Could use some advice from a cop......neighbor terrors

[PutTogether]

A family friend of mine bought a house a couple of years ago in a decent neighborhood. The house next door recently went into foreclosure, and the people in it moved away. Around 10 weeks ago, squatters took up residence.

The squatters have turned out to be, surprise, a nightmare. The lead squatter turns out to be a woman who is definitely hooking, and probably selling drugs, out of the house. At all hours guys park cars around the block, walk up to the house, stay for 30-50 minutes, and bolt. Sometimes 6 or 8 a night.

When she's not hooking, she has multiple male friends that at least look to have criminal records over partying all the time, threatening her on at least a few occasions. Every time she calls the police, PD shows up, knocks on the door, no one answers, and the officers end up leaving - unable to do anything else.

They'll yell at her over the shared fence that they are going to do all kinds of nasty things to her for having called the police. My friend has a long history of working with addicts (CPS) and is positive that most of the people going in and out (besides the johns) are severe drug users, and often high while screaming at her.

My friend is a single mom, raising a daughter alone, and is literally terrified. She's managed to figure out that the main woman squatter has at least a couple felony arrests, and at least one felony conviction. She is pretty sure that if police could enter the house, there would be enough illegal activity going on to at least get rid of the squatter for a while. After spending more than two months next to this crowd, she also seems pretty sure that if she could make the woman squatter go away, the rest of the crowd would disappear.

Contacting the bank that owns the house and HOA has proven fruitless. Police once went to serve an eviction notice, but it was in the names of the prior owners of the house, and as such was apparently useless.

She's gotten a dog, burglar alarms, and beefed up locks on all her windows and doors, but is still exceedingly nervous all the time. They yell at her when they see her, and they throw rocks at her windows and dog.

What, if anything, can she do to try and get rid of this woman? Is there any information she can gather or share that would allow police to do more than just knock on the door?

Any ideas/advice/tips/help would be greatly appreciated.

[Gnome]

Get all the neighbors to bombard the local PD with complaints. Video (be discreet) of all the suspicious activity will help bolster your case. Ask local PD to increase patrols in that area. Maybe the increased police presence will dry up customers and profit.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

If she calls to report trespassing at the loc and states that the loc is unoccupied and that the people there are squatting, that should be sufficient PC for the officers to enter/clear the loc.

Many departments also have a community relations or special problems unit that deals with crap like this. It benefits no one, including the PD to blow this off because it just becomes a source for more and more calls for service. Additionally, the POS's that gather there will sooner or later begin capering in the neighborhood and crime will rise exponentially (See Broken Window Theory).

[phazedd]

Having read your post, this is my opinion.

I understand, and for the most part believe, what you are saying. However, "After spending more than two months next to this crowd, she also seems pretty sure that if she could make the woman squatter go away, the rest of the crowd would disappear."

This is highly unlikely. But, my advice to you is, video tape what you can, phone in your complaint as often as you need too, and have the neighbors do the same. Eventually, something will be done, but you have to keep in mind that without probable cause, nothing will ever be done.

Most agencies have an officer assigned to a specific district or part of town that you can call and talk to personally if you feel the need too. I know my agency does, and so does LASD.

[TheExpertish]

She needs to call the code compliance department for her city. PD can handle specific incidents, but code compliance will provide a long term solution.

[PutTogether]

She needs to call the code compliance department for her city. PD can handle specific incidents, but code compliance will provide a long term solution.

I'm a little fuzzy on what she said about this, but at some point someone having to do with codes did go to the house. There was some kind of violation about the house not having water or electricity, but I'm not sure what became of it.

Several people she has complained to have told her there isn't anything they can do, because it isn't the property owner making complaints.

Is this correct?

[PutTogether]

Having read your post, this is my opinion.

I understand, and for the most part believe, what you are saying. However, "After spending more than two months next to this crowd, she also seems pretty sure that if she could make the woman squatter go away, the rest of the crowd would disappear."

This is highly unlikely. But, my advice to you is, video tape what you can, phone in your complaint as often as you need too, and have the neighbors do the same. Eventually, something will be done, but you have to keep in mind that without probable cause, nothing will ever be done.

Most agencies have an officer assigned to a specific district or part of town that you can call and talk to personally if you feel the need too. I know my agency does, and so does LASD.

Some good ideas here, thank you.

Where she lives I THINK is Riverside Sheriff, but the city might have its own PD. I'm not sure where the border is for reports for what.

I don't disagree that if the head one goes, the rest will disappear theory might not be as true as she thinks. She has been watching them forever though, and it seems like most of the hangers on get all their money/drugs from her. It might be wishful thinking, but at least if the MAIN squatter goes, progress is being made on the problem as a whole, even if the others don't scatter.

[Notorious]

Definitely get video. If you can record the license plates, that would ber better. Establish some pattern as you say, of cars coming and going and the duration. Go down in person to the department and talk to someone of watch commander or higher rank, preferably a sector or area commander. Not sure about RSO or RPD, but my local PD has that system where a captain is in charge of an "area" and the quality of life in that area. He attends the community meetings to address issues like yours.

[TheExpertish]

I'm a little fuzzy on what she said about this, but at some point someone having to do with codes did go to the house. There was some kind of violation about the house not having water or electricity, but I'm not sure what became of it.

Several people she has complained to have told her there isn't anything they can do, because it isn't the property owner making complaints.

Is this correct?

That is not correct. There is much that can be done, but I understand with the economy, department cuts, ect. it's going to take longer to get this taken care of. Not having running water and electricity can be a violation, but not when the house is suppose to be unihabited. Code Enforcement can put pressure on the bank, or whoever owns the house, to keep the house compliant with city codes. This includes squatters. You mentioned before there is an HOA and I as surprised they aren't doing more. I have seen things digress to the point where an abandoned house is such a habitual problem the city has it torn down.

Definitely get video. If you can record the license plates, that would ber better. Establish some pattern as you say, of cars coming and going and the duration. Go down in person to the department and talk to someone of watch commander or higher rank, preferably a sector or area commander. Not sure about RSO or RPD, but my local PD has that system where a captain is in charge of an "area" and the quality of life in that area. He attends the community meetings to address issues like yours.

^I agree 100%. There should be a COPPS (Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving) officer assigned to her neighborhood. It's a program run on government grants so it shouldn't have taken a hit. I am going to guess that she is in a part of town where her local PD has taken a hit, and the more leg work she can do to help out to build a case the better. This includes attacks on herself and her children. She needs to be armed with a video camera 24/7. Unfortunately this is a huge problem everywhere.

[Tacobandit]

Put up cameras especially ones watching the joint fence and get video evidence to take to the police. Have pd contact either the bank or former owners to a consent search of the house. Make the squatters lives miserable because they can't contact pd

[Rooftop Voter]

"Police once went to serve an eviction notice, but it was in the names of the prior owners of the house, and as such was apparently useless."

If someone went to this hassle - I am SHOCKED they did not make contact with the squatter(s) in person to negotiate their departure... BEFOREHAND!!!