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:

Winnetka, Reseda

THE OFFICER: Stephanie Tisdale

West Valley Division

(818) 989-8542 or 908-4042

THE AREA: Tisdale’s beat includes middle- and lower-class residential neighborhoods interspersed with mom-and-pop shops. Between 30 and 40 vehicles are stolen each month, making auto theft the area’s worst problem, Tisdale says. Rock cocaine sales may contribute to the auto thefts and other property crimes as drug users look for ways to support their habits, she says.