Crime & Safety
BHPD Holds First Neighborhood Watch Block Party
The Beverly Hills Police Department helps residents with safety tips and emergency preparedness information.
The held its first in a series of Neighborhood Watch block parties on Saturday afternoon.
A portion of the 200 block of South Palm Drive was cordoned off to traffic as various booths were set up to distribute safety and emergency materials. Also making an appearance was a very popular local food truck.
“It’s a way for us to engage the community and give them crime prevention materials,” said Don Chase, the BHPD's Neighborhood Watch coordinator.
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In previous years, residents had been invited to the department every April and May for the crime prevention program. But a diminishing turnout in recent years has prompted the BHPD to try other ways to engage the public.
“We hope to continue these throughout the city at various times and dates to gain neighborhood cooperation in helping us with our mission of protecting the city,” BHPD said. “We’re actually trying to really expand our Neighborhood Watch Programs throughout the city. The more community involvement we get with police and fire activities, the safer the city will be.”
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South Palm Drive resident Noah Margo was at the Saturday afternoon event.
“I like it,” Margo said. “Any community event like this feels good, makes the city look good and has residents more aware of the programs the city offers to help people.”
Attendees were also excited to line up for The Grilled Cheese Truck, a diner on wheels known throughout Los Angeles County.
“I tried it a year ago in Silver Lake,” Jeff Lamarque said of the food truck. He came to the block party with friends Raymond and Kelly Estrada.
“I definitely recommend the Cheesy Mac and Rib," Raymond Estrada said. "It’s delicious.”
Grilled cheese aside, the event was a good reminder for the trio to put together an emergency preparedness kit.
“For many years we’ve been meaning to get together kits and we haven’t," Kelly Estrada said. Her husband agreed.
“It always hits when you least expect it and when you are least prepared," Raymond Estrada said. "It’s something we really need to stop putting off."
