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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPSAC 04-14-2010 Agenda Item presentation LAKE ELSINORE: Prosecutor says graffiti led to fatal stabbing Page 1 of 2 The North County Times - Californian LAKE ELSINORE: Prosecutor says graffiti led to fatal stabbing 20- year -old was killed in 2008 after a brawl in the street By TAMMY IMCCOY - For The Californian I Posted: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 8:22 pm A dispute over graffiti ended with a Lake Elsinore man being fatally stabbed and the accused killer fleeing to Las Vegas, a prosecutor told jurors Wednesday. "The young man sitting at end of the table brutally took advantage of a man, murdering him ... for no reason at all except to show himself to be tough and strong to his friends," Deputy District Attorney Sam Kaloustian said during his opening statement. Kaloustian then pointed to the defendant, Robert Villalobos, a bespectacled 21- year -old on trial charged with first- degree murder for the Aug. 29, 2008, death of George Hernandez. The case is being heard in Superior Court Judge F. Paul Dickerson's courtroom at Southwest Justice Center in French Valley. Hernandez, 20, was stabbed twice in the back during a brawl that erupted on Torn Ranch Road on the night of Aug. 28, 2008. Villalobos faces 26 years to life in prison if convicted of murder and of using a knife to commit the crime. Defense attorney Angela Beery- Jacoby told jurors there were no witnesses to the actual stabbing, no DNA evidence linking Villalobos to the stabbing and no motive. "There was a very tragic death, no doubt about it," she said. ,t3en-y- Jacoby said there was a melee involving several people, including Erik Saucedo and Hernandez. "You will hear that Erik's story changes as he learns what the prosecution's theory is," she said. "He is trying to divert the attention from himself." BeFry- Jacoby said some witnesses will testify they saw Villalobos and he was not doing anything. "The one person who saw George was Erik," she said. "Erik has every reason to deflect the guilt away from him." On the night he was stabbed, Hernandez and two of his friends went to Saucedo's Lake Elsinore home to confront him about graffiti that was spray - painted on their friend's house, the prosecutor said. All of the men had ties to or associations with tagging crews, Kaloustian said, adding that their intention was either to fight or confront Saucedo in response to one of his associates spray - painting graffiti on their friend's home. Villalobos was one of several people who were at Saucedo's home at the time. According to the prosecutor's version of events, Saucedo threw the first punch and, after beating Hernandez in the street, he left to help his brother. He later saw Villalobos rush towards Hernandez. Hernandez's friend, Max Reyes saw Villalobos holding a knife, Kaloustian told jurors. In the days after Hernandez's death, almost everyone who witnessed the fight was accounted for. "He (Villalobos) was the only one who disappeared," Kaloustian said. n arrest warrant was issued for Villalobos and he was arrested in Las Vegas two months later. http: / /www.nctimes.com/ news / local / lake - elsinore /article_2e69efb7- 26ea -51 f8 -b 13 f- a8b838... 4/8/2010 LAKE ELSINORE: Prosecutor says graffiti led to fatal stabbing Page 2 of 2 Corina Vasquez, a witness who testified Wednesday, said that on the night of the brawl she drove Hernandez and his two friends to Torn Ranch Road. Vasquez told jurors she stayed in her car, leaving the ignition on. She said she saw three men come out of the house and one of them, a man with a tattoo, went into the street and was fighting with Hernandez. "He (Hernandez) was getting beat. He was getting kicked in the head," Vasquez said, adding that she could not identify any of the men she saw that night fighting with Hernandez and his friends. A short while later, she said, she saw Luna and Reyes pulling Hernandez into her car. Testimony in the trial will resume today at the Southwest Justice Center. http: / /www.nctimes.com/ news /local/ lake - elsinore /article_2e69efb7- 26ea -51 f8 -b 13 f -a8b83 8... 4/8/2010 Joint Field Office 75 N. Fair Oaks Ave Pasadena, CA 91103 AR C E- 4 FEMA CALIFORNIA EMERGENCY 1 gNoS MANAGEMENT AGENCY April 2, 2010 DR- 1884 -CA NR -04 FEMA/State News Desk: (626) 431 -3910 LOCAL, FEDERAL EXPERTS TO OFFER ADVICE ON MITIGATION PASADENA, CA. Homeowners, renters and business owners are invited to learn how to prepare for the possible outcomes of a disaster. This is mitigation: any action taken to reduce or eliminate the long term risk to human life and property from hazards. By spending only a few dollars, lives can be saved and damages in the thousands of dollars can be prevented. FEMA Mitigation specialists will teach low cost, non - structural mitigation techniques during a Rosetta Canyon Neighborhood meeting hosted by the City of Lake Elsinore Public Safety Advisory Commission (PSAC). DATE: Wednesday April 7, 2010 TIME: 6 PM to 8PM LOCATION: Earl Warren Elementary School, Performing Arts Room 41221 Rosetta Canyon Drive Lake Elsinore, California 92532 Residents of the Rosetta Canyon neighborhood and friends will learn, from displays and discussions, how low cost, non - structural mitigation measures can prevent injuries and reduce damages. A study, by the Multi- Hazard Mitigation Council, found $1 spent on mitigation saves an average of $4. "Implementing a few low cost mitigation measures will go a long way toward a quick recovery from a natural disaster," according to FEMA Hazard Mitigation Branch Director, Diane Earl. Ken Worman, Cal EMA State Hazard Mitigation Officer concurs. "Taking actions ahead of time, like securing large- screen televisions, installing fire- resistant roofing, and backflow valves will help save lives, prevent injuries and reduce the financial burden of the next earthquake, fire or flood on residents of Rosetta Canyon." Materials needed to protect your homes or businesses can be purchased at local hardware stores and easily installed. For example flexible straps can be used to secure top -heavy furniture so the objects don't fall over during an earthquake. The presentation will emphasize flood, fire and earthquake mitigation for prevention of future damages. Following a question and answer session, FEMA will provide mitigation publications and fact sheets to interested individuals. Following the theme "Building Better, Safer, Stronger," can reduce or eliminate long- term risk to human life and property from hazards. FEMA will share the spotlight with City of Lake Elsinore Public Safety Advisory Commission and other City officials. The PSAC periodically hosts neighborhood outreach events throughout the City to inform residents about crime prevention, public safety programs and emergency preparedness. The PSAC s goal is to foster safety awareness through communication on a neighbor -to- neighbor level. FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards. The California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) coordinates overall state agency preparedness for, response to and recovery from major disasters. Cal EMA also maintains the State Emergency Plan, which outlines the organizational structure for state management of the response to natural and manmade disasters. '...r REGION: Cuts threaten fire stations, new jail Page 1 of 2 Q The North County Times - Californian REGION: Cuts threaten fire stations, new jail Debate heats up over county public safety budgets BY DAVE DOWNEY - ddowney @californian.com I Posted: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:43 pm Public safety officials Tuesday painted a gloomy picture of what might happen next year if Riverside County cuts their budgets by 10 percent, saying eight fire stations could close, a new jail wouldn't open and 60 of 99 beds at the juvenile hall in French Valley would be eliminated. But heads of the sheriffs, fire, district attorney's and probation departments said more modest reductions would not seriously disrupt their operations or compromise safety on the street. The comments came in an all -day workshop in Riverside on the county's budget for fiscal year 2010 -11, which begins July 1. The Riverside County Board of Supervisors is set to meet April 13 to try to hash out a consensus on how deep each department's cut should be, as the board seeks to close a shortfall of more than $100 million. Supervisors earlier indicated a desire to trim most of the county's 46 departments by 10 to 25 percent, while limiting cuts to public safety agencies to between 3 and 5 percent. However, the supervisors asked all departments to identify the effects of an across -the -board 10 percent reduction. The workshop was punctuated by a sharp exchange between Supervisor Bob Buster and District Attorney Rod Pacheco. The district attorney, who is running for re- election, had just closed out three days of the board's budget hearings with a more -than- hour -long presentation filled with slides, videos and news clips of the county's most spectacular recent crimes. 10_� They always finish with a flourish," Buster quipped at the conclusion. The only thing missing from the presentation, he said, ,arcastically, was a reference to the 9/11 terrorists. Buster, who lives in Riverside and represents a district that includes the Lake Elsinore - Wildomar area, scolded Pacheco for not providing details on how his department's programs would be affected by 3 percent or 10 percent cuts, and failing to list his priorities for sparing programs - - -- something other department heads delivered. Buster suggested both Pacheco and Sheriff Stan Sniff exaggerated the potential harm from 10 percent cuts. Referring to a workshop outline prepared by the executive office, Buster said 10 percent reductions would leave the sheriff with $230 million and the district attorney with $60 million from the county's general fund, twice what they received as recently as 2005. Addressing the sheriff, Buster said, "By any measure of money, your department has been well treated. What I'm asking for is not to downgrade your department, but for some moderation.... We just don't have the tax revenues that we thought we had." Still, Sniff said a 10 percent cut would be "catastrophic," forcing him to lay off 156 officers and lower the ratio of deputies on the street to less than one per 1,000 residents for the first time in years. And, he said it would prevent the opening of the nearly completed $80 million expansion of the county's jail in Banning. Pacheco, while not providing specifics, said a 10 percent cut would be "devastating." He countered Buster's criticism by saying other Southern California counties have committed to leaving public safety budgets intact despite the recession. Supervisor Jeff Stone of Temecula said he, for one, was determined to do the same in Riverside County. Stone said if people do not feel safe, the area will not flourish. He said the budget ax should fall much softer on the sheriff, district attorney and Fire Department than on general- service departments. don't believe that every department in Riverside County is created equal," Stone said. http: / /www.nctimes.com/ news / local / swcounty /article_2661813a- 4c2e- 572a -bal a- d9c3075... 3/31/2010 n n kji u : uuts threaten tire stations, new jail Page 2 of 2 As for the agency that puts out fires in 6,960 of the county's 7,200 square miles, fire Chief John Hawkins said a heavy cut could trigger the closure of up to eight of 40 fire stations. In addition to facing the prospect of losing $4.3 million from the general fund, the Fire Department anticipates losing $6 million in fire tax revenue, Hawkins said. Hawkins said the state is asking Riverside County to pay a higher rate for fire protection. For many years, the county has contracted with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the state charges it an administrative fee on top of the basic service cost. This year, the fee is 11 percent of the contract amount, or $12 million. CalFire is asking for 11.06 percent in fiscal 2010 -11, though the overall contract amount would go down slightly, Hawkins said. The requested percentage increase infuriated the supervisors. "This is a huge amount," said board Chairman Marion Ashley. "Everybody's cutting back, but they're not cutting back. They're just piling on us." Supervisor John Tavaglione said, "If they want to give up their biggest contract in California, they can put us on notice." Riverside is the biggest county that depends on the state for fire protection. County supervisors decided to fire off a letter to Sacramento not only rejecting the proposed rate increase, but also urging a reduction from the current rate. Hawkins' morning address was followed by Probation Chief Alan Crogan, who warned of dire consequences in his department from a 10 percent cut. Crogan said he would have to reduce the size of the Southwest County juvenile hall from 99 beds to 39, and close the 44 -bed Van Horn Youth Center in Riverside. Contact staff writer Dave Downey at 951- 676 -4315, ext. 2623 http: / /www.nctimes.com/ news /local/swcounty /article_2661813a- 4c2e -572a -bat a- d9c3075... 3/31/2010 Safety agencies lament budget cuts I Local News I PE.com I Southern California News N... Page 1 of 2 Safety agencies lament budget cuts 10:20 PM PDT on Tuesday, March 30, 2010 By DUANE W. GANG The Press- Enterprise The leaders of Riverside County's public safety agencies -- including the sheriff, district attorney and fire chief -- appealed to supervisors Tuesday to lessen the pain of budget cuts. Steep reductions would result in fewer deputy sheriffs patrolling unincorporated areas, a delay in a major jail expansion and the closure of fire stations, they said. "None of us, certainly, underestimates the problems we are all collectively facing in Riverside County because of the economic downturn," Sheriff Stan Sniff told supervisors. Still, he said his department is threadbare and has few areas to trim. Story continues below f , Fire Chief John Hawkins. left, Sheriff Stan Sniff, center, and District Attorney Rod Pacheco Riverside County faces a budget shortfall of more than $100 million for the fiscal year starting July 1. Supervisors must find a way to bridge that gap over the next two years and reduce reliance on shrinking reserves. County officials have warned of the possibility of as many as 1,600 layoffs. To bridge the budget gap, supervisors have discussed proportional 10 percent cuts to public safety and general government along with options weighted to favor the sheriff, district attorney, fire and probation offices. Those proposals include 3 percent cuts to public safety and 25 percent cuts to other departments, which in budget hearings also warned of severe reductions in service levels. In the third and final daylong workshop on Tuesday, the sheriff, fire and probation departments presented scenarios for 3 percent and 10 percent reductions and submitted prioritized lists of specific cuts. Sniff said his department would lose nearly 70 positions if his budget is cut 3 percent. But he said the reductions are achievable through attrition. Staffing ratios for unincorporated areas would drop, but the department still could maintain funding to open the 582 -bed jail expansion at the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning. A 10 percent reduction would be harder, requiring the elimination of 225 positions, including 156 sworn deputies, the sheriff said. The jail expansion would be put on hold, Sniff said. The district attorney's office did not submit in advance any budget scenarios detailing potential reductions. But District Attorney Rod Pacheco told supervisors his office could handle a 3 percent cut. http: / /www.pe.com/localnews /stories/PE News Local_W budget3l.4426Oba.html 3/31/2010 Safety agencies lament budget cuts I Local News I PE.com I Southern California News N... Page 2 of 2 In a presentation lasting more than an hour, Pacheco detailed the 17 percent reductions his office already has taken since fiscal 2008 -2009 and statistics showing the county's declining violent crime rate. "There is no question we have shared the pain. We are prepared to do more," he said. *.NOV "I believe personally a 3 percent cut would not materially affect the department." Pacheco's presentation did not specifically outline how and where the office would make those cuts, and he did not detail a 10 percent scenario. The district attorney touted his office's successes in prosecuting high - profile criminals, including Raymond Lee Oyler, who received a death sentence for starting the deadly Esperanza Fire in 2006. He also cited the arrest by San Diego County authorities of John Gardner III -- a registered sex offender living near Lake Elsinore who was charged in the killing of 17- year -old Chelsea King in San Diego County -- to highlight the need to maintain public safety funding. Pacheco also played clips from television news about high - profile crimes and showed a profanity -laced video made by the West Side Rivas, a Rubidoux -area gang. Meanwhile, Fire Chief John Hawkins said a 3 percent budget cut would result in the closure of at least three fire stations. A 10 percent reduction would mean shuttering at least five stations. Hawkins said the fire department has done its best to control costs in prior years by trimming administrative and other expenses. "We are now at the point of fire stations," he said. Supervisors uniformly praised Cal Fire and the services the agency provides the county. But they expressed displeasure with Sacramento for increasing Cal Fire's administrative fees in recent years. Riverside County pays about 11 percent in administrative fees, or between $12 million and $13 million a year, Hawkins said. Supervisors plan a strongly worded letter seeking a reduction. "This is a huge amount," board Chairman Marion Ashley said. "We just can't afford to pay this." Probation Chief Alan Crogan said a 10 percent reduction would force him to close two of the department's units at the Southwest Juvenile Hall and the entire Van Horn Youth Center in Riverside. Supervisor John Tavaglione, who proposed the budget workshops, said the county faces a difficult balancing act maintaining public safety while not gutting other departments. He said he hopes the sheriff and district attorney can take cuts of more than 3 percent. Now, after hearing from county departments over three days, supervisors are expected to provide direction on how much to cut at an April 13 meeting. "Looking forward, we need to settle on levels and distribution of cuts, use of reserves and what programs to protect," County Executive Officer Bill Luna said. Reach Duane W. Gang at 959- 368 -9547 or dgang @PE.com http: / /www.pe.com/localnews /stories/PE News_Local W budget31.44260ba.htrnl 3/31/2010 HEMET: Trucks burned in possible threat to police Page 1 of 2 The North County Times - Californian HEMET: Trucks burned in possible threat to police By THOMAS WATKINS - Associated Press I Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 8:54 pm Four municipal trucks were set ablaze late Tuesday in Hemet, in what police said may be another round of attacks against the department's anti-gang officers. Authorities said Wednesday that they believe the fire may be linked to the earlier attacks. "Everyone is worried, everyone is being careful," Hemet police Lt. Duane Wisehart said. "You get scared a little bit, and then you get angry. It keeps happening." The suspected arson fires came four days after a confidential informant overheard two people talking about how they were going to blow up a Hemet police car over the weekend, Wisehart said. The informant told Riverside County sheriffs deputies, who notified Hemet authorities. Someone called police around 11:10 p.m. Tuesday to report a fire in the parking lot at Hemet City Hall, located within two blocks of the Police Department, Police Chief Richard Dana said. No one was hurt. Police were working with state and federal investigators to determine the cause of the blaze, which sent flames several feet above the trucks in the cab and hood area. The white trucks were for use by code enforcement officers. Early indications were that some kind of flammable substance was used and not an explosive, Dana said. 'The traditionally quiet city has been rocked by a series of booby -trap attacks against officers with the Hemet -San Jacinto Gang Task Force in recent weeks. "We are operating under the theory (the fire) is connected to the other assaults," Dana said. On Dec. 31, a natural gas pipe was rerouted into the headquarters of the gang task force. The building filled with flammable vapor, but an officer smelled the gas before anyone was hurt. In a second attack, some kind of ballistic device rigged to a security fence at the same building went off when an officer opened the gate, but the bullet missed. The third attack involved a deadly device found under a task force officer's unmarked car after the officer drove to a convenience store. Dana said at least one other booby trap has been discovered, but he declined to release details. In the last week or so, officers have received threats daily, either on their non - emergency telephone lines or via e-mail. "They say things like, 'It's too bad they missed, the next one's gonna get you, "' Dana said. Investigators believe the attacks are the work of more than one individual, partly because of the sheer volume of activity. Agents were working to determine whether all the trucks in Tuesday's fire were set ablaze at once, or whether the fire had gone from one vehicle to the next, said Keith Krolczyk, resident agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Riverside. He said the vehicles were "severely damaged." police initially suspected the Vagos, California's largest outlaw motorcycle gang, might be involved in the attacks. Authorities st week arrested 35 members of the Vagos in Riverside County as part of a crackdown across the state and in Arizona, Nevada and Utah. The district attorney's office was still reviewing cases and did not immediately know how many people had been charged. http: / /www.nctimes .com/news /local/hemet/article a50826f3- 08fd- 59f4- a94d- 4aa4dl42ela... 3/25/2010 HEMET: Trucks burned in possible threat to police Page 2 of 2 Gang enforcement officers monitored a group of gang members at a funeral two days before the first attack, leading investigators to wonder whether the gang felt affronted. But Dana on Wednesday distanced himself from that theory. "We have since started looking at other things" he said. "They are a group that is on the investigation list, but there are other groups, too." Wisehart said Wednesday that the attacks appear organized. "If they are related, I would think it's gang - related. There's an organization to it." If the activity is gang - related, he said, it is most likely not one of the many smaller, unconnected gangs in the area. "This is a lot more sophisticated than that," Wisehart said. "There's been some cartel -ish activity," he said. A $200,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the attacks. City News service contributed to this report. `nI http: / /www.nctimes.com/ news /local/hemet/ article _a50826f3- 08fd- 59f4- a94d -4aa4d 142e 1 a... 3/25/2010 Four city vehicles torched in Hemet 09:58 PM PDT on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 By JOHN ASBURY The Press - Enterprise _ "net police say gangs are among their possible suspects in the torching of four unoccupied code enforcement trucks in a City Hall parking lot, the fourth attack since Dec. 31 targeting officers or city property. They believe the four attacks are linked. No one has been hurt in the incidents, including the suspected arson late Tuesday night. Story continues below Mark Zaleski /The Press - Enterprise ATF agents investigate the scene where four city of Hemet code enforcement vehicles were set on fire in the parking lot behind City Hall. 1 _ fires, reported to police at 11:30 p.m., were in the city parking lot across Florida Avenue, two blocks from the Hemet Police Department. Police arrived within about a minute after the fire was reported and found the unoccupied trucks with charred engines and broken windows. Chief Richard Dana said they do not know who reported the fire. No threats were made, authorities said. The attack comes amid several threats made to police in recent weeks. "We will prevail on this thing," Dana said, walking to his office at the empty police station, shortly after 1 a.m. The white pickups were parked in an open lot, labeled with the city seal and equipped with amber lights. Detectives have not said how the vehicles were ignited. They reported no explosions. Police and city officials have rushed to improve security at the decades -old police station in response to the three previous attacks. Dana said his patience has grown thin over the repeated threats and the danger to officers' lives. "The idea that this has gone on long enough passed through my head a long time ago. How am I going to get the word out that this is not typical of Hemet ?" Dana said. "This is still a superb Police Department that has acquired an enemy engaged in terrorist activity. We clearly irritated somebody." Dana said the recent threats are more brazen than other types of attacks on police. SURVEILLANCE "You used to hear about some kind of things in the'6os and'70s, but never anything like this," Dana said. "Every time we goairough this, we know someone's looking for us. It really wears on you." A,__.orities declined to say whether surveillance footage from City Hall cameras captured someone starting the fires late Tuesday night. One man seen running awayby arriving officers was briefly detained. After questioning, he was released. Police said a review of surveillance footage leads them to believe he was not involved in the arson and had arrived shortly after the fires started. Dana said officers were concerned the arson outside City Hall could have been an ambush planned for officers. The vehicles could have been seen as an easier target since police have increased security at the station. It could also be an r.rr isolated attack by someone angry at the city, Dana said. • Riverside County sheriff s bomb squad robot canvassed the parking lot for suspicious devices, but none was found. • Hemet police SWAT team swept the area in an armored truck, with an officer perched as lookout with a rifle, in a hunt for secondary explosives or suspects. Story continues below Mark Zaleski /The Press - Enterprise An investigator examines the scene where four city of Hemet code enforcement vehicles where burned outside city hall late Tuesday in Hemet. The attack led policeto close several blocks of Florida Avenue and evacuate businesses as arson investigators and detectives as well as officials with the FBI and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives combed the scene at daylight. 4 City Hall remained closed until about 1 p.m. Wednesday. INCREASED THREATS Police have received multiple threats called in during the past several weeks, Dana said. None of the threats involved public facilities or vehicles at City Hall, he said. Last week, the Riverside County district attorney implied the Vagos Motorcycle Club might be involved in the attacks, but stopped short of naming its members as suspects. Hemet police said they have not identified the Vagos members as primary suspects and a recent sweep of club members was a criminal probation and parole action, unrelated to the threats on police. Members of the Vagos club deny involvement in the threats or that they are involved in criminal activity. The Hemet -San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force was first targeted on New Year's Eve when the gas line to the group's office was rerouted to fill the building with natural gas, apparently to trigger an explosion when officers went inside. In February, the same building was targeted with a gun rigged to the outside gate. When the gate was opened, the gun fired, but the bullet missed an officer. The office is now vacant. A week later, a Hemet gang officer discovered that a device police described as deadly had been attached to his car after it fell off in a gas station parking lot. Several Riverside County, state and federal agencies have offered a $200,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. Riverside County district attorney's spokesman John Hall said solving the Hemet threats is the office's top priority. Hemet Vice Mayor and Riverside County sheriffs Investigator Jerry Franchville said the community should not feel threatened by plots against police and the city. This was an attack on city property, and the Police Department is going to uncover who's doing this," Franchville said. ,-" felt they had to retaliate." SECURITY BOOST The department also is making improvements to its 1959 police station, which still has a hitching post in the back parking lot. Story continues below John Asbury / The Press - Enterprise Florida Ave. in Hemet is closed while police investigate the scene where four city -owned vehicles were torched. Hit by budget cuts and staff reductions, the department has been promised $55,000 from the city to make security improvements. Dana said the police station being used is unsafe, but the City Council has promised to seek additional funding for improvements and search for a new location when the economy improves. Police have also installed a gate around a rear vehicle entrance, where officers enter the building and prisoners can be unloaded. Authorities also plan additional wrought -iron fencing around the perimeter of the parking lots and additional lighting, bullet -proof glass and barriers at the front entrance. The open front customer lobby will be closed. Instead, visitors will speak to police staff through a closed glass window, Dana said. H�iet city employees were given training Wednesday to notify police if they notice anyone who seems suspicious or c intled, and to be mindful of any suspicious devices near the building or their vehicles. City Manager Brian Nakamura sh —, "We've put our guard up and city employees are still safe. We still continue to provide the best services we can in these conditions," he said. Reach John Asbury at 951-763 -3451 orjasbury@PE.com HEMET VIOLENCE �rrr Dec. 31: A gas line is rerouted through the roof of the Hemet -San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force building. Feb. 23: A gun is booby- trapped to the same office's gate, firing a bullet and missing an officer. March 5: A deadly device is attached to the bottom of an unmarked gang officer's car at home and falls off at a gas station. March 23: Four city code enforcement trucks are torched at Hemet City Hall. Four city vehicles torched in Hemet o&ii AM PDT on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 Four Hemet city code enforcement pickups were torched late Tuesday night, in what police are considering related to three previous 10-- ssination attempts on officers. The fires were reported to police at 11:30 p.m. off Florida Avenue at City Hall, across the street from the Hemet Police Department and the former Gang Task Force office that was targeted twice before. A Gang Task Force Officer was targeted in a third assassination attempt on his vehicle. Story continues below r� John Asbury / The Press - Enterprise Florida Ave. in Hemet is closed while police investigate the scene where four city -owned vehicles were torched. Both the vehicles and City Hall were vacant. No one was injured, Hemet Police Chief Richard Dana said. Police arrived within about a minute of the fire and found the trucks completely destroyed. Authorities were not sure who reported the fire or if they were related to the incident, Dana said. "We will prevail on this thing," Dana said, walking to his office at the police station alone, shortly after 1 a.m. The white pickups were parked in an open lot, adorned with the city seal and amber rooftop lights. Detectives have not determined how the vehicles were ignited, but reported no explosions. One man was detained as police arrived when he was seen running from the fire. After questioning, he was released when police determined he was not involved in the arson and had arrived shortly after the fire started. The Riverside County sheriffs bomb squad deployed a robot to canvas the parking lot and inspect any suspicious devices, but none were found. A Hemet police SWAT team swept the vicinity in an armored Bearcat tank, with an officer perched as lookout with a rifle. The armored vehicle circled city hall and neighboring streets and buildings looking for any secondary explosives or suspects. The attack led police to close several blocks of Florida Avenue and evacuate businesses. Police hoped to have Florida Avenue, open by daylight and were waiting until morning for Hemet police and Hemet fire arson investigators to begin their investigation. No prime suspects No suspects have been identified in any of the threats. Police are looking at multiple gangs in the San Jacinto Valley that the Gang Task Fv*" as contacted. The Riverside County district attorney last week, alluded to involvement by the Vagos Motorcycle Club, but stopped short of linking the group to the attacks. Hemet police said they have not been identified the Vagos as primary suspects and a sweep of club members was unrelated. On New Year's Eve, the gasline to the Hemet -San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force was rerouted to fill the office with natural gas, aimed at triggering an explosion when officers went inside to start working. The same building was targeted again in February when a gun was rigged to the gate of the Gang Task Force office and fired a bullet, missing an officer as he was opening the parking lot. A week later, a Hemet gang officer discovered a deadly device beneath his car designed to kill the officer, before it fell off in a gas statior parking lot. Several Riverside County, state and federal agencies have offered a $200,00o reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. Police have received multiple verbal threats in the last several weeks, Dana said. None of the threats involved public facilities or vehicles at city hall, he said. Dana was struggling for what triggered Tuesday night's attack and the recent spree of violence toward the Department. He said the fires at city hall could have been used as a tool to ambush officers responding or the vehicles could have been seen as an easier target since police have increased security. It could also be an isolated incident from someone angry at the city, Dana said. The chief stressed that these attacks have come against police officers and average citizens are not in danger. "The idea that this has gone on long enough passed through my head a long time ago," Dana said. "How am I going to get the word out that this is not typical of Hemet? This is still a superb police department that has acquired an enemy engaged in terrorist activity. We clearly irritated somebody." But the latest threat will not deter Hemet investigators, Dana said. He said the investigation will continue with help from full-time FBI and ATF agents working in Hemet, and staffed sheriffs deputies and district attorney investigators. The Department is also working on making improvements to its 1959 police station, which still has a horse- hitching post in the back parking lot. Hemet police, who have been decimated by budget cuts and staff reductions, has now been promised $55,000 from the city to make security improvements. Dana said the police station being used is unsafe, but the city council has promised to aid police in improving their office and hoping to find a new location in better economic times. The former Gang Task Force Office that was targeted a block away is now vacant, though lights remained on early Wednesday morning. Police have also installed a gate around a sally port, where officers enter the building and prisoners can be unloaded. Police plan to add additional wrought iron fencing around the perimeter of the parking lots and install additional lighting, bullet proof , glass and barriers at the front entrance. The open front customer lobby will be closed. Instead visitors will speak to police staff through a closed glass window, Dana said. Dana said the recent threats are more brazen than any types of threat against law enforcement he's ever seen. "You used to hear about some kind of things in the `6os and `70s, but never anything like this," Dana said. "Every time we go through this, we know someone's looking for us somewhere else. It really wears on you." - -John Asbury jasbury@PE.com Trucks burned in possible threat to Calif. police Page 1 of 1 � 0 The North County Times - Californian Trucks burned in possible threat to Calif. police By THOMAS WATKINS I Posted: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 7:42 am Four city trucks were torched in a Southern California town plagued by booby trap attacks on police officers, and authorities said Wednesday the fires might be linked to the previous attempts. The city code enforcement trucks were discovered burning at about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at a Hemet City Hall parking lot about two blocks from the police department, authorities said. The trucks were empty and no one was hurt. Although the trucks are not issued to police, investigators believe the arson is connected to threats and booby -trap attacks aimed at an anti -gang task force in Hemet, a desert city about 85 miles east of Los Angeles. v "The flames were going 2 to 3 feet above the truck in both the cab area and the hood area," police Chief Richard Dana said. Television reports showed scorched hoods on the white trucks, which are used by city code enforcement officers to respond to complaints. One man who ran when police arrived was briefly detained but found to be unconnected to the fires and released, Dana said. A 911 caller on Friday warned that a police car would be blown up within 24 to 48 hours in the Hemet -San Jacinto as retaliation for a crackdown against the Vagos Motorcycle Club. About 30 members of the Vagos, California's largest motorcycle gang, were arrested in Riverside County last week as part of a crackdown across the state and in Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Since Dec. 31, police officers have survived three attempts to kill them using bizarre booby traps. A natural gas pipe was rerouted into the headquarters of a gang task force but the flammable gas was smelled before anyone was hurt, police said. In a second attack, a gun rigged to a security fence at the same building went off when an officer opened the gate but the bullet missed. The third attack involved placing an explosive device to a police officer's unmarked car. The device was discovered after he had driven to a convenience store. Police suspect the device was attached to the car but fell off. "It's a constant pressure, a constant stress," Dana said. "An officer goes out and they try to protect the public," Dana told KTLA -TV. "And at the same time you have to look over your own shoulder to see who's after you, or to look underneath your patrol car before you can get back in if it's been out of sight for five minutes, that you have to wonder what's outside the door as you step out the police department, makes for a very tense working atmosphere." A $200,000 reward has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the attacks. http: / /www.nctimes .com/news /national/article 2d3d7cd0- 0055 - 5515- 9c6a- 79b2204de3c0.... 3/24/2010 Hemet police investigating apparent fire - bombing of city -owned trucks - PE.com - Daily ... Page 2 of 3 Blog Spotlight Political Empire Blog Daily postings fmm The Press - F•nterprite's politrral reporter, assisted by staffwtkers. - n an Mom• 8o � The on -line coRee klatch for Inland southern California mother. W.'Og The latest business - related ppoosstti�ngs from The Press - F�terprwe a business reporter. % Previous Entry I Blog Home I Next Entry . search This Blog Hemet police investigating apparent fire- bombing of city -owned trucks By PE News on March 24, 2oro 6:4o AM r , sM__ , _ &FU ? Monthly Archives Hemet police are investigating four city code enforcement pickups that were torched in the city lot about 11:30 p.m. Select a Month... • Master Archives Hemet police have closed several blocks of Florida Avenue after the foes were reported • Blog Home to police. Both the vehicles and City Hall were vacant. No one was injured, Hemet Police ��► Chief Richard Dana said. Recent Entries Police arrived within about a minute of the fire and found the trucks completely destroyed. Police are considering it a threat against the Police Department and the city. • Ecology- oriented presentations set for UC Riverside Detectives have not determined how the vehicles were ignited, but reported no • Hemet police investigating apparent fire- bombing of explosions. city -owned trucks • Man killed on I -io onmmp Sunday was missing person Police hope to have Florida Avenue open by daylight where Hemet police and Hemet fire • Man threatens security guard, arrested, officials say arson investigators will begin their investigation. • EARLY BIRD: Highlights in history ... and a thought for the day One man was detained as police arrived when he was seen running from the fire. After • BREAKING: Hemet police investigating four torched city vehicles questioning, he was released when police determined he was not involved in the arson • Man beaten outside San Bernardino market dies and had arrived shortly after the fire started • Motorcyclist killed in Riversidecollision with car • State agency to inspect Riverside businesses Hemet police have been targeted three times before since Dec. 31 by unknown assailants. • BREAKING: Four Hemet city vehicles firebombed Though this morning's investigation is in its early stages, police believe the torched trucks are related to the previous assassination attempts and multiple threats made Categories against the Police Department. - • Breaking News (2o4) No suspects have been identified. Police are looking at multiple gangs in the San Jacinto • Wildfires Valley. The Riverside County district attorney last week, alluded to involvement by the Vagos RSS Motorcycle Club, but stopped short of linking the group to the attacks. Hemet police said they have not identified the Vagos as primary suspects and a sweep of club members last M Subscribe to this blog's feed(s): week was unrelated. RSS - Recent Posts: PF oDm - Daily News Digest On New Year's Eve, the gasline to the Hemet -San Jacinto Valley Gang Task Force was rerouted to fill the office with natural gas, aimed at triggering an explosion when officers went inside to start working. Inland Events The same building was targeted again in February when a gun was rigged to the gate of EVENTS MOVIES VENUES DINING the Gang Task Force office and fired a bullet, missing an officer as he was opening the parking lot. 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