Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - The city’s rank-and-file officers have a new contract after months and months of bitter negotiations that saw seven tenured officers leave in as many months. The Glendora Police Officer’s Association will have a new two-year contract retroactive to the end of the prior GPOA contract, from July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019. Glendora Mayor Mendel Thompson and council members Karen Davis, Gary Boyer and Michael Allawos voted in favor of the new contract, while Mayor Pro Tem Judy Nelson voted against. Rank and file officers will receive a base salary increase of 4 percent retroactive to the full first payroll on or after July 1, 2017, according to a summary of the new contract. Effective the full first payroll period on or after July 1, 2018, officers will receive a base salary increase of 4 percent. All GPOA members on city payroll as of the date of the Memorandum of Understanding will receive increases to other areas of compensation, longevity pay and health, dental and vision insurance. A GPOA representative notified the City on May 17 that officers accepted the negotiated offer. ,“While it is not exactly what we were hoping for, it is a step in the right direction moving us from second to last up to 10th of 13 in total compensation compared to area agencies,” according to the GPOA in a written statement.
The GPOA had choice words to express their dismay in Mayor Pro Tem Nelson’s decision to vote against the two-year contract. “We are extremely disappointed in Mayor Pro Tem Nelson for her shortsightedness and disregard for public safety in her attempt to vote down this contract. We cannot begin to grasp Mayor Pro Tem Nelson’s inability to recognize the decades of valuable experience lost and the immense associated financial cost of their departure,” the GPOA said. Nelson explained why she voted against the new contract at the June 26 City Council meeting. “This new contract took eight months to negotiate because there were so many difficult, complicated parts to it. Most of it was related to the city finances,” Nelson said. The city, according to Nelson, is operating in a deficit and anticipates a projected $7.5 million deficit. Rising pension costs and storm water permits mandated by Sacramento will further burden the city’s finances. “I would have supported a more modest [wage increase] of a 6 percent raise over three years,” Nelson said. Just one day before the Memorandum of Understanding was approved, seven-year veteran of the department, Officer Craig Voors, left for better pay and benefits with the Irvine Police Department, joining fellow Glendora transplants Eric Weber, Adam Pettinger and Shawn Dinkle. Al Ancheta, only the second K9 officer in the department's history, left for the El Monte Police Department after more than 15 years with Glendora. “There is still a long road ahead with staffing shortages and damage that will be very difficult to repair,” the GPOA said. “We would like to thank everyone in the community for their unwavering support and we look forward to continuing our efforts to keep Glendora safe.” The next round of negotiations is slated to begin in less than one year. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - Police will be deploying the DUI Enforcement Team over Independence Day in an effort to stop and arrest impaired drivers.
DUI Saturation patrols will take place in areas that experience a high volume of DUI collisions and arrests, Glendora Police announced. High-visibility DUI checkpoints and patrols have shown to reduce the number of DUI injury crashes and deaths. Such collisions can be reduced up to 20 percent when DUI patrols and checkpoints are highly-publicized, Glendora Police said. “We want everyone to enjoy the holiday, so please be responsible and plan ahead to ensure a safe celebration,” said Glendora Police Chief Lisa G. Rosales. Funding for this DUI operation is provided to the Glendora Police Department by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - A Highland man and San Bernardino man were arrested Monday, believed to be cruising Glendora neighborhoods to burglarize homes.
Nevins Anderson, a 21-year-old Highland man, and Keith Cail, a 21-year-old San Bernardino man, were arrested after a call of suspicious persons in the 300 block of South Loraine Avenue just after 2 p.m., according to the Glendora Police Department. Anderson was found to be on state parole for residential burglary. Cail has an out-of-county arrest warrant, Glendora Police said. Anderson and Cail were stopped in a 2005 BMW 325i after also driving around neighborhoods on Humphreys Way, Baxter Drive and La Flora Lane. Detectives are asking anyone who may have seen these suspects visit their homes, or anyone who may have surveillance footage of these suspects to come forward and aid the investigation by calling Detective Russell Ziino at 626-914-8283. Ziino can also be contacted at rziino@glendorapd.org. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - A man sought by the U.S. Marshals surrendered after a few hours when a K9 made a convincing argument Monday morning.
Glendora officers assisted the U.S. Marshals with a warrant service in the area of Willowgrove Avenue and East Sierra Madre Avenue around 9:42 a.m. The suspect refused to exit the home and a barricade ensued, lasting for possibly a few hours, said Lt. Marty Barrett of the Glendora Police Department. A K9 was brought in to aid in the suspect’s surrender. “Once the dog got there and barked a few times, he decided to come out,” Barret said. The U.S. Marshals took the suspect into custody. His booking information was not available. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - Two suspects have been arrested at the end of a pursuit at a dead end near Whitcomb High School.
Glendora officers have just taken the final outstanding suspect in custody near Dodsworth Avenue and Meacham Avenue where the pursuit ended. Glendora Police arrived and almost immediately took the first suspect in custody, according to the California Highway Patrol. The second suspect eluded capture briefly after having shed a red hooded sweatshirt. Colton Police chased two men connected with multiple burglaries in their city, initially on the Interstate 10 freeway into the Pomona area just before 6 a.m. The pursuit wound its way back east into the Ontario area. The pursuit came back west on the 210 freeway into the Pomona area where the CHP Baldwin Park office joined in chasing the suspects, according to CHP radio traffic. The suspects, who were evading officers at more than 100 miles per hour at times, exited onto surface streets at Citrus Avenue and fled their vehicle on foot once they entered a cul-de-sac. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - Two colleges were placed on lockdown Friday after armed robbery suspects fled their crashed SUV at the end of a pursuit.
The two suspects robbed a pharmacy at gunpoint in the 200 block of South Grand Avenue around 10:50 a.m. The men, described as Black and wearing nursing scrubs, fled in a white SUV, which was spotted by officers patrolling nearby, according to Sgt. Mike Henderson of the Glendora Police Department. Officers attempted a traffic stop, but the SUV sped away and eventually crashed into a guardrail while attempting to turn south on Citrus Avenue from westbound Foothill Boulevard, Henderson said. The suspects fled the still-rolling SUV. One suspect fled into an Azusa neighborhood, while the second suspect fled onto the Citrus College Campus, 1000 W. Foothill Blvd. Nearby Azusa Pacific University and Citrus College were both placed on lockdown during a search. The suspect who fled onto Citrus College was found within minutes on the south side of the Student Services building, which faces Citrus Avenue. The second suspect changed his clothing while hiding in the nearby Azusa neighborhood. He was caught by searching officers while he tried to blend in after walking out onto Citrus Avenue, Henderson said. The stolen medication, as well as two handguns were recovered from the SUV. Booking information for the suspects was not yet available. No one was injured in the crash. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - A containment search continues at Foothill Boulevard and Citrus Avenue with several suspects detained at the end of a Glendora Police Pursuit.
Azusa officers, who are assisting Glendora Police with a containment search, advise residents to keep their doors and windows locked during the investigation. It is unclear if anyone is outstanding. Both Azusa Pacific and Citrus College are on lockdown during the investigation. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - A small vegetation fire is burning near the eastbound 210 to the southbound 57 interchange Monday.
The fire, reported at 11:40 a.m., was burning on the right shoulder of the interchange. The Lone Hill Avenue on ramp to the eastbound 210 freeway is partially blocked by Los Angeles County Firefighters, according to the California Highway Patrol. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - A suspect wanted for running a red light later crashed in West Covina after leading Glendora officers on a 31-second pursuit.
The suspect crashed in the area of Grand Avenue and Cortez Street. West Covina Police have a containment search set up to find the suspect. Glendora officers attempted to pull over the pursuit driver around 10:13 p.m. at Glendora Avenue and Baseline Road. The pursuit was terminated at Glendora Avenue and Juanita due to the suspect’s reckless driving, according to Sgt. Shawna Celello of the Glendora Police Department. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor GLENDORA - One person died after being caught in an engulfed vehicle on the eastbound 210 freeway in Glendora Sunday night.
The crash between a red sedan and black SUV occurred in eastbound lanes around 7:55 p.m. the CHP and Glendora Police arrived to tend to the crash. A Glendora officer reportedly told CHP officers a victim was trapped inside the engulfed vehicle, according to California Highway Patrol Traffic logs. Arriving Los Angeles County Firefighters declared the woman dead at the scene. It was not immediately clear if the vehicle fire started before the collision. A Sig Alert closed the No. 1, 2, 3 and 4 lanes for nearly two and a half hours during an investigation. |
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