Community Policing

THE PROGRAM: The Los Angeles Police Department has assigned 31 officers to full-time community relations duty in the San Fernando Valley. The officers, who in the past spent only a few hours a month on such duty, now work full-time with neighborhood organizations and individuals. One of the 31 areas is described below:

Porter Ranch, Granada Hills, Northridge

THE OFFICER: Rick Gibby

Devonshire Division

(818) 908-4011

THE AREA: Gibby’s patrol area, the largest assigned to any of the 31 officers on community relations duty, has historically had one of the Valley’s lowest crime rates. But burglaries--especially during the day--have increased recently. “Crime has gone up quite a bit in this area,” Gibby says. “It’s not as quiet as it used to be.”