Volunteers and law enforcement officials met early to look for people camping in the Restricted Very High Fire Severity Zone.
Palisades Senior Lead Officer Brian Espin organized a Hillside Task Force, which met at Will Rogers State Beach by Lifeguard Headquarters at 7 a.m. on October 22. The last task force occurred in June.
The purpose is for volunteers and officers to visit hillsides and parkland, to ensure there is no illegal camping in the “Restricted, Very High Fire Zone” that encompasses much of Pacific Palisades. At one time in the town’s history, more than 60 campsites were located in the hillside below Via de las Olas and several fires had started that burned up the hill.
About 30 people that included rangers from L.A. City Park, California State Park, Station 69 LAFD, the LAPD Valley Off-Road, LAPD, and members of the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness met last week to patrol areas of Pacific Palisades. Also, present were Councilwoman Traci Park’s Field Deputy Michael Amster and CD11’s outreach liaison Carol Williams, and members of the People Concern.
LAPD Valley Off-Road officers were able to go up into inaccessible areas looking for illegal campers.
There were three abandoned campsites in the Via de las Olas bluffs, there were two campsites behind the Caltrans Wall between Chautauqua and Potrero, two campsites along Temescal Canyon Park, near the bathrooms. One campsite was found in Los Liones State Park and a car dweller was found along the road.
The campsites were cleaned and the trash bagged, to ensure that not only was the parkland cleaned of litter, but by removing items, it discourages other transients from squatting at a prior camp.
Two campsites were located below Corona del Mar behind the Caltrans wall.
An entrenched campsite was discovered below Via de las Olas bluffs.
When the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness (PPTFH) was formed in October 2014, the village and the hillsides were inundated with homeless.
When the City told people of Pacific Palisades, they couldn’t do anything about the homeless or the fires, residents stepped up and found a way. With the help of the Los Angeles Police Beach Detail, this area remains relatively safe, compared to other areas of the city.
Thanks to past president of the PPTFH, Sharon Kilbride, she was able to ensure our beach detail remains staffed. The past Monday, two new officers started patrolling the areas where camping is not allowed. The first day, they found a felon, who had violated probation.
The second day, they found a man with a felony record, who had escaped from diversion program and was on the lam. The beach detail includes Officers Margin, Haro, Taylor and Russell.
The PPTFH needs local volunteers to assist the police and the social workers, who were hired through donations from local residents.
For people who have moved here in the last 10 years, consider donating or volunteering with the Pacific Palisades Task Force on Homelessness https://palisadeshomeless.org/about/
The first task force took place after several fires were set by an arsonist in the hills above the Highlands in May 2021, the fire jurisdiction included City (the Highlands), the County (Topanga) and State Parks (Will Rogers and Topanga).
After the fire was put out and a person arrested, LAPD Captain Jonathan Tom, who was then the commanding officer of the West Los Angeles Area, realized how valuable it would be for officials to work together.
He arranged for the first task force to take place a few weeks later and it continues today with the goal of holding four annually.
Bags of trash were located and removed from below Via de las Olas.
Wonderful volunteers. “Unsung Heroes of the Palisades.”