Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, March 30, 2009. For late night party-goers, it was just to far to walk to the trash can, 50-feet away, behind Rose Scharlin Preschool. (Click on photo to enlarge.)Just as we finally got the couch picked up, neighbors report a party raging on the Red Car Property from 1 to 6 AM, Sunday. A Riverside Place neighbor called the LAPD around 5 AM. But LAPD Dispatch lost interest when the neighbor said it was on private property and tried to give the police directions to get here.
For many years, LAPD Senior Lead Officer (SLO) Al Polehonki has attempted to persuade a series of Red Car Property owners to install parking gates on the property. The majority of problems stem from people driving onto the property. Instead, the current owner threatens to fence off the entire property.
Officer Polehonki believes fencing the entire site off would only prevent people from using the property as they use it now, like a park. So many people use the property as a recreational trail, it helps prevent illicit uses and homeless encampments. Fences don't keep bad guys out. Fences just keep people who respect fences out.
Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, March 30, 2009. Neighbors often clean up the condoms and other party remnants just to keep from attracting more problems to the Red Car Property. (Click on photo to enlarge.)
When you call the police for parties on the Red Car Property, give them directions on how to get there. Rampart often covers Northeast police calls, and Rampart officers do not know the neighborhood. The property is over a mile long, so get to know your directions.
As the weather dries out, it also helps to mention this is a hillside neighborhood and (as is often the case) the brush has not yet been cleared on the property. And, always say your SLO told you to call it in. LAPD budgets their resources by the number of calls they get in the area. The LAPD won't know something is happening here, unless you call it in.
