Los Al Police announce promotions

Two Los Alamitos Police Department officers were promoted at a ceremony held earlier this week in the City Council Chambers.

Rick Moore was promoted from sergeant to captain. He will command the Support Services Division, which manages the records bureau, property and evidence, emergency services, communications, community outreach and animal control.

Kain Gallaugher will be promoted from corporal to sergeant. He will command a patrol watch.

Moore has been with the LAPD since 2000. He has been a watch commander, patrol officer and a detective. As an administrator, he coordinated training, facilitated the pre-employment process for new officers and was the city’s emergency preparedness coordinator.

Moore is a former member of the West County SWAT team. Moore was Los Alamitos Officer of the Year in 2004.

Gallaugher began his career when he became a LAPD officer in 2006.

After working as a patrol officer, he served as the department’s motorcycle officer.

His duties were enforcing traffic laws, investigating accidents and promoting traffic safety education.

Gallaugher was also a field training officer, a member of the Serious Traffic Accident Response team and a member of the West County SWAT team.

Gallaugher was Los Alamitos Officer of the Year in 2011.

Police foot chase ends at Leisure World

Staff report

Four suspects were arrested early Sunday morning as a result of a freeway car chase that was followed by a foot chase through Seal Beach.

No police officers were harmed. Everyone went home and the “bad guys are in jail,” according to Seal Beach Police Sgt. Phil Gonshak.

He described the car chase followed by a foot chase as an example of good cooperation among several law enforcement agencies.

Here, according to Gonshak, is what happened: The Huntington Beach Police Department responded to a burglary at 4:53 a.m., Aug. 9.  This resulted in a car chase on the 405 Freeway. The car got off the 405 in the area of Valley View and Bolsa Chica.

The suspects car crashed. Two suspects were apprehended. However, two other suspects jumped the fence into the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach.

From there, the suspects made their way to the front entrance of Leisure World, where they were spotted by the retirement community’s security.

Seal Beach Police officers apprehended one of the suspects on North Gate Road, outside of Leisure World. The fourth suspect jumped the fence back into Leisure World.

He was eventually apprehended by Seal Beach officers.

Crime Log Compiled by Charles M. Kelly

IN SEAL?BEACH

Wednesday, July 29

Noise Complaint—6:49 a.m.—Ocean Avenue and Third Street—The caller complained about noise from construction on the corner. Police unit 107 contacted the foreman and advised the foreman of the 7 a.m. start time in the Municipal Code. The foreman apparently agreed to comply.

Suspicious Person—2:04 p.m.—Fourth Street and Ocean Avenue—The caller reported a man with pants around his ankles, not wearing anything else and sitting on the fence at the sand near the vacant lot. Police unit 107 contacted a fully clothed transient at the beach and sent that individual on their way. Police unit 10 was unable to locate anyone else.

Welfare Check—9:28 p.m.—Ocean Avenue—The caller said an elderly man in a wheelchair asked the caller for a blanket. The caller said the man was hunched over and wrapped in a blanket. First the man was reported on the north side of the street, then at Ocean Avenue and Seventh Street. At 9:48 p.m., the log said the man was breathing, but not responsive and not waking up. At 9:51 p.m., the Orange County Fire Authority was en route. At 9:52 p.m, he was described as responsive. At 10:27 p.m., the man was transported to another location for medical aide. Assisted.

Thursday, July 30

Keep the Peace—9:48 p.m.—First Street—The caller, a taxi driver, was parked in front of the location. The caller said he dropped off a customer who never returned to pay him, but who called his dispatcher to say the taxi driver had the customer’s phone. At 11:50 p.m., the fare was paid and the matter was solved.

Friday, July 31

Found Property—7:09 a.m.—Bluebell—The caller found a box of 45 caliber ammunition near a car in the area of the park. The caller was now home with the ammunition. Report taken.

Stray Animal—9:14 a.m.—Central Avenue and Sixth Street—The caller said a white pit bull was running in the area. The dog had a collar but no tags. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.

Coyote—10:02 a.m.—Central Avenue and 10th Street—Police unit S23 observed a skinny and dark coyote traveling west bound. Referred to Long Beach Animal Care Services.

Suspicious Circumstances—4:22 p.m.—14th Street and Seal Way—The caller reported two women and a man going through paperwork in trash cans in the alley. Police were unable to locate the suspects.

Saturday, August 1

Transient—6:44 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—The caller said transients had set up camp on the beach south of the pier. Police unit 107 advised the individual or group—the log wasn’t clear on the number of individuals involved—against camping there and they said they would comply.

Vandalism Report—7:03 a.m.—Lampson Avenue and Rose—The caller said a man appeared to be chopping off the sprinkler heads between Rose and Manley in the center divider. Police unit 106 was unable to locate any vandalism. The log said the center divider was under construction.

Petty Theft—8:20 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man took a small bottle of hand sanitizer. The caller and another customer confronted the suspect and he verbally fought them. The suspect was last seen walking northbound on Pacific Coast Highway. No report desired.

Found Property—9:29 a.m.—Seventh Street—The caller reported finding a woman’s Schwinn beach cruiser under the back stairs off the alley. Report taken.

Sunday, August 2

Public Works Information—9 a.m.—Ocean Avenue and Third Street—The caller reported broken bottles left on Ocean Avenue, between Second and Third streets in front of a house. According to the caller, the broken bottles were left by people that had been drinking the previous night. The caller was advised to call the police when the drinkers were present. Message left for Public Works to clean up on Monday.

Transient—2:27 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man who was possibly drunk was harassing customers. He was last seen walking toward Main Street on Pacific Coast Highway.

Monday, August 3

Trash Diggers—12:15 p.m.—Seal Beach Boulevard and Landing—The caller said three men in the alley were going through the trash. The caller said they had bicycles. They were gone by the time police arrived.

Pedestrian Check—1:56 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—Police unit 141 stopped and arrested Robert Lee Rodden on suspicion of public drunkenness, littering, and cited him for suspicion of carrying an open container and obstructing a public walkway.

Disturbance, Juveniles—3:54 p.m.—10th Street—The caller said several juveniles were in the alley, skateboarding in the parking lot and making a lot of noise. Two minutes later, the same citizen called back to tell police the juveniles had left. The call was cancelled prior to the arrival of a police unit.

Tuesday, August 4

Suspicious Person—9:38 p.m.—Bayou Way—Someone was pounding on the caller’s front door. They said they were from Edison. The suspect was last seen five minutes earlier. The caller said it was too dark to get a description. The caller did not want contact with the police, who were unable to locate the suspect.

Wednesday, August 5

Disturbance, Noise—5:27 a.m.—Main Street—The caller complained about noise from the alley near the parking lot. The caller said workers in trucks and a crane were making loud noise while unloading things. Police unit 207 advised a repair crew about the Seal Beach Municipal Code. The crew had finished and were leaving.

Thursday, August 6

Found Property—6:04 a.m.—Ocean Avenue—Police unit 440 found a cell phone and a wallet. Report taken.

Suspicious Circumstances—9:29 a.m.—Electric Avenue—The caller said a man in the alley got out of a car and looked around. The caller yelled at him and he left toward Main Street. The caller did not know what he was up to.

Suspicious Circumstances—6:37 p.m.—Pacific Coast Highway—The caller said a man in front of the location was drinking alcohol and the caller thought he might be under the influence of other drugs. He had bottles of wine in front of him. The caller said the man was marking his face with a black marker and talking to himself. Police unit 207 arrested Christian Galindo on suspicion of public drunkenness.

Friday, August 7

Drunk—1:54 a.m.—First Street—The caller said the woman who hired him couldn’t remember how to get to her apartment. She kept falling asleep in the back seat. Police unit 241 contacted the driver and the woman. At 1:56 a.m. she was awake. Assisted.

Traffic Stop—3:37 a.m.—Pacific Coast Highway and First Street—Police unit 207 observed a sedan with an open trunk and stopped the car on Pacific Coast Highway at Studebaker. Police arrested Teodoro Galvez Galvez (sic) on suspicion
of public drunkenness.

IN LOS?ALAMITOS

Wednesday, July 22

Overdose–6:58 p.m.–Kinmount Street–The caller reported receiving a message from her elderly grandfather saying that he thinks her 58-year-old aunt overdosed on her medications. The caller’s aunt lives with her grandfather, and he said she wouldn’t wake up. The woman was in and out of consciousness, and was transported by ambulance to Los Alamitos Medical Center. Assisted.

Disturbance–10:27 p.m.–Cerritos Avenue–The caller reported that a man drove away, leaving a woman behind. The woman came inside the store and began throwing things around. She was possibly on drugs. No weapons were involved. Patrol arrested the woman.

IN ROSSMOOR

Tuesday, July 28

Patrol Check–4:45 p.m.–Mill Road–The caller said he believed he had just witnessed a drug deal take place in front of the location. Two men in a grey sedan pulled up after the homeowner went out and handed the driver something. The passenger and homeowner then went into the garage.

Monday, July 27

Disturbance–1:43 p.m.–Druid Lane and St. Cloud Drive–The caller requested a patrol check for a woman  who was carrying a satchel and stumbling her way towards St. Cloud Drive. The caller said the woman might walk into traffic.

Laurie Hanson of the News-Enterprise contributed to this article.