Citizens of Pacific Palisades are petitioning for the immediate establishment of a police (sub)station within our community as we rebuild following the devastating Palisades fire. Given the growing number of home invasions, prolonged delays in police response, the constantly exploding illegal fireworks that likely caused the deadly fire, the scourge of looting, and the substantial taxes paid by our residents, the lack of sufficient law enforcement representation in our area has become deadly and unacceptable. We are tired of being told that we need homicides amongst our population of 23,000 before we will be taken seriously. People/ children have been held at gun/ knife point during home invasions. Twelve people died in the Palisades fire, the likely cause being the illegal fireworks that we have begged to be policed for years. A Police (sub) station is long overdue. 

Please consider:

• Pacific Palisades is witnessing a troubling rise in crime, including property theft, break-ins, and vandalism. Between January 1 and October 22, 2024, 76 burglaries were reported, a 13.4% increase from the 67 reported in the same period in 2023.
• Reports from Palisades News have highlighted police response times exceeding 40 minutes, which allows burglars ample time to loot and flee the scene.
• The unacceptable response times and the lack of a police presence has left our community vulnerable—we are seen as 'sitting ducks' by an increasingly global criminal community as evidenced by a rise in burglaries linked to organized crime groups originating from South America - in addition to local crime
• Despite Pacific Palisades residents paying some of the highest property taxes in the city, we have repeatedly been denied a police presence. Overall, the LAPD serves around 4 million people with 10,000 officers, a ratio of 1 officer per 400 residents. Santa Monica, with a population of 89,000, employs 250 police officers, a ratio of 1 officer per 356 residents. It is long overdue that the Palisades, with 23,000, receives commensurate police presence.         

Therefore, we request:

The immediate establishment of a fully operational police station in Pacific Palisades to provide timely and effective law enforcement services to our community. We believe this will prevent fires, death, and the unchecked home invasions that plague our community. We will no longer tolerate the lack of resources allocated to our community (let's not even mention the lack of fire fighters during a red flag warning, functional LAFD equipment, reservoir water, or any water whatsoever.....)

We request an immediate commitment from local and city officials to prioritize public safety in Pacific Palisades, both during and after the rebuilding process, including a sustained and visible law enforcement presence. We firmly believe that the safety of our residents, the protection of our homes, and the well-being of our children should no longer be ignored. We strongly urge our local officials to take swift and decisive action to address the public safety needs of our community.