Community Policing

THE PROGRAM: The Los Angeles Police Department has assigned 31 officers to full-time community relations duty in the San Fernando Valley. The officers, who in the past spent only a few hours a month on such duty, now work full-time with neighborhood organizations and individuals. One of the 31 areas is described below:

Chatsworth, Porter Ranch

THE OFFICER: Jim Dellinger

Devonshire Division

(818) 908-4011

THE AREA: “It’s the last real bedroom community left in Los Angeles--we have a lot of upper-income dwellings,” Dellinger says of his beat. “But, unfortunately, our crime statistics are up 18% over last year.” The major problems on the beat, which includes a few industrial and commercial areas, are home burglaries during the day and car theft and auto burglary at night.