even secured. If it could be seen, it could be stolen.

A recent interview of a suspect resulted in some valuable information and may possibly help you from becoming the next victim of a residential burglary. It was fascinating to hear what he and a crew of criminals looked for when driving around a neighborhood

Senior Lead Officer, John Catalano - LAPD, North Hollywood Division provided NoHoArtsdistrict.com with the following crime statistics. North Hollywood Area finished the year with an overall reduction of 5.1% in Part I Crime (repressible serious crimes).  This translates into 330 fewer Part I Crimes.