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Larchmont Chronicle Neighborhood newspaper representing Hancock Park, Larchmont Village
Miracle Mile, Park La Brea Fremont Place in the Wilshire center area of Los Angeles. Local News and
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Hancock Park area. Founded in 1963 on Larchmont Bouelvard, Los Angeles, CA, California

July 1, 2010

RESIDENTS FORM NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

Laura Eversz

ON HAND FOR the installation of the neighborhood watch signs were, from left, Stu Melvin, Amy Vangsgard, Annie Chow holding daughter Olivia and Officer Joseph Pelayo.

Inspired by a meeting organized by residents on Gower St. following a rash of thefts and break-ins, N. Beachwood Drive neighbors from Beverly Blvd. to Melrose Ave. joined together to form a Neighborhood Watch group.

They, along with LAPD Olympic Division Senior Lead Officer Joe Pelayo, gathered at Annie Chow’s home in February.

“The Neighborhood Watch meeting at Annie’s was a great success, with about 20 to 30 people in attendance,” said Officer Pelayo. “Annie took the lead and ran with it. I wish I had more block captains like her.”

Chow says her role as co-block captain for the 300 and 400 blocks of Beachwood Dr., along with Stuart Melvin and Caroline Chiles, is to facilitate awareness and communication. They work as a team with Amy Vangsgard and Bianca le Mouel, who head up the Watch on the 500 and 600 blocks.

“The group’s main purpose is to make our neighborhood safer,” said Chow. “At the meeting, Officer Pelayo’s emphasis was on communication with neighbors. We took his advice to heart, and held a block party in April in order to familiarize ourselves with each other.”

Other ways of communicating include door-to-door greetings, e-mails, flyers and block meetings with the senior lead officer to keep up-to-date on crime trends in the neighborhood, added Chow.

Melvin, Vangsgard, Chow and Pelayo got together recently to view the installation of Neighbhorhood Watch signs on Beachwood.

“The signs are great because they let people in the area know that the neighbors are watching and will report any suspicious activity,” said Pelayo.

The group is planning another block party for the summer, said Chow. “We strongly believe in getting to know our neighbors.”

Larchmont Chronicle
542½ North Larchmont Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90004

Editor & Publisher: Jane Gilman
Associate Publisher: Irwin Gilman

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Information about the Larchmont Village, Hancock Park, Miracle Mile, Park LaBrea areas of Los Angeles, california. The larchmont Chronicle provides information, news stories, local events, advertising, real estate information, real estate listing advertisings, Los Angeles area demographics and other neighborhood news.