Our Crosstown University Park Blotter is a weekly rundown of crimes in one neighborhood. University Park is unique in that there are two law enforcement agencies patrolling the area – the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and USC’s Department of Public Safety (DPS).

 

You can find the last two editions of our blotter here and here. In the style of newspaper police blotters, we’re choosing a selection of incidents, some criminal and some not, reported to both the LAPD and DPS.

 

Feb. 20, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Besides the usual bike thefts and one instance of vandalism on a planter at the Eileen Norris Cinema Theatre (850 W. 34th St.), Feb. 20 was a pretty quiet day for DPS.

 

From the LAPD:

 

Battery | 9:50 a.m. | 2700 block of Figueroa St.

Suspect physically attacked the victim at the bank. The victim was a 56-year-old black man.

 

Feb. 21, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Alcohol overdose | 2:36 a.m. | Domino’s Pizza (2803 S. Figueroa St.)

“A student was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment following an alcohol overdose.”

 

Battery with serious injury | Reported Feb. 21, 3:01 p.m. | UPC Public Safety Office (3667 McClintock Ave.)

A student reported that on Sept. 11, 2018 at 1:30 a.m, another student bit her hand during an altercation.

 

Extortion | 4:06 p.m. | University Park Campus Public Safety Office (3667 McClintock Ave.)

“A student reported that a suspect is attempting to extort money from him by threatening to post a sexually explicit video of him on a social media site.”

 

Domestic violence | 10:06 p.m. | 2600 block of Ellendale Pl.

“A student was arrested for slapping another student in the face multiple times during an argument.”
 

Feb. 22, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Suspicious circumstances | 12:46 p.m. | USC School of Cinematic Arts (900 W. 34th St.)

“A staff member reported that a former student made vaguely threatening statements during a meeting and it caused her concern.”

 

From the LAPD:

 

Attempted stolen vehicle | 12:20 a.m. | 2100 block of Estrella Ave.

Suspect used a shaved key to break into victim’s vehicle on the street and ransack it. Suspect was arrested. Victim was a 25-year-old Hispanic man.

 

Petty theft | 4:17 p.m. | 800 block of W. Jefferson Blvd.

Suspect took merchandise from a fast food store and escaped using a vehicle.

 

Feb. 23, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Fire alarm | 1:08 p.m. | Kathleen L. McCarthy Honors House (3096 S. McClintock Ave.)

“A fire alarm was activated by dust from construction.”

 

Service | 7:55 p.m. | Dedeaux Field (1021 Childs Way)

“A student was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment after being struck in the nose with a baseball.”

 

From the LAPD:

 

Assault with deadly weapon | 12:08 a.m. | 600 block of W. Jefferson Blvd.

Victim was knocked to the ground and choked at a sports venue while asleep or unconscious. Victim was a 33-year-old black man.

 

Feb. 24, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Welfare Check | 12:51 a.m. | Elizabeth Von Kleinsmid Memorial Residence Hall (635 W. 35th St.)

“A welfare check was conducted on a student at the location who was reported to have consumed prescription medication with alcohol. The student denied having taken any prescription medication and officers cleared the scene after he declined further assistance.”

 

Suspicious circumstances | Reported at 11:31 a.m. on Feb. 24 | Alpha Epsilon Pi (904 W. 28th St.)

A student reported that the previous day, a suspect approached her from behind and snatched her cellular phone from her hand. The student pursued the suspect as he attempted to flee on foot and he subsequently stopped and handed the phone back to her, claiming that he staged the incident for a video. The suspect then walked away and disappeared from sight.

 

Feb. 25, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Suspicious circumstances | 9:49 p.m. | Elizabeth Von Kleinsmid Memorial Residence Hall (635 W. 35th St.)

“A student reported that she observed a former high school classmate on campus and it caused her concern because he had made unwanted contact and inquiries about her when they were in school together.”

 

Suspicious circumstances | 11:19 p.m. | Figueroa Street Structure (3599 S. Flower St.)

“A staff member reported that she observed a suspicious package on the ground inside the location and a[n] LAPD Bomb Squad was subsequently requested to investigate. The Bomb Squad determined that the package was not dangerous and the area was cleared for reentry.”

 

From the LAPD:

 

Theft | 10 a.m. | Figueroa St. and Adams St.

Suspect, who was homeless or transient, shoplifted merchandise from a store. Security attempted to stop the suspect but was unsuccessful. Suspect was arrested.

 

Robbery | 3:15 p.m. | Adams St. and Flower St.

Multiple suspects overwhelmed victim, attacked her physically and removed her property. Suspects were juveniles. Victim was a 25-year-old Hispanic woman.

 

Feb. 26, 2019

 

From DPS:

 

Annoying or molesting a minor | Reported at 11:08 a.m. on Feb. 26 | Kaprielian Hall (3620 S. Vermont Ave.)

“A juvenile reported that on Feb. 22, 2019, a suspect propositioned her for sex after engaging her in conversation outside the location.”

 

 

How we did it: We looked at both publicly available LAPD data and the daily log DPS of reports of incidents and crimes in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. For neighborhood boundaries, we rely on the borders defined by the Los Angeles Times. Learn more about our data here.

 

LAPD data and DPS logs only reflect incidents that are reported to the department, not how many crimes actually occurred. In making our calculations, we rely on the data that the LAPD makes publicly available through the Open Data Portal and the logs DPS makes publicly available on its website. On occasion, LAPD or DPS may update past crime reports with new information, or recategorize past reports. Those revised reports do not always automatically become part of the public database.

 

Want to know how your neighborhood fares? Or simply just interested in our data? Email us at askus@xtown.la.