Violent Crime Drops 9% While Property Crime Rises 2% in Devonshire Division

By Daniel Del Valle
Senior Lead Officer, LAPD

The LAPD Devonshire Division closed 2008 with a 9% reduction in violent crimes, and a 2% increase in property crimes. 

We experienced a slight increase in residential burglaries. Over-all crime stats looked pretty good for the area and 2009 will be better. 

Recently there were burglaries in the 21900 Merridy St., 10400 Aldea Ave. and 17200 Mayerling St. blocks.  The LAPD Communications desk received phone calls from concerned citizens saying  that they saw suspicious individuals in the area attempting to break into homes, and we were able to make a great arrest. 

We were able to catch the thieves with your support and link the suspects to multiple crimes.  This was a great example of community and law enforcement working together.  Even though arrests were made we need your continuous support with keeping a watchful eye.
 
The new LAPD Topanga Station opened last weekend and divisional boundaries changed.  Our Basic Car 17A23 patrol area kept most of the territory.  But we transferred a small southern portion south of Lassen Street and east of Canoga Avenue to the new Topanga Station.  Most of Chatsworth was kept intact and we gained some Porter Ranch patrol area.

I look forward with working with you all and thank you for your support.

Remembering Jay G. Davis, 77

Jay G. Davis, 77, was a founding member of the Chatsworth Neighborhood Council.  He served five years and was elected to two terms as treasurer. Davis, a CPA, retired from the Council in November.  He and his wife Helen were also active in Neighborhood Watch. Jay Davis died on Dec. 26.

By Cantor Patti Linsky
Temple Ahavat Shalom

It was almost 53 years ago that Jay didn't propose to Helen... They met when Helen needed a date for her Junior Prom. She was very much ahead of her time, you see, and she was the one who made the call to that very dashing and great looking gentleman whom she saw at the JCC.

Basically they had a blind date...which later, Jay had relayed to daughter Sheri, was to be the beginning of a life together of which fairy tales are made. For it was on that night that Helen and Jay began their story.

The way Jay didn't propose was full Jay fashion. He was helping Helen on with her coat and just managed to slip on an engagement ring in the process... no getting down on one knee business...he just said: "My mind is made up -- don't confuse me with the facts!" As Daniel said, this was a great philosophy for a CPA...
 
The rest, as they say, is history.
 
Jay loved his work. He loved his life. Whenever anyone would ask him how he was, the answer would inevitably be "somewhere between great and fantastic!" Always positive, always sure of himself. Helen told me how much they loved each other.
 
He loved doing what was right.. and had little tolerance for people who knew what was right and did the wrong thing anyway. He loved Hawaii. Maui and Helen and Jay equal the perfect balance sheet in CPA terms. All was right with the world when they were there and they were there a lot.
 
Jay believed in giving back to his community. In Rockpointe, where they lived, Jay was very active in community relations. With their local Police Department, Jay had tremendous respect and supported them tirelessly. And to Sova, the Jewish Response to Hunger, Jay donated generously, making sure that our broken world became healed a bit more. He was also on the board of the City of Hope.
 
This is what he did.
 
This and so much more. 
 
Jay was a proud member of the Jewish War Veterans. We will witness a presentation of our American Flag later at graveside to Helen in Jay's honor.
 
When I met with Jay's family last evening, I learned that he imparted many lessons to his family. Jay had 4 children who meant the world to him.  Glenn learned to work hard. He also learned to be an expert with numbers. His wife Marla told me of sage wisdom that Jay said on their wedding video:
"Very great happiness." Simple. To the point. The essence of what would be his life.
 
Jay always made Sheri feel like a priority. He was a good friend. She could talk to him about anything (except of course, about boys...that was where her mom came in). Jay taught her that there was a public face and a private face, and always to be careful with your words. He also was VERY patient when he taught her to drive.
 
Harriet learned honesty, charity and what she described as a PMA (positive mental attitude). While he was patient with Harriet's driving, he tended to also white knuckle it with her.
 
Karen learned the love of math, tools, space packing, being kind just "because," giving to others who have less, being grateful for what you've got. He even loved her through her dropping the transmission out of the car.

He fought for her in high school, getting her into math and science classes because she was female... and he won. He was a feminist even then.
 
Jay's grandchildren were also his lights. Teri told me how she played a lot with her Grandpa as a kid, and how as she went to  college, he came to see her in Tucson. They went to a football game, and went to Homecoming. All of the kids, when they would come to their Grandma and Grandpa's home, would immediately go to the slot machine and put in a coin and see what would happen.

There were tchotchkes everywhere...and let's not even get started talking about the garage
 
To all of you, Teri, Eric, Erin, Mikela, Julia, Dagny and Jeremy, you may feel sad and angry and confused. You may not understand this for a very long time. But one thing you have to know is this: your Grandpa loved you more than anything. You are in his soul and he is in your heart. If you ever need him near you, think of him and talk to him, or come to this place. You can cry....you can feel whatever you need to and it is OK. You can feel it all.
 
One thing can be said, though. For all that Jay collected in his life, be it tchotchkes, or El Pollo Loco leftovers from the many dinners he ate from there, or receipts for his deductions, one thing was incredibly clear. He collected us. How blessed and how much richer we are for having made the journey.

• Record your Jay Davis memory HERE.