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Were police slow to respond to 911 call?

October 27, 2011

Charles Lavenson

By KAREN VELIE

A mountain biker on a path frequented by families and hikers had to wait about a half hour for law enforcement to show up to a 911 call of a dead, battered body he discovered at the base of Cerro San Luis Mountain in San Luis Obispo, several sources have told CalCoastNews.

Witnesses said Charles Lavenson, 63, was last seen less than an hour before a man discovered his body leading some to question if a quicker response time could have led to an arrest.

Sources tell CalCoastNews that the delayed response occurred because of a jurisdictional debate between the San Luis Obispo Police Department and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Department.

Portions of Cerro San Luis Mountain are in the city of San Luis Obispo while other portions are in the county and under the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s department. And while the bicyclist allegedly called 911 at about 4:25 p.m., police officers did not arrive until 5:09 p.m., partially because dispatchers were unable to decide which agency  should be called.

As a result, there was a delay in notifying law enforcement. The San Luis Obispo police log shows the call finally came at 4:53 p.m., with police arriving at the area of Lincoln Street and Mountain View at 5:09 p.m. Sheriff deputies were also called at 4:53 p.m. and arrived before San Luis Obispo Police officers at 4:59 p.m. to the area of  Higuera and Marsh streets, according to the log.

Sources tell CalCoastNews more than a half hour after the original 911 call was made, a lone officer approached the bicyclists, was led to the body, and said, “He’s dead.”

The first press release announcing the death says that both police and sheriff were dispatched to the scene at the same time.

“Due to the suspicious nature of the death and injuries, San Luis Obispo Police Detectives and the San Luis Obispo Sheriff’s Coroner responded to the location,” the San Luis Obispo Police Department’s release says.

Officials from the sheriff’s department claim that there was no argument over jurisdiction nor was there a delay in response time.

“There was no fight over jurisdiction,” said Rob Bryn, SLO Sheriff department spokesman. “It is their case. I do not think it took them an hour to respond, but I don’t know.”

San Luis Obispo Police Lt. Jeffrey Smith has failed to return numerous requests for information about the alleged delay.

 


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I heard from a friend of mine, an athletic trainer, who, before he retired, worked for 20 years the head athletic trainer for a university’s football team. After that, he worked as a trainer at a big gym where a lot of police and other first responders received personal training.


He told something that I was shocked to hear: the majority of police use steroids on a regular basis. It’s for self-protection…they have to be able to both build up the muscle mass, strength and aggression needed to physically deal with some pretty big guys, some on meth, some on steroids for their own personal training.


Really, I was shocked. It has been awhile since I’ve been around police or deputies, and either the culture has changed to embrace steroids, or I was tres naive back then.


Not only that, the FBI, CIA, border patrol, the whole shebang–majority on steroids.


Doesn’t that explain Mason and that Atascadero psychopath that followed the guy home, busted into his house, and almost killed him?


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MaryMalone

“the majority of police use steroids on a regular basis. It’s for self-protection…they have to be able to both build up the muscle mass, strength and aggression needed to physically deal with some pretty big guys, some on meth, some on steroids for their own personal training.”


This would be a very minorty situation, prior to my Private Technological and State Employment, I had 3 years of LE. Many of the super strong LEO I seen (and I do mean super strong and extremely powerful!) were developed and not chemically enhanced, I am sure of that!


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Truthfully

I have many friends I grew up with who are retired CIA, FBI, Secret Service and IRS Intelligence and DA.

NONE of them resembleble an Arnold Schwarzenegger, their job was not about being Hercules, its obvious academically and visually physical with them!


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Mary, If this is true it’s shocking and it’s quite a concern. It’s common knowledge that steroids are dangerous and lead to aggressive and even psychotic behavior.


If this is true about the LEO, this might explain why they are so adverse to drug testing. It also explains why the community needs to persist and demand it.


I had a number of PD friends when I lived in the So Cal Beach area years back. They were a bunch of DRUNK’s (hazard of the job) and some liked pot occasionally but they weren’t crazy. They worked out religiously (when they weren’t hung over!) and those who had mass did it the hard way. I’ve never heard anything like what your mentioning and I would think the older LEO would be aware and do something about it. That is very dangerous to everyone if they are bulking up with steroids but it would explain the behavior of the two you mentioned and there has been some other odd behavior that we’ve all heard about. I doubt it’s wide spread though.


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I’m an ex-Socal type too. Ditto, I knew a bunch of Chippies. They partied heavy (booze) and were prone to divorce. Some ladies like to be available to cops in a carnel way I’ve noticed. They had a name for these chicks…can’t remeber what it was. They were open to stop & go “visitations” at their homes.

I agree they need to de-stress though and I know an A-town cop and a Los Osos based sheriff.

The A-town cop says their biggest problem are metth morons.

Most cops are just normal guys (and gals) who are naturally being exposed to crapola that affects them negatively.

Still like the old saying, “If you don’t like cops then the next time you need help, call your plumber”.


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“Some ladies like to be available to cops in a carnel way I’ve noticed. They had a name for these chicks…can’t remeber what it was.” Groupies?


“They were open to stop & go “visitations” at their homes.”

Don’t know about stop and go visits at their homes but I saw plenty of nonsense in the back alley of my condo when I lived at the beach, not to mention the wild parties where the cop lived next door. Oh yeah, they liked to party ……


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justme

“Some ladies like to be available to cops in a carnel way I’ve noticed.”

“They had a name for these chicks…can’t remeber what it was.”


Its over 40 years ago, in one division, they had a gal ID as “The Gap” (No names, never met her, she must be very keen, I don’t fit her profile),

I was told every division has this available.

“Carnal way (Power is appealing)?” BUT, Nothing is free when it appears given freely!


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You know . . . in many instance I wish I had called my plumber. He is a professional, not a juiced up thug with a badge.


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There are some on the juice, but it is not a requirement yet. Some are just good cops.


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Not only steroids but methamphetamine as well . . . The good guys are not always so good.


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I hear you and that is why I and a few others are pushing for mandatory drug testing of all LEO.


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Good grief, assume much? Let’s recap what you said: “a friend of yours” brilliant source, what credibility. “the majority of police use steroids” and then you go on to say that includes most law enforcement on the federal level. You are the reason we need professional juries in this country.


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I’m extremely disappointed in a couple of things within what I’m reading in this story if it’s true. 1) The dispatchers ARE police aren’t they? Why does it say “the police” weren’t notified until such and such time? The dispatchers failed us in that gap and 2) Wasn’t there some reason to believe that a killer remained in the area by the simple fact that Charles lay dead? Didn’t there dilly-dallying around over who has to work and who doesn’t ultimately leave this mountain exposed unnecessarily?


I would think the appropriate response would have been a code 3 response from police and fire from every available area until we a) determine that life had indeed ended for Charles and b) there WASN’T a killer hiding very very near the stranger who waited for the police.


This is pathetic.


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reduced police services, that’s what over 70 percent of SLO voted for at the last special election. Enjoy it! It’s only gonna get much worse as the City Council continues to wreck shop on the public safety of SLO. Maybe that firefighter was right when he said “People will die”, we have had two murders since the special election. Good times in Happy Town.


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Have any police services been cut already since the special election? None that have been reported. Or maybe are the police showing what it could be like if their services are cut?


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That’s a fallacious assertion. Nothing has been cut. No staffing reductions are on the table. A doubling of staffing would not have prevented this incident on a remote trail which may not even be within city limits to begin with.


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The other murder would not have been prevented either. That was the mentally ill son who shot his mother.


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I’ve said before here. Police are reactive not proactive. I.e. call when you have a dead body. Nice try slosheepdog. Now go back to your firefighter/police job.


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I don’t know how it got to where it is at but I like it.

Most of the LEO in the City of SLO are pretty good people and that’s what anyone wants.

I do NOT think Measure A and B was voted in to screw good LE, it was just to keep a lid on runaway salary, benefits and pension during very lean times.

What I don’t like is the fact that it fails to include upper management, it should be across the board.

Your post could only have been made from a zealous or arrogant safety officer position that never had a real job, still wet behind the ears. Its immature!

You think your godlike or god sent, above us all, as if “you and only you” can save or rescue us from danger.

I view real safety officers as virtuous and not grandeur.


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willie,

I agree with you on this 100%, most all LEO are basically good people doing an extremely hard job, that most civilians can’t or won’t do for themselves.

I too do not think the intent of A or B was to gut our emergency services, it was about curtailing out of control salaries, pensions and benefits. And yes I too do not think it went nearly far enough into the upper echelons of admin or management.

No one will die because of emergency services benefits and pensions being cut…


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A basic understanding of facts would be nice.


No current officers or services have been cut, nor have pay or pensions been reduced. They’re still making 6 figure compensation packages. The election results only affect FUTURE labor negotiations.


Besides, how would have higher police salaries prevented that guy from shooting his mother in his home or this apparent homicide in an open space recreation area? Police are generally reactive to incident calls, not omnipresent. I’d love to hear that reasoning.


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In general, I’m very pro police and firefighters, and have repeatedly said that A&B should not have passed because firefighters had not decreased the duties they perform, done them less effectively, or decreased the risks they must face–so their pay and the ability to negotiate for it should not be changed.


However, repeatedly when police and firefighters have posted here, it has made people even MORE angry at them. This is due to the nasty, condescending attitude many have, and the attitude that the public should accept any outrageous behavior of their brethren without mention (Ryan Mason comes to mind).


I’m not currently happy with the way the first responders have acted. John Ryan Mason is currently walking the streets, free to AGAIN assault a citizen without provocation. The guy who so severely injured the older woman near Soda Lake…did HE get 5 days to go hide the evidence and get rid of the drugs and alcohol in his system before he was brought in for questioning? NO. I don’t think Mason should have been treated any differently; indeed, since this is not the first time he has, without provocation, viciously attacked a citizen, he should, by rights, be looking at a 3-strikes prison sentence.


To have sheepdog come in here with, again, the condescending attitude of entitlement and use scare tactics is just making it worse for the breach between the first responders and the citizens they are supposed to serve.


Look, I know police have to have the don’t-eff-with-me, know-it-all, big-he-man attitude on duty. I know they get a very jaded opinion of the citizens they serve, and I totally understand why.


But, for the love of god, why do they continue to make it worse.


Sheepdog, get a clue. How can we love you if you will not simply go away? As long as you and your brethren keep showing up and insulting us and using cheap-a** tactics like scare tactics, you’ll never get back the support Mason and all of the first responders who spent days insulting us here destroyed for first responders.


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This morning news said he died from a blunt blow on his head.

Someone had to have hit him very very hard to kill him.


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911 call at 4:25 but no LE dispatched until 4:53? They ended up dispatching both agencies after 28 minutes. 28 MINUTES! This type of call should be one where they 911 operator made the dispatch call when the reporting party was still on the phone.


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Lot’s of speculation…

For those not in the know, 911 calls from CELL PHONES go to CHP dispatch first and then routed based on priority.

And the area being outside of the city of SLO, is in the sheriff’s jurisdiction. It gets complicated and no a citizen can make the call of time of death only a paramedic, doctor or the coroner.

That all aside, it is a sad day when a well liked person is murdered in our town…


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I witnessed a hit and run (2 autos) a month ago. It was at an intersection where one side of the street was Pismo, the other AG, and right next to a freeway onramp. I called 911, told them it was a non-injury hit and run, they immediately switched me over to AG PD, and a patrol car arrived within 3 minutes.


If it’s complicated for SLO, then that’s because someone has made it complicated.


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Good job, jackr.

But maybe the response was so quick, because this was an intown call. The call on Cerro San Luis was more isolated from easy access and again cell phone calls are routed through CHP first.


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That spot where the body was found is only about a 1-1/2 minute walk up from Lincoln. You just need to hop a waist-high gate. If they came from the Marsh Street parking lot, then that would’ve been like a 15 minute walk.


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Excellent points insider, that is exactly why it took so long in some peoples minds. Most city LEO are driving around and respond via vehicles, for the report to be made then responded to on foot takes additional time.

Also, a citizen just calling in a viewed deceased person does not verify that claim as such, that job falls to the paramedics and eventually to the coroner/sheriff.


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JackR, out of all the comments, yours was the only one which pin-pointed the source of the problem, the dispatcher who handled the call. There is little or no repercussion for a negligent, argumentative, or immature dispatcher. Why that is, I don’t know, but out of the many years I’ve lived here, I’ve only had one occassion where the dispatcher was so out of line, I wrote to sheriff’s admin. about it. Nothing was done and the dispatcher is still on the job.


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Dear SLO PD and FD,

THIS is why us citizens don’t want to hear your whining about the recent events that affected you. You want excellence-level pay for sub-par-level performance. Ain’t going to happen.


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I saw a much better picture of this man on the news, I wish that it could be dug up and used instead of this awful picture.


Although there have been numerous occasions that I’ve been disgusted with our local LE I’m not going to rush to judgement on this one. I’ll wait until I hear everything. When I lived in LA my house got broken into, the burglars left right as I got there, I caught a glimpse of one going over my back fence. I was petrified. I ran to my neighbors house to call the police, it took them almost an hour to get there. I was furious and felt that they had missed out on an opportunity to catch these guys. Come to find out there was a report of shooter at a school nearby around the same time as my call. I was still POed but you can only expect so much from humans. When I complained they said that they have to take calls on a priority basis. That being said who knows, our local LE’s might have just been stupid as the article implies, if so it will come out.


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The way I see it, there was a murderer running around where lots of families recreate. Wouldn’t law enforcement want to arrive on seen ASAP and make certain that others are safe? This is so strange. It seems they were more focused on the bureaucracy and follow-up public relations effort than tracking down a very scary and extremely dangerous person.


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Well if there is a dead body, doesn’t it always fall to the county since the coroners office is county? Seems to me they could have immediately dispatched the SLOSD and then included the SLOPD if it turned out to be in their jurisdiction as well. It would seem to me that containing the crime scene to avoid contamination would have been a priority and that would have fallen to the demands and jurisdiction of the coroner, no?


Regardless, it’s too bad that we pay such high wages and benefits to idiots that can’t dispatch a call relating to a murdered citizen laying on the ground on public property.


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Your jumping the boat a little here. Can the bicyclist pronounce someone dead?

This is evidence of the political battles that go on between all jurisdictions at the cost to we the taxpayers.


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He didn’t pronounce anyone dead, he merely pointed it out. The time of death noted on the death certificate will not correlate with the time of the Mountain Bikers declaration

.


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Read the sentence carefully. The bicyclists (plural) led the officer (single) where he (the officer) stated that the man was dead. I’m guessing the bicyclists fiqured that as well or they’d have taken some action other than just calling the police.


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