Accessing the Police

Need to file a report about a stolen car stereo but don’t live near a police station? Looking for advice on how to deal with a noisy neighbor? Try stopping by one of the Valley’s 25 so-called Community OutReach Centers.

Since 1993, the program has established storefront police offices in community centers, shopping malls and private businesses, making police more accessible and giving patrol officers a place to fill out reports before dashing back to the streets.

But the rapid expansion of the centers triggered a recent review and reorganization.

The Police Department analyzed all the sites and, along with various city departments, wrote new guidelines for establishing Community OutReach Centers that were unanimously approved two weeks ago by the Police Commission. The 100-plus page guide book, which replaces a three-page memo, provides details such as what is preferable at a site--for instance, heavy foot traffic.

“These centers are important for the department and the public, but we want quality, not quantity,” said Sgt. Manuel Romeral, who conducted the study. “The Valley has not lost anything. There wasn’t a ‘substation’ there in the first place.”

Police officials don’t know how many people use the centers, but by next spring tallies will regularly be taken at each center.

The city now spends $10,000 annually on utilities for all the centers, but utilities for all new centers must be covered by the building owner, according to the new policy. Except for one site that runs $350 a year, the city now pays no rent for the centers. It costs $107,00 a year for each full-time patrol officer to staff a center.

In the past, police officials decided where to create Community OutReach Centers. Under the new policy, new centers will require approval by the Police Commission and police chief, and in some cases the City Council.

“If they’re well thought out, community service centers can be a positive addition to the neighborhood and can have a strong impact,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Feuer, who sits on the council’s public safety committee.

The public can also get assistance from police in the traditional way--at one of the Valley’s five police stations. All except North Hollywood have ATMs for public use, and the Van Nuys station provides a “Megan’s law” CD-ROM database listing the whereabouts of registered sex offenders.

Three types of centers

There are 113 Community OutReach Centers citywide, 25 in the San Fernando Valley, which fall into three categories. Here’s a look at what services each provides:

Substations (five total, none in Valley): Operate as mini-police stations, minus the jails and lockers. Designed for the exclusive use by police.

Community Service Centers (51 total; 17 in Valley): Staffed by a “light-duty” police officer (one who has been assigned to desk duty due to an injury), non-sworn department employees and/or volunteers on a regular, but part-time basis. Officers may write reports, meet with the public or give information. Police may or may not have exclusive use of the provided space.

Stop-in sites (57 total; 8 in Valley): Place for officers to write reports without having to leave their patrol area. No set hours. Not designed nor intended to provide public services. Police may or may not have exclusive use of the provided space.

Community Service Centers in the San Fernando Valley

North Hollywood Division area (818) 623-4016:

California Federal Bank, 4821 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Valley Village

Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, 4 to 6 p.m. Fridays

(818) 766-0898

*

Valley Plaza Recreation Center, 12240 Archwood St., North Hollywood

Hours: 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays

(818) 756-7674

*

Councilman Richard Alarcon’s field office, 8128 Sunland Blvd., Sun Valley

Hours: 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays

(818) 756-9044

*

Valley Store Front, 12821 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood

Hours: 1 to 4 p.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays

(818) 753-9261

*

Kinko’s Copy Center, 12101 Ventura Blvd., Studio City

Hours: 10 a.m. to noon Mondays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays

(818) 980-7261

*

Van Nuys Division area (818) 756-8343:

Latin American Assn., 14540 Blythe St., Panorama City

Hours: 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays

(818) 756-7759

*

Councilman Mike Feuer’s field office, 14310 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks

Hours: 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays, 1 to 3 p.m. Thursdays

(818) 756-8083

*

Delano Recreation Center, 15100 Erwin St., Van Nuys

Hours: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays

(818) 756-7757

*

Foothill Division area (818) 756-8861:

Councilman Richard Alarcon’s field office, 13630 Van Nuys Blvd., Pacoima

Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-8097

*

Devonshire Division area (818) 756-8285:

North Hills Community Medical Building, 8745 Parthenia Place, North Hills

Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays

(818) 756-7822

*

PALS Youth Center, 9150 Sepulveda Blvd., North Hills

Hours: noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays

(818) 756-7752

*

16263 San Fernando Mission Blvd., Granada Hills

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-7824

*

West Valley Division area (818) 756-8543:

Fallbrook Mall, 6633 Fallbrook Ave., West Hills

Hours: 10 to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-9687

*

7033 Reseda Blvd., Reseda

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-8692

*

17547 Ventura Blvd., Suite 203, Encino

Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-7870

*

Promenade Mall, 6100 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills

Hours: noon to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays

(818) 756-7570

Changes

Recent changes to Valley centers (made since May)

Closed:

Substation at 14719 Rinaldi St., Mission Hills

Stop-in site at 13517 Hubbard St., Sylmar

Stop-in site at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Woodland Hills

*

Downgraded:

Substation at Topanga Plaza in Canoga Park now a stop-in site

Substation at Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills now a community service center

Substation at Northridge Fashion Center now a stop-in site

Substation at 8616 Woodman Ave. in Arleta now a stop-in site

Note: Hours of community service centers subject to change

Sources: Los Angeles Police Department, office of Councilman Mike Feuer.

Researched by STEPHANIE STASSEL / Los Angeles Times