LAPD to Staff More Officers in West L.A.

Highlighting recent vigilant community policing efforts to help catch while commiting burglaries in Pacific Palisades, the announced the West L.A. Division will be receiving 17 additional police officers.

In a press conference Tuesday morning at , Captain Evangelyn Nathan said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck is bonusing the West L.A. Division with the additional officers without losing any staff.

"The message today is when communty spirit and a watchful eye are prevelant, the criminals don't win, and that's what we want," Nathan said. Specifics on potential shift changes from the arrival of new officers for Palisades or other West L.A. neighborhoods were not outlined.

On Aug. 11 police arrested , 44 and a registered sex offender from Nevada, after he allegedly pried open the rear door to a home in the 600 block of Alma Real Drive, activated the alarm and ransacked the residence.

On Aug. 15 police arrested  after they reportedly removed louvered slats from a rear window to a residence in the 900 block of Enchanted Way and took jewelry and wine. Police said a witness saw two men leaving an Enchanted Way residence and alerted officers. A helicopter reportedly tracked the vehicle of Jerry and Ferdman where police later arrested them on Sunset Boulevard.

Nathan showed the booking photos of the three alleged burglars at the press conference.

"We have an opportunity to force multiply our law enforcement efforts, and it starts with us, the residents in the community," said Amy Kalp, public safety advisor to the Pacific Palisades Community Council, pointing to more than a dozen West L.A. Division officers standing behind her. "As far as I'm concerned, our community and all the communities in West L.A. are in excellent hands because of them."

Senior Lead Officer Michael Moore added that residents should remember if they see something in the community, don't hesitate and get the police involved.

"Don't overthink it," he said. "Just get the police involved. Too many times it's so easy to talk yourself out of making that phone call, and when you talk yourself out of making that phone call, that's the criminal that commits a crime and gets away with it."