Sheriff's to Focus on Neighborhood Where Taser Was Used

The Sheriff's Department will be focusing efforts on cleaning up an area on the south side of the where they say loud parties, drinking, littering and occasional violence have become a problem.

The neighborhood--a narrow street near the intersection of Sacramento Street and Raymond Lane--was the site of a call for service this week that resulted in an officer on a resident.  Following the taser incident, a crowd gathered around the deputy, and police made five arrests for inciting a riot.

Lt. Joe Dempsey, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department , noted that police have been called out to that site to break up parties for years.

"There's a bunch of bungalows there that seem to be linked to some of the activity," Dempsey said. "This has been an issue forever, basically."

He said there have been 84 arrests made in the general vicinity of the area in the last three years and noted that a may have been related.  Shots were fired in an attempted shooting nearby the area in a separate incident, though nobody was hit in that one, Dempsey added.

Dempsey noted that there is not a Neighborhood Watch group in the area, and officers are hoping that with outreach to neighbors in the area, they may be able to spark interest in one.

He said that the department was also speaking with property owners who are renting out bungalows in the area, and are asking them to speak with tenants and work on keeping litter and noise to a minimum in the area.

On a Friday morning visit to the area, the streets were covered with litter and cigarette butts, much of it in an area where cars could be parked across the street from homes. 

Brian Charles of the Pasadena Star-News spoke with residents in the area for a recent story and noted that they also say they have consistent problems with parties in the area.