Law Enforcement

A convicted sex offender who eluded law enforcement for two years was arrested Saturday at his aunt's home in Glendale for failing to follow conditions of his parole, police said. Juan Reyes, 27, had allegedly failed to register as a sex offender since Sept. 19, 2010, according to a U.S. Department of Justice database. The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force found Reyes, who is homeless, about 10:14 p.m. at his aunt's home on the 1200 block of East California Avenue and immediately took him into custody, according to Glendale Police Department reports.

Don Short and Tamara Mark's encounter with law enforcement hasn't always been positive, especially when they have been trying to care for their two autistic sons. During a family trip in Hawaii, Short had to restrain one of the couple's son's - 10-year-old Harry, who is nonverbal and prone to injuring himself - because he became extremely agitated at a Honolulu airport. But to the public, his actions looked like child abuse. He was reported to airport police. As Short tried to calm his son, police warned him to let go of his son. He reluctantly complied.

We don't have our own police force. As an unincorporated area, we are served by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Furthermore, we're under the rule of the Crescenta Valley sheriff's station. This means that our local captain answers to a commander at Crescenta Valley and 911 calls for service are routed there first. Still, most residents are very supportive of law enforcement: There's a Sheriff's Support Group that raises funds for equipment, a community advisory committee, a clergy council, a volunteer mounted patrol and a Volunteers on Patrol program of unarmed civilians who act as extra eyes and ears for the deputies.

This is written in response to Greg Hiscott regarding Glendale Police Department helicopters flying over La Cañada and parts of La Crescenta (“Why do the police fly over La Cañada? Oct. 10) that are under the jurisdiction of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. I am not quite sure I understand what he is complaining about. Is it the noise, the spot lights, or what? The impression I got from Hiscott is that he wants people who agree with his idea to write in and say so. Unfortunately, I cannot oblige him. Rather, my opinion is that we always feel a sense of security and protection when hearing police helicopters hovering as I know they are searching for, or holding the location of, potential criminals.

Community members appear divided about the possible elimination of Crescenta Valley High School's open lunch, with some characterizing any change as an unnecessary punishment and others ripping district officials for not moving quickly enough to stem the student-related problems identified in a recent report. Glendale Unified officials announced last week that they were reviewing the open-lunch policy after drawing a connection between it and ongoing disciplinary problems, absences and student tardiness.

It was a busy week at the state capitol as lawmakers scrambled to get bills to Gov. Jerry Brown's desk before recessing on Friday until January. One bill written by Sen. Carol Liu (D-La Cañada Flintridge) that increases protection for public safety workers recently got Brown's signature. The measure adds security officers and custody assistants to the state penal code for battery, allowing prosecutors to seek stiffer penalties if someone attacks them. “I am pleased the governor recognized the need to deter any threats against these law enforcement personnel and to increase fines and jail time for perpetrators,” Liu said in a statement.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto today announced plans to push legislation "to deter assaults and fighting at sporting events. " His announcement comes on the heels of violence at a San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders game at Candlestick Park on Saturday in which two people were shot in the parking lot . Another fan was beaten unconscious in a stadium bathroom. Gatto also cited the Bryan Stow beating at Dodger Stadium in March. The paramedic has been in medically induced coma since being attacked in the stadium parking lot on March 31. The exact provisions of the bill were not announced, but Gatto's office said the assemblyman would ask the Arts, Entertainment, Sports, Tourism and Internet Media Committee to convene a special proceeding to vet his proposal and take testimony from sports security experts, law enforcement and others.

Interaction between members of the public and law enforcement officials is often limited to traffic citations and the occasional stolen bicycle report. But on Tuesday they mixed and mingled at dozens of spots across Glendale and Burbank as part of National Night Out, a grass-roots movement aimed at improving neighborhood safety. “I think it is cool because it is really developed by the community,” said Glendale Police Officer Renae Kerner as she handed out stickers to children at Pacific Park.

La Crescenta Woman’s Club received a visit from public safety representatives at the May 11 meeting. Special guests were members of the La Crescenta Fire Station #63, the Sheriff's Station on Briggs Avenue, and the Glendale Police K-9 Unit. Carol Benedetti and Dea McCrory were co-chairwomen of a fashion show on March 26 that provided proceeds to make donations of equipment for both La Crescenta Fire Station # 63 and the Detective Unit of the Sheriff’s Station. Firefighters Nate De Luca, Matt Ramirez, Capt.