The Arcadia Chinese Association announced Tuesday that it has withdrawn support for a one-week trip to Taiwan by Arcadia's police chief, saying it had turned into a divisive political and racial issue.
Arcadia High School and the Police Department will work together in the Youth and Educational Support (YES) program. A police officer will be assigned to the high school as a resource officer.
The Arcadia Police Department divisions are described. Specific mention is made of several detectives, including Lt. Edward Ostashay, Sergeant Andy Ballantyne, Agent Sharon Reynolds and Secretary Gail Post.
The Arcadia Police Department is considering using the old National Guard Armory as a storage area for seized cars and stolen property, among other things.
The Arcadia Police Department sponsors a group of young people which is also sanctioned by the Boy Scouts of America and is known as the Arcadia Police Explorer Post #101.
Arcadia Police has purchased new weapons best suited for an urban environment with the tactics the Arcadia Police would normally be using. Each officer will receive training for the Colt M16.
As part of National Police Week, a memorial ceremony was held at the Episcopal Church of Transfiguration in memory of those officers killed in 1998 in the line of duty. A photo of Albert Edward Matthies, the only Arcadia police officer ever killed in the line of duty, was on the altar.
A cooperative effort between the Arcadia Red Cross, Post Office and Police Department has resulted in an innovative program for special need individuals called, "Hey, Mr. Postman, check on me."
Deborah Pierce, 29, discharged from the Arcadia Police Department for failure to meet probationary standards, has filed a sexual discrimination and harassment claim, alleging that officers watched pornographic videos while on duty.
Deborah Pierce, 29, who was discharged 2 months before the end of her training period with the Arcadia Police Department, has filed a federal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, alleging that she was fired for complaining that officers watched pornographic movies on duty, uttered racial epithets and sexually harassed her.