CRIME DOWN, LA MESA POLICE CHIEF REPORTS

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

 

Council also heard city’s quarterly financial report and filled Parking Commission vacancy

By Janis Russell

February 13, 2015 (La Mesa)- At the La Mesa city council meeting Tuesday,  former Police Chief Ed Aceves presented the quarterly crime report-and some good news:  crime last year declined from 2013. Chief Aceves said the crime rate overall is down, “the lowest it’s been since 2011.”

He also presented  charts.  One showed that in 2014, there were no homicides.  However there were  16 rapes, 68 robberies, and 124 aggravated assaults (assault with some type of injury). The aggravated assault  had the biggest increase from 2013. 28 robbery cases were cleared, or solved, in 2014.

He then mentioned that the FBI modified the definition of rape, which will make the rate of violent crimes rise by adding a new category to include male victims, among other characteristics.

Mayor Mark Arapostathis congratulated Aceves on the police department’s accomplishments.

Councilmember Kristine Alessio asked if the rapes included domestic violence from an acquaintance or someone you know, or if these were rapes by total strangers. Aceves replied, “Most of the rape reports are an acquaintance-type situation.”

One of La Mesa’s new  Council members, Bill Baber, wanted to know the definition of a trolley-related crime. Aceves told him this can vary but that “typically it’s what happens on the platform or in the parking lot.” Baber also asked if Metropolitan Transit Service, or MTS,  has any police. Aceves said there is a private security company that contracts with MTS, and “compliance officers write citations.”

 Earlier in the meeting, City Treasurer Eldon ‘Bud’ Vogt presented the Council with the quarterly financial report ending December 31, 2014.

First, Vogt addressed the three topics he would talk about concerning the report: safety, liquidity, and earnings which are being maximized within safety and liquidity.

Concerning safety, the local agency investment funds included LAIF, federal agencies, negotiable certificates of deposit, and corporate bonds. Regarding the certificates of deposits (CDs), Vogt mentioned “we have roughly $8 million in them.”

Earnings in the quarter were $98,060 and $176,033 for the year to date. For the investment strategy, the short term interest rates are expected to be volatile, but gradually increasing later in 2015.

In the public comment section, first Renée Levine , city liaison from Lamplighter’s community theater, announced that they are at a new location and are presenting a mini-series through March 1 called “Murder by the Howard Johnson’s.” She invited Council to come see it and support the theater, which is still in the building stage. For more information about the Lamplighter’s community theater, visit: http://www.lamplighterslamesa.com/index.html.

Another speaker, La Mesa resident Russell Buckley, addressed the need for jobs for veterans.  He hopes the city will move forward to fill this need. “Our veterans deserve to work at well paying jobs that La Mesa can provide,” he said.

The last speaker, La Mesa resident Bill Adams, first thanked Councilmembers Guy McWhirter and Alessio for talking with earlier about his concerns over  trees. He stated,  “I’m here because of uninspiring tree plants in the city. At public workshops, trees were designed as an important feature in the streetscape program.”  One wish the public expressed was no more palm trees, he indicated. Instead, trees like wide large shade trees would be more beneficial because of an underground aqueduct for watering them.

Lastly, Staff recommended that the Mayor make an appointment to fill the vacancy on the traffic commission with approval of Council. After getting a chance to hear the applicants, Mayor Arapostathis decided to vote for Ed Krulikowski. Vice Mayor Ruth Sterling moved and Councilmember Alessio seconded the motion. Krulikowski was approved by a 5-0 vote.


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.