Public Safety
Public Safety
Latest reporting from the Public Safety desk.
Public Safety
View MoreCopper wire thieves target Pasadena businesses, leaving thousands in damage during heat wave
Thieves stripped copper wire from rooftop AC units at Sweet Red Peach Bakery and Petsadena Pet Hospital within the past week, costing owners thousands in repairs and forcing them to operate without air conditioning during extreme heat.
Public Safety
View MoreLead, arsenic found in soil at 11 PUSD campuses as $6.6 million cleanup races toward August opening
State regulators declared contaminated soil at 11 PUSD campuses an "imminent and substantial threat" after the Eaton Fire; the district is racing to excavate 8,000-plus cubic yards of lead- and arsenic-laden soil before school opens August 17, while a legal standoff with the City of Pasadena over tree removal permits remains unresolved.
Public Safety
View MorePasadena police lieutenant graduates from FBI National Academy as three new officers join the force
Lt. Edgar Sanchez completed the FBI National Academy's Session #298, while Officers Isaac Mendez, Loris Volery, and Kevin Martinez graduated from the Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy on July 9, marking the department's second new-officer class of 2026.
Public Safety
View MoreWest Nile virus surges across LA County as extreme heat warning covers Pasadena through Thursday
LA County confirmed its first human West Nile virus case of 2026 on Monday, July 13, while mosquito counts are running nearly 10 times above average and an Extreme Heat Warning blankets Pasadena through Thursday, July 16.
Public Safety
View MorePasadena police logged 178 fireworks calls over July 4 weekend
Pasadena police responded to 178 fireworks-related calls between July 1 and July 5, with officers seizing fireworks and issuing citations as part of the city's enforcement of its total ban over the Independence Day holiday.
Public Safety
View MorePasadena police draft drone policy bans weapons, facial recognition ahead of commission review
The Pasadena Police Department's draft drone policy, headed to the Community Police Oversight Commission on Thursday, July 9, would ban weaponized drones, facial recognition, immigration enforcement use, and general surveillance while authorizing flights for specific public-safety missions.
Public Safety
View MoreHeat advisory keeps Pasadena temperatures in the 90s through Friday
A National Weather Service heat advisory keeps Pasadena temperatures at 90–92°F through Friday, July 10, with health officials urging residents to recognize heat stroke symptoms and call 911 immediately.
Public Safety
View MoreEaton Fire survivors who maxed out FEMA aid may qualify for up to $10,000 in state grants
Eaton Fire survivors in Pasadena and Altadena who exhausted their FEMA individual assistance may automatically qualify for up to $10,000 more through California's State Supplemental Grant Program, with no new application required.
Public Safety
View MoreSix charged in fire-zone contractor sting as fraud reports hit close to home
Six men face felony charges after an undercover sting caught them submitting $1.27 million in unlicensed bids in the Pacific Palisades fire zone, and a separate report details an Altadena homeowner losing thousands to an unlicensed contractor during Eaton Fire recovery. Here's how Pasadena-area residents can protect themselves.
Public Safety
View MoreEdison offers $700 million to Eaton Fire survivors; advocates say it's not enough
Southern California Edison has extended more than $700 million in settlement offers to over 5,000 Eaton Fire survivors through its voluntary compensation program, but advocates and attorneys argue the payouts are a fraction of what litigation could yield ahead of a trial set for early 2027.
Public Safety
View MorePasadena fire captain urges hikers to plan ahead as summer heat, wildfire risk rise in foothills
Pasadena Fire Captain Robert Sepulveda of Station 32 is urging summer hikers to plan routes, check weather, and tell someone their plans, as the July 4 weekend approaches and portions of the Angeles National Forest remain closed through 2027 due to Eaton Fire recovery.
Public Safety
View MorePasadena holiday guide: What's open, closed, and enforced over the July 4 weekend
Pasadena's police and fire departments will maintain full emergency staffing over the July 3–4 holiday weekend while City Hall, libraries, and administrative offices close; here's what residents need to know about parking, transit, fireworks enforcement, and emergency contacts.
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