Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Public Safety Best Business Practices for Unincorporated Areas in Orange County California


Posted By CotoBlogzz

Ladera Ranch:  A public safety model for unincorporated areas in Orange County, California

According to the 2010 census, Orange County is the third-most populous county in California.  At one time, it was the largest county to have declared bankruptcy, when in 1994, longtime treasurer and Democratic party politician Robert Citron's investment strategies left the county with inadequate capital to allow for any rise in interest rates for its trading positions. When the residents of Orange County voted down a proposal to raise taxes to balance the budget, bankruptcy followed soon after. Citron later pleaded guilty to six felonies regarding the matter

Nearly 30 percent of the county was created as master planned communities.  Communities  outside of city limits in unincorporated county territory include Coto de CaZA, Ladera Ranch, Rancho Mission Viejo and Trabuco Canyon

Now the county is thriving and counts several cities that claim to be "the safest city  around"


Public Safety in Unincorporated Communities - South Orange County

The unincorporated communities in South Orange County  County are diverse in nature and require special enforcement considerations:  The Orange County Sherifff’s Department (OCSD) uses four-wheel drive patrol vehicles and ATV units in the rugged canyon areas along with bicycle patrols and Mounted Enforcement Units deployed as necessary, including a K-9 unit.






Local governances face different legal and bureaucratic challenges associated with public safety, such as SB-298, tailored specifically to Orange County.  While a lot of time and effort went into the passage of SB-298, approved by Governor  Brown in 2013, it has been useless:  No unincorporated area in Orange County has received  services described in SB-298:

Public Safety Legislation: SB-298 states in part

“ (a) The Board of Supervisors of the County of Orange or the city council of a city within that county may, as part of a pilot project, contract to provide supplemental law enforcement services to homeowners’ associations, as defined in Section 4080 of the Civil Code, on an occasional or ongoing basis to enforce the Vehicle Code on a homeowners’ association’s privately owned and maintained road, as provided by Section 21107.7 of the Vehicle Code.”  

We have reached out to Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett and Supervisor Todd Spitzer to understand the legal and bureacrsatic impediments, if any, that prevent unincorporated communities in Orange County from using OCSD officers for pro-active traffic patrol, but as of this writing, we have not heard from them









 OBBOS Chair Lisa Bartlett



However, the key elements associated with public safety in unincorporated area are similar to those faced by other cities in the county, as illustrated by the various public safety frameworks, from the Bull’s Ye Model, to LEEEO to VICAM:  They all start with leadership.

The premise is that effective public safety in a given community  is  not as much a function of  law-enforcement or even demographics,  as it is a responsible local governance adopting the right framework for the community

Reference Models for Public Safety


LEEEO

– Leadership - refers to local governance and community leaders
E – Engineering - refers to infrastructure, lighting, signage, etc.
E- Education – inspiring and educate residents on the importance of respecting law and order,
 – EngagementMo – coordination between law enforcement agencies and residents 
O – organization 

VICAM

V - Visibility – simply having a CHP or Sheriff’s patrol car around the most dangerous roads minimizes speeding 
I - Issuing citations – A strong deterrent 
C - Community patrol 
A- Awareness campaign 
M - Monitoring

Bull’s Eye Model

The Bull’s Eye Model starts with the community’s mission/vision/goals, which includes clearly written goals about public safety followed by a commitment by local governance and the community at large.




Ladera Ranch:  A public safety model for unincorporated areas in Orange County, California

Ladera Ranch is an excellent example of an unincorporated community putting public safety as a top priority:  In 2006 the community, including local leadership, determined that the crime and vandalism rates were unacceptable.   In less than three quarters, the rate went down by 300%.  With the rate dropping down to an all-time low in 2013, the community saw an uptick in activity, and immediately  asked OCSD’s Lt. Mitch Wang for help, something LT. Wang quickly obliged.

LT. Mitch Wang 

Lt. Wang heads the OCSD’ South Patrol Bureau as  part of the Southeast Operations Division and provides “law enforcement services to the 80,000 residents of the South County unincorporated areas of Trabuco Canyon, Coto De Caza, Ladera Ranch, Wagon Wheel, Las Flores, the new community of Rancho Mission Viejo and the rural neighborhoods located along the Ortega Highway and in the Santiago, Trabuco and Rose Canyon Districts. The South Patrol Bureau is staffed with four Sergeants, twenty Deputy Sheriff’s, one School Resource Officer (SRO) and two Criminal Investigators. The South Patrol Bureau also oversees the Juvenile Services Bureau (JSB) and the School Mobile Assessment and Resource Team (SMART).


Ladera Ranch Crime and Vandalism Tracking:  Notice 2Q2006 and 4Q2013 


Since we have been covering the crime and  vandalism rates for the unincorporated areas of South Orange county for more than a decade, we thought the so-called “uptick” in activity in Ladera Ranch was more a data collection issue than a real law enforcement issue.  The Ladera Ranch leadership thought otherwise and immediately jumped to action.






In fact, the Ladera Ranch Civic Council regularly invites Lt. Wang to their meetings so they can all be up to date on the questionable activity in the community:  An integral part of any public safety framework






Some of the Ladera Ranch Civic CouncilRecent Accomplishments

·         Worked with the county to build a left turn out of the Terramor Water Park
·         Helped get a 4-way stop sign installed at Narrow Canyon & Aura Lane
·         Worked with the County to solve traffic concerns on Benjamin Drive & Oso Grande
·         Successfully advocated for the donation of two OC Sheriff’s Department Bike Patrols
·         Supported the steps to create the Ladera Ranch Military Banner Program
·         Facilitated the completion of the track and pool at San Juan Hills High School
·         Have represented Ladera residents on many key issues by bringing in speakers to meetings

Unincorporated Areas in Orange County

Coto de Caza
Emerald Bay
Ladera Ranch
Las Flores
Midway City
Modjeska Canyon
North Tustin
Cowan Heights
Lemon Heights
Red Hill
Olive
Orange Park Acres
Rancho Mission Viejo
Rossmoor
Silverado
Trabuco Canyo


CONCLUSION

So, what are best practices for public safety in unincorporated areas of Orange County?

Start with leadership, followed by the right public safety framework and make sure you involved the Orange County Sheriff's Department, such as Ladera Ranch is doing with Lt. Wang!

 OCSD South Patrol


RELATED STORIES



Coto de Caza, Ladera Ranch 1Q2016 Crime and Vandalism Report


The Orange County Sheriff’s Department (OCSD) Crime and Vandalism report for the first quarter of 2016 is in and there are no major surprises:  We usually see a major swing between the end of the year and the first quarter, mostly associated with year-end reporting., So, for Coto de Caza we present two views:  A view reflective of the data as received from the OCSD and another one averaging the last two quarters.




Fifth traffic accident in Coto de Caza in as many months within ½ mile of Golfer Crossing Signs



Posted By CotoBlogzz


Coto de Caza, California - Another month, another damaged fence.  That makes it the third one in as many months, right at what CZ Master Association board member Mr. Phil Mitchell claims are CalTrans and NTSB compliant “golfer crossing” signs placed right in the middle of the most dangerous curve in the community.






bos.ocgov.com/legacy5/newsletters/pdf/LR Traffic Survey press.pdf
Ladera Ranch Needs More Traffic Patrols ... Ladera Ranch Transportation Club.Residents see increased law ... Even though the Highway Patrol has been diligent

bos.ocgov.com/legacy5/newsletters/pdf/Ladera_Ranch_Transportation...
that there is an immediate need for more traffic and parking enforcement in Ladera Ranch,” said Chuck Gibson, President of the Transportation Club. More than ...


  1. Ladera Ranch Transportation Club launches survey - The ...

    www.ocregister.com/articles/survey-179216-traffic-residents.html
    The Ladera Ranch Transportation Club launched a survey to identify residents' concerns regarding traffic issues and transportation. Transportation Club President ...


The CotoBuzz Journal : Crime in Ladera Ranch at all … 

cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2012/10/crime-in-ladera-ranch-at-all-time...
Oct 27, 2012 · Crime in Ladera Ranch at all time high ... from the California Highway Patrol San Juan ... second quarter of 2011 in Ladera Ranch more than 

Crime in Coto de Caza gets curioser, Ladera Ranch no change 

cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2012/07/crime-in-coto-de-caza-gets-curioser.html
Jul 26, 2012 · Crime in Coto de Caza gets curioser, Ladera Ranch no ... from theCalifornia Highway Patrol San Juan ... quarter of 2011 in Ladera Ranch more than .

The CotoBuzz Journal : Public Spectacles Work! 

cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2007/08/public-spectacles-work.html

Aug 2, 2007 - Public Spectacles worked For Ladera Ranch, and Laguna Woods ...Ladera Ranch residents were making a public spectacleCHP hours that 

The CotoBuzz Journal : Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under ... 


cotobuzz.blogspot.com/2007/.../drunk-driving-over-limit-under-arrest.ht...

Aug 20, 2007 - 
Coto CHP Pro-active Traffic Patrol Cause-Effect -The CHP ... that because Ladera Ranch residents were making a public spectacleCHP hours 

Coto de Caza CC&Rs and Potential Federal Law Violations


Coto de Caza CC&Rs and Potential Federal Law Violations

February 24, 2007

We sent the note below to Keystone – We have yet to hear from them, and if the trend continues, Keystone will not respond. So we decided to contact the service supplier directly. Their response is also shown below:

Based on this experience, we are planning to publish a periodic “violator’s list”. If you have any input, you know where to send it


OCSD on DUI Crackdown this weekend in Mission Viejo, Lake Forest and RSM



The  ‘Zero Tolerance’ crackdown so Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over!”  campaign

Posted By CotoBlogzz

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department’s (OCSD)  DUI Task Force will be deploying this weekend to stop and arrest alcohol and drug-impaired drivers in the department’s ongoing traffic safety campaign, according to the OCSD.



Why is California Assemblyman Chad Mayes Expediting AB-1799 - bad legislation for homeowners?


Posted By CotoBlogzz.com

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – We have often argued I that we no longer need to elect legislators.  We need to elect problem solvers.  For the few candidates we have endorsed, we ask them to take the Pareto Rule Pledge, also known as the 80-20 rule, which basically states, worry about the vital few and forget about the trivial many.  The practical translation is that for every bill problem solvers introduce, they need to get rid of four.



The Varo anti-CHP Sentiment continues: CHP Go HOME, KEEP OUT OF OUR DUIs!

The Coto de Caza gates, including the automated ones are as reliable as the public utilities in the outskirts of Baghdad, yet the association continues paying for services barely-rendered, no questions asked.

The board in a classic case of the blind leading the blind are training security personnel– yet the guards get a raise and a yearly contract.

The property management company cannot hire competent managers, so the boards hire managers directly for them. Then the board for some strange reason has not gone out for bids for property management services in ½ a decade.

Blame it on the Sheriff, Gendarmerie Royale Du Coto de Caza

Blame it on the Sheriff, Gendarmerie Royale Du Coto de Caza


Gendarmerie Royale Du Coto de Caza


February 17, 2007

Following up on the Orange County Register's (February 16, 2007) story on the recent CZ Master Association board of directors' announcement of a "new and improved deployment of the roving private security patrol …and mounted units of the Sheriff’s department soon patrolling the horse trails and fire roads that surround the community", we decided to re-print a story we run on the CotoBlogzz, December 28, 2005 with the headlines "Blame it On The Sheriff"

Answer to Speeding Problem Is Slow to Get to Coto de Caza ... 

articles.latimes.com/2006/jan/23/local/me-coto23

Jan 23, 2006 - In the first year, 2001, the CHP issued 1,154 tickets. ... "It was extortion," said Bob Varo, president of the association board. ... and made its roads public, the community would qualify for Highway Patrol enforcement at no cos


Law would let HOAs pay for extra patrols - The Orange ... 

www.ocregister.com/.../contract-522560-coto-va...

Orange County Register
Aug 24, 2013 - County agrees to fund CHP patrols for one year, with Coto required to pay for .... Varo insists the contract won't impact the general publi


Coto, Ladera, 2006 Crime and Vandalism Trending
February 19, 2007
After much effort, and with many thanks to SSD/OCSD's Kristine Garcia and Teresa Roach, we finally have a comprehensive view of 2006 crime and vandalism for the un-incorporated communities of Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch.
Not surprising, these figures are consistent with previous CotoBuzz Journal public safety reporting and puts into question the wisdom of the Coto de Caza board of director's distribution of $2,000,000.00 year allocated for public safety, including the new deployment of useless private security patrols, the poor record of reliability of unmanned gates, the poor treatment of the California Highway Patrol personnel and the recently announced deployment of the Gendarmerie Royale Du Coto de Caza

The CotoBuzz Journal : Mezger resigns from board – an ...

cotobuzz.blogspot.de/2007/09/mezger-resigns-from-board-ocr.html

Sep 28, 2007 - The Varo anti-CHP Sentiment continues: CHP GO HOME, KEEP OUT OF OUR ... including the automated ones are as reliable as the public utilities in the ... Coto De Caza, Ladera Ranch, Safest Communities in the Canyons ?

Something is happening to the Coto de Caza CHP Traffic Accident Statistics and we do not know what it is, but cannot be good

Updated April 24, 2015 at 9:40 pm to include CHP patrol hours

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA –  When we last reported on the state of traffic accidents in Coto de Caza, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) data  for the secondquarter of 2014  ending June 30, 2014 showed the traffic accident rate in Coto de Caza at an all time high, after having registered its third traffic fatality I, while the California Highway Patrol hours in the community were down 25% from a lawsuit mitigation strategy-  such strategy called for 40 random patrol hours per was week


Posted by CotoBlogzz Coto de Caza, CA - at around 9:30 Sunday morning, several Orange  County Sheriff patrol cars, were dispatched to the ..


Coto de Caza, CA - The California Highway Patrol  (CHP) traffic accident report for the fourth quarter of 2013 ending December 30, 2013 (4Q2013) shows the traffic accident rate in Coto de Caza is at an all time high at rates comparable to the ones when the CZ Master Association board of directors fired the CHP with fatal consequences in December 2005 and March of 2006.



Rancho Santa Margarita, CA – Qualys, a pioneer and leading provider of cloud security and compliance solutions announced yesterday that its newly released tool can detect the OpenSSL HeartBleed vulnerability announced Monday, April 7, 2014

Using the Qualys tool, the CZ Master Association’s website gets a  grade of F.   So does its security company’s, Universal Protection (UPS) website


Coto de Caza's Declaration of Independence, July 4, 2012

Coto de Caza, CA - The June 2006  issue of the CotoBuzz Journal includes a letter to the CZ Master Association members from former CZ master Board of  directors Joseph Morabito reading in par


Ladera Ranch Traffic Accident Rates Stabilize, Coto de Caza continues at all time high
Coto de Caza, CA - While Ladera Ranch registered 16 injured, 16 property damage and 4 DUIs during the fourth quarter of 2011, the community experienced seven injuries, 12 property damage and no DUIs in the first quarter ending March 30, 2012, according to figures from the California Highway Patrol San Juan Capistrano Office

Coto's Public Safety Ticking Time Bomb, Ladera's Traffic Accidents Double in Second Quarter of 2011
Coto de Caza, CA - While the number of traffic accidents for the second quarter of 2011 in Ladera Ranch more than doubled, resulting in nine injuries and three driving under the influence, according to the figures supplied by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) San Juan Capistrano (SJC,) it appears that the traffic accidents in Coto de Caza are trending down.

Coto Continues on Dangerous Course of Traffic Incidents
While Incident Rate Lower, Still at Critical Levels
Coto de Caza, CA - The good news for Coto de Caza residents is that the quarter-to-quarter accident rate for the quarter ending March 31, 2011 is significantly down from the previous quarter. The bad news is that it is still at the same levels as when the community experienced its two traffic fatalities within a three month period between December 2005 and March 2006

Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch 1Q2011 Public Safety Review
Coto de Caza, CA –By its own words and actions, it is fair to argue that Coto de Caza’s local governance is not only apathetic when it comes to public safety, but its own actions actually result increase the risk to residents. Worse, seems like adults in Coto de Caza have similar views as the local governance.
Our research over close to ten years indicate that whether a community is safe or not, is primarily a function of residents and local governance, not law enforcement. Consider that when a city in Orange County is deemed the safest city, what about the other 11 cities or the unincorporated areas? What about Coto de Caza with the highest crime rate in history in early 2010. After all, only common denominator is that the OCSD is the law enforcement agency. What does the OCSD do differently in the safest city, as opposed to the least safe city under its watch?

Coto de Caza's Traffic Incident Rate at Critical Danger Levels
Coto de Caza, CA - While the Coto de Caza's total population has been shrinking for the last ten years, including placement of 17 property liens for the month of January 2011 out of roughly 3500 homes, the policies pursued by the CZ Master association board of directors, the local governance, have consistently increased traffic with a reduction in CHP patrol hours, with predictable results. Consider that for close to a decade, we have consistently shown conclusive evidence that there is a direct correlation between the extent of the CHP traffic enforcement efforts and the number of traffic accidents in the community.

While Incident Rate Lower, Still at Critical Levels
Coto de Caza, CA - The good news for Coto de Caza residents is that the quarter-to-quarter accident rate for the quarter ending March 31, 2011 is significantly down from the previous quarter. The bad news is that it is still at the same levels as when the community experienced its two traffic fatalities within a three month period between December 2005 and March 2006

Coto de Caza, CA - The CotoBuzz Journal has documented the one-sided hate-hate relationship between the CZ Master Association board of directors and law enforcement agencies in general, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) specifically (CHP). In an open board meeting for example, a board member called the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) extortionists! Despite the public abuse the CHP has received from the Coto de Caza board of directors ever since the board was coerced into bringing the CHP back for pro-active traffic patrol, figures indicate that the CHP has been doing its job: - The Chart below was published Sept. 30, 2006.

Rhianna Six Month’s Anniversary Mr. Manian’s Three Month’s Anniversary

It has been six months since Rhianna Woolsey died (December 7, 2005) in the first traffic fatality in Coto de Caza in the last ten years. Sadly, this week also marks the Three Month Anniversary of Mr. Morteza Manian’s death, as he was struck by a...

Bicycle Safety Within Coto de Caza
During the June 8, 2006 Coto de Caza board meeting Yo Orduno described a public safety situation in the Summerfield district including a warning about an increase of rush hour cyclists in and around Vista Del Verde, some even riding pairwise making the...

In July, 2006 the new state law governing HOA elections will take effect. That means that shortly thereafter, the Board should send out information concerning the mechanisms the Board intends to implement in 2007 to comply with...

First 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, Standing Room Only!  …and Coto de Caza’s Tar Baby
The first 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, can best be described as standing-room only, with the local media well represented.  A political junkie would have felt right at home, as you could sense the excitement, the energy and the...

COTOBUZZ RELEASES CRIME & VANDALISM MANAGEMENT TOOL
In its continued commitment to public safety, on June 1, 2006, CotoBuzz unveiled a Crime and Vandalism Management tool (see below for first installment), containing key metrics and a side-by-side comparison between Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch....

COTO DE CAZA- SecurityAreNotUs
In today's Canyon Life, there was an article about Lyle Schlieder's leaving the BOD. Lyle was quoted as follows: "There are no patrols anymore. I am not sure if what we are dealing with is just a pretty face at the gate that we pay a lot of money for." So...

BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:
BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:
The April 21 issue of the CanyonLife reports that “Fred Lisanti of Pacific Oak Security, security consultants to the ( Coto de Caza) board, presented a report indicating the official crime...

CotoBuzz March 2006 Newsletter
First Traffic Accident Lawsuit Filed: Coto de Caza Public Safety Bandwagon is filling up Fast- Hop In!: . We just received the February 2006 CHP report – as previously reported in the Coto discussion forum, we had our first traffic accident in...

Lawless, Clueless Coto de Caza
Last night, December 12, 2006, the CZ homeowner’s association board of directors held their regularly scheduled open session meeting. Present were representatives from the LA Times and Freedom Communications.

Lawless, Values-less, Spiritual-less Coto de Caza
When we first moved to Coto de Caza over 12 years ago, we really thought there was No Place Like Coto. Shortly thereafter CNN/Money discovered Coto as well and included it in their list of One of the Best Places to Live/Best Places to Retire.

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - That great sucking sound you hear comes from all the jobs leaving California for states such as Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Texas.  All thanks to the union, lobbyists and thousands of parasitic bureaucracies, such as LAFCO, which are sucking the economic life out of the state.

Two elections are now part of an FBI investigation into allegations of corruption at Cudahy City Hall. Transcripts of wiretaps allegedly show that local officials believed they could control election outcomes.

The DaVaro Deception and the Gospel  According to MezgerFor years, the DaVaro Deception has led Coto de Caza resident’s believe that public safety was the board’s number one concern, while repressing initiatives designed to prevent crime & vandalism and save lives, and promoting personal agendas.
As complaints mounted and calls for his termination increased, a blatant example of the most recent deception is board member Jerry Mezger’s revelation that the Property Management Company’s general manager is not a Keystone employee, but rather a highly paid association employee “CJ works for the Board and not Keystone.  Keystone merely handles the payroll and other personnel technicalities.  Keystone has no authority to hire, fire, or discipline CZ’s General Manager”.

The Coto de Caza Board of directors meeting held, appropriately on July 13, 2006, provided yet more evidence of the involution of the safety committee:

Coto de Caza's Own Climate Change – An Inconvenient Truth: a Big Snow JobRancho Santa Margarita, CA - The president of Coto de Caza’s local governance reports that certain residents are surprised the community is doling out subsidies of over $3 million/year, mostly as a result of the board’s misguided decision to build a dog park at the time it is facing a fiscal tsunami of its own making.
At the same time, the local governance reports having worked for “most of the past year to identify the various long term governance options available to the community”.  It fails to report, that the local governance has also been working with an un-elected, unchecked body, LAFCO.  Not unlike, the unelected, unchecked Air Resources Board declaring today that AB 32 will not change the economy: .”  these bodies are tax-payer funded bodies acting more like unregistered lobbyists, which is why we often referred to them as parasitic bureaucracies and one of California’s Triple Threa

Rancho Santa Margarita’s Council Member Thompson’s Suspended ContractRancho Santa Margarita – CA.  The Menifee City Council has suspended Finance Director Gary Thompson’s contract and will hire an auditor to probe the city's internal financial controls.  The audit is supposed to focus on the city's supplier management process and controls. Mr. Thompson is an incumbent Rancho Santa Margarita council member seeking reelection
Parasitic Bureaucracies

Calif Public Employees Retirement System Board Member Charged W Fraud
LOS ANGELES, CA- The California Attorney General (AG) today announced that the AG's office has filed a civil suit against former California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) Board Member Alfred Villalobos, his company ARVCO Capital, and former CalPERS CEO Federico Fred Buenrostro, charging them with fraud

Of Parasitic Bureaucracies
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - We plan to update this page from time to time - so stay tuned, or send us suggestion,We continue to assert that California’s Triple Threat is choking off California: 1) Unions, 2) Lobbyist and 3) Parasitic bureaucracies. In the past, we have discussed the California Law Revision Commission (CLRC), the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO), and the Air Quality Board (AQB) as an example of parasitic bureaucracies.

The EEOC Says we are wrong – Criminals Deserve Jobs Too.
When clients ask us to suggest a cyber security plan, we start out with a number of questions, such as: Do you know about the $1,000 fence for the $1.00 horse? Who is the enemy? The answer usually leads us to the What and the Why of the final proposal. Turns out that some 70-90% of all security breaches are directly linked to insiders. These and other fact lead us to include a recommended best business hiring process, which includes a background check on potential employees, particularly those who may be chartered with guarding the aforementioned horse.

CAL. AG Lobbies US Senate - Refuses to join in Challenge to Constitutionality of HCR
LOS ANGELES, CA - As a financial reform package advances in the Senate and an unrelenting swarm of Wall Street lobbyists descends on Capitol Hill to block it, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today urged senators to preserve a critical portion of the legislation which allows states to join the fight against financial fraud on the front line. At the same time, as a number of Attorneys General and Governors accross the country swarm to challenge the constitutionality of the ObamaCare Bill, Brown refuses to join mostly because doing so politicizes the issue
Caza the GRUP Capital of Orange County. - Rancho Santa Margarita, CA - A review of the crime and vandalism figures for the communities of Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch for the third quarter of 2009 show few surprises, although in both instances, the incident rates have inched upward.  Larceny, theft and fraud are the main factors contributing to the increase in Coto de Caza, while fraud, vandalism and dis-orderly conduct are the ones listed for Ladera Ranch.

In covering public safety in the community for the last six years, I have learned that the GRUP Syndrome aka Michael Jackson’s Syndrome – where adults refuse to grow up, is not only alive and well in Coto de Caza, but is also thriving.

Coto de Caza Traffic Citations – Trading Places- We have often referred to the GRUP, Peter Pan and even Michael Jackson Syndrome – where adults refuse to grow up - and usually associated with  traffic citations.  This time is no different.  Looking at snap shots of citations throughout 2008:

Public Safety Data Indicates GRUPs Continue to be an Issue in Coto de Caza- Coto de Caza, CA - The latest public safety data from the Orange County Sheriff's department shows the crime  rate in Coto de Caza continues an upward trend that started at the end of December of 2007 and reached a peak by March of 2008.

What are the $1.5M Coto de Caza Gates Good For? We have often presented irrefutable evidence that gated communities are not necessarily safer than communities with no gates.   In fact, the over $1.5 million dollars/year  spent by  Coto de Caza, often makes that community less safe than most of the gated or un-gated neighbors

Grup City – Coto de Caza ......Of Peter Pan, Grups and Coto d Caza
As the Coto de Caza board of directors controlled by Varo/Mezger/Hill continue to handle public safety as a Tar Baby, it is only appropriate to consider a tag line for Coto de Caza once Varo/Mezger/Hill accomplish their goal of turning Coto into a City....

What Coto de Caza is Doing for Public SafetyWAugust 8,   2008                      We are currently following up on various traffic incidents registered in Coto de Caza during July and have asked the CHP to confirm the investigations are still open in the cases listed below
Orange County Crime Down, Nation's Crime Up - While the FBI is expected to report a 1.3 percent rise in violent crime nationwide in 2006 — an increase for the second straight year,  Sheriff Michael Carona today announced that criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft decreased by 3.7% in jurisdictions served by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in 2006. “This is great news for Orange County. Violent crimes decreased by 7.72% and property crimes decreased by 3.76% as compared to 2005. The men and women of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, in partnership with our residents, community leaders, and business owners, continue to make law enforcement a top priority. We are, once again, one of the safest communities in the nation,” said Sheriff Carona.

No Dues Increase for Estates and Villages - Thanks CZ!
Thanks to the outstanding work of the boards from the Estates and the Villages, apparently there is no need to raise dues for 2009 ? however, most of the credit should go to the CZ Master Association board of directors for their contribution to the common..

Crime and Vandalism In Coto de Caza at All Time High
The President?s letter contained in the October 2008 CZ Master association newsletter asserts that ?With the kids back in school, incidents of vandalism have dropped 80%. There were a lot more vandalism incidents this summer compared to last year for...
From "To Serve and Protect" to Disarm, Intimidate and Ridicule
It is all about the culture stupid! - Arrogance, incompetence or stupidity?When we first interviewed Sheriff Hutchens and just prior to her swearing in ceremony we asked her to define the OCSD? culture. She was unable to articulate a response - so we...

1Q2007 Coto de Caza Crime and Vandalism Report
A comparison between the 1Q2006 and 1Q2007 Crime and Vandalism reports shows that a favorite Coto de Caza crime is fraud, that the Peter Pan Syndrome continues to be alive and well (crime is evenly distributed between kids and adults) and a criminal…

CHP in Coto - Big Mouth CZ Bob- By Joseph Morabito, former member CZ Master Association Board of Directors
Hello All: I have heard that CHP officers are not volunteering to work in Coto even for the time and a half pay they would earn. So, we are not even getting the 40 hours a week that was the original deal under Glisson/Rose. It would seem that Bob…

How many times must the CZ safety committee be formed before it can be called an association committee?
A 2006 CZ newsletter proudly announces that the ?CZ Master Association Champions Public Safety Committee?, During 2006 general CZ board meetings, the board appoints a chairman and various public safety committee members.A 2007 CZ stupid lawyer letter…

CHP DOES ITS JOB – CZ BOARD  PLEASE DO YOURS! Despite the public abuse the CHP has received from the Coto de Caza board of directors ever since the board was coerced into bringing the CHP back for pro-active traffic patrol, figures indicate that the CHP is doing its job:  Trend for accident rate is down and close to pre-firing levels.   Just as important, the number of Coto residents arrested for DUI is down. See chart below for actual accident rate.

CHP Public Arrest WE9-24 and the Varo For Mayor Flawed Arguments
With more than a few data points under Coto’s belt, we can officially declare that there is a positive downward trend in the number of Coto residents arrested by the CHP since we started this report!

Coto de Caza Truth Or Consequences
Earlier this morning we spent close to two hours with Mayor of the City of Laguna Nigel Cathryn DeYoung & Candidate for Orange County Supervisor, Fifth District  and Lt. Col. Bill Kogerman.

Coto de Caza Supplier Performance Management Performance
Given Keystone’s, private security company and the myriad of consultant’s track record, we repeatedly asked the board to use our supplier performance metrics or come up with their own.
Finally the board’s response was: “If…

CHP PUBLIC ARREST RECORD FOR WEEK ENDING 9-10-2006
At the risk of pulling an OCR’s Sickler (attempting to impersonate a reporter by presenting “news” with no factual information to support these news), we are starting to see what appears to be a trend: A reduction in Coto residents…

The Broken CZipper and Mezger’s POLP Rain
These (see email below from former Coto de Caza board of directors, Joe Morabito) are clear indications of an out of control board:Generally, the rights of homeowners include the right to participate in meetings of the board of directors and to be heard,…

The Coto de Caza Government Paradox
California is the direct democracy capital of the nation. California uses the direct initiative process, which enables voters to bypass the Legislature and have an issue of concern put directly on the ballot for voter approval or rejection. There are two...

NEW COTO DE CAZA BOARD OF DIRECTORS, SALVATOR OR CONSERVATOR?THE RISE AND FALL OF THE VARO/MEZGER EMPIRE
ocham, Zipperman, you just won a seat on the Coto de Caza Board of Directors, what are you going to do now? In his book Values in a Time of Upheaval, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger asserts that a fundamental orientation in the modern conception of politics and...

First 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, Standing Room Only!  …and Coto de Caza’s Tar BabyThe first 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, can best be described as standing-room only, with the local media well represented.  A political junkie would have felt right at home, as you could sense the excitement, the energy and the...

COTO DE CAZA BOARD 2006 ELECTIONS - A VOTING GUIDE
In general we are in agreement with Joe Morabito's assessment of the 2006 candidates to the CZ Master Association Board of Directors (below) . Our recommendations differ slightly for a number of reasons, some of the listed below: For an attorney
The annual Coto de Caza Shakespearean Festival kicks off May 11, 2006, with the adaptation Macbeth by none other than the Board of Directors’ President, The Baro himself.
In this Shakespearean classic, Macbeth is about a noble warrior who gets caught...

OFFICZE SUPPLIES & COTO’s CZENSE OBITUARY
When the current Coto de Caza board of directors first took office, Mitch Hill told the joke of a new executive who received three sequentially numbered envelopes from his predecessor and told to open these only when he had major problems and needed...

Blatant manipulation of 2006 CZ Master Association Elections Continues
When the May 2006 issue of the CA Master Association President's Letter contained erroneous information regarding the number of remaining candidates for the board of directors, we published an errata and called on those responsible for managing the...

COTO DE CAZA ROOTS: USE OF "NON-RESIDENT VOLUNTEERS" April 30, 2006
The current Coto de Caza board of directors came to power with the help of non-resident Paul Young. Young is executive vice president with the CRI. CRI has been accused in the past of financial irregularities, which allegedly triggered an investigation...

COTO DE CAZA BOARD OF DIRECTORS ERRATA
The May 2006 issue of the Coto de Caza President’s Letter contains an error that can have a significant impact on the 2006 board of director’s election:
The message reads in part “The newly elected Delegates from the 45 CZ Master..
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COTO DE CAZA LEADERSHIP MODELING
Disturbed by the feedback the board is getting about service providers, the board president writes in the May 2006 issue of the CZ President’s Letter: “what makes matters worse is that one would think that these individuals would know...

JUSTICE, COTO DE CAZA STYLE
We just had a constructive, and at times very heated, conversation with Orange County’s Deputy District Attorney, Susan Schroeder regarding the tragic accident that occurred March 12, 2006 at the intersection of North Hampton Place and Lexington Way.




Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch 1Q2011 Public Safety Review

Coto de Caza, CA –By its own words and actions, it is fair to argue that Coto de Caza’s local governance is not only apathetic when it comes to public safety, but its own actions actually result increase the risk to residents. Worse, seems like adults in Coto de Caza have similar views as the local governance.

Our research over close to ten years indicate that whether a community is safe or not, is primarily a function of residents and local governance, not law enforcement. Consider that when a city in Orange County is deemed the safest city, what about the other 11 cities or the unincorporated areas? What about Coto de Caza with the highest crime rate in history in early 2010. After all, only common denominator is that the OCSD is the law enforcement agency. What does the OCSD do differently in the safest city, as opposed to the least safe city under its watch?



Coto de Caza's Traffic Incident Rate at Critical Danger Levels
Coto de Caza, CA - While the Coto de Caza's total population has been shrinking for the last ten years, including placement of 17 property liens for the month of January 2011 out of roughly 3500 homes, the policies pursued by the CZ Master association board of directors, the local governance, have consistently increased traffic with a reduction in CHP patrol hours, with predictable results. Consider that for close to a decade, we have consistently shown conclusive evidence that there is a direct correlation between the extent of the CHP traffic enforcement efforts and the number of traffic accidents in the community.


Coto Continues on Dangerous Course of Traffic Incidents

While Incident Rate Lower, Still at Critical Levels

Coto de Caza, CA - The good news for Coto de Caza residents is that the quarter-to-quarter accident rate for the quarter ending March 31, 2011 is significantly down from the previous quarter. The bad news is that it is still at the same levels as when the community experienced its two traffic fatalities within a three month period between December 2005 and March 2006

Coto de Caza Fires the CHP - Again!

Coto de Caza, CA - The CotoBuzz Journal has documented the one-sided hate-hate relationship between the CZ Master Association board of directors and law enforcement agencies in general, and the California Highway Patrol (CHP) specifically (CHP). In an open board meeting for example, a board member called the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) extortionists! Despite the public abuse the CHP has received from the Coto de Caza board of directors ever since the board was coerced into bringing the CHP back for pro-active traffic patrol, figures indicate that the CHP has been doing its job: - The Chart below was published Sept. 30, 2006.

Rhianna Six Month’s Anniversary Mr. Manian’s Three Month’s Anniversary

It has been six months since Rhianna Woolsey died (December 7, 2005) in the first traffic fatality in Coto de Caza in the last ten years. Sadly, this week also marks the Three Month Anniversary of Mr. Morteza Manian’s death, as he was struck by a...

Bicycle Safety Within Coto de Caza
During the June 8, 2006 Coto de Caza board meeting Yo Orduno described a public safety situation in the Summerfield district including a warning about an increase of rush hour cyclists in and around Vista Del Verde, some even riding pairwise making the...

Coto de Caza - New Election Laws - Call for Candidates
Dear CZ Board Members:

In July, 2006 the new state law governing HOA elections will take effect. That means that shortly thereafter, the Board should send out information concerning the mechanisms the Board intends to implement in 2007 to comply with...

First 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, Standing Room Only!  …and Coto de Caza’s Tar Baby
The first 2006-2007 Coto de Caza Board of Directors Meeting, can best be described as standing-room only, with the local media well represented.  A political junkie would have felt right at home, as you could sense the excitement, the energy and the...

COTOBUZZ RELEASES CRIME & VANDALISM MANAGEMENT TOOL
In its continued commitment to public safety, on June 1, 2006, CotoBuzz unveiled a Crime and Vandalism Management tool (see below for first installment), containing key metrics and a side-by-side comparison between Coto de Caza and Ladera Ranch....

COTO DE CAZA- SecurityAreNotUs
In today's Canyon Life, there was an article about Lyle Schlieder's leaving the BOD. Lyle was quoted as follows: "There are no patrols anymore. I am not sure if what we are dealing with is just a pretty face at the gate that we pay a lot of money for." So...

BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:
BREAKING NEWS: COTO IS SAFER THAN OTHER COMMUNITIES:

The April 21 issue of the CanyonLife reports that “Fred Lisanti of Pacific Oak Security, security consultants to the ( Coto de Caza) board, presented a report indicating the official crime...

CotoBuzz March 2006 Newsletter
First Traffic Accident Lawsuit Filed: Coto de Caza Public Safety Bandwagon is filling up Fast- Hop In!: . We just received the February 2006 CHP report – as previously reported in the Coto discussion forum, we had our first traffic accident in...

Lawless, Clueless Coto de Caza
Last night, December 12, 2006, the CZ homeowner’s association board of directors held their regularly scheduled open session meeting. Present were representatives from the LA Times and Freedom Communications.
Lawless, Values-less, Spiritual-less Coto de Caza
When we first moved to Coto de Caza over 12 years ago, we really thought there was No Place Like Coto. Shortly thereafter CNN/Money discovered Coto as well and included it in their list of One of the Best Places to Live/Best Places to Retire.

1 comment:

JLA said...

Even though SB-298, which enables unincorporated communities to engage directly with the OCSD for supplemental law enforcement services, was signed into law in 2013 the Orange County Board of Supervisors (OCBOS) does not have any formal requests from the CZ Master Association. The OCSD does have records of preliminary MOU discussions circa 2015, after the third fatality, but the CZ Master Association turned down any help from the OCSD for supplemental services, even though it is obligated to provide 520 hours of proactive traffic patrol, but the CHP can provide only some 60% pf that

Actual Text from the OCBOS follows:

From: "Pasco, Jean"
To: 'The CotoBuzz Journal'
Sent: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 4:50 PM
Subject: RE: County of Orange case number 51728

Thank you. Did you get my follow-up email?
Here it is if it didn’t come over yet:

I checked with the Sheriff's Department and received the following information:

Following passage of SB 298 OCSD did engage in discussions with the Coto de Caza HOA regarding an MOU for supplemental law enforcement services. However, in January of 2015 the HOA notified us that they had opted to continue utilizing CHP for supplemental services and were no longer interested in pursuing an MOU with the Sheriff's Department.

There have been no subsequent requests.
You may wish to contact the HOA to ask whether they engaged supplemental law enforcement services from a city.