Riverside police offer grants for businesses to improve security measures

By Staff

According to the fire department, the county’s Department of Environmental Health took over the hazmat operation about 10 a.m.

There was no word on what caused the leak.

As of 1:30 p.m., CHP officers and environmental health personnel were still at the scene.

On Thursday, an unknown substance seeping from a tractor-trailer parked in a loading dock at an Amazon warehouse in Beaumont sickened at least five workers and prompted a hazardous materials response.

The hazmat emergency was reported about 4:40 p.m. at the warehouse at 36900 Fourth Street, on the extreme west end of the city, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and found the semi at a loading bay cordoned off due to fumes.

“They’re still trying to figure out what the source may be,” fire department spokeswoman April Newman told City News Service.

She confirmed that five people required medical treatment at the scene, but it was not immediately clear whether any of the victims were hospitalized, and the exact nature of their exposure sickness could not be verified.

There was also no word on whether any part of the warehouse had to be evacuated. The investigation at the site was ongoing.

Fentanyl sell

It’s the second time she has skipped a court appearance. In May, Listoe missed her scheduled arraignment, and O’Rane issued a bench warrant at that time. The defendant was located and arraigned two days later, then posted bond and was released again.

She and Chavez are representing themselves in the case.

According to sheriff’s Sgt. Art Mendez, Listoe was the principal focus of investigators after she was arrested in Eastvale in December 2021 for allegedly carrying an undisclosed quantity of fentanyl.

Mendez said Listoe posted bail, but her activity remained under scrutiny, and detectives developed leads that she and her codefendant were allegedly engaged in ongoing fentanyl sales around Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco and Riverside.

A surveillance operation led to the pair being taken into custody on Hamner Avenue in Norco during the first week of March 2022.

“A search of their person and vehicle revealed a significant amount of fentanyl pills,” Mendez said.

He said search warrants were obtained and served at their shared residence in the 3200 block of Yellowstone Drive, where “fentanyl pills, methamphetamine and items indicative of the sales of controlled substances” were seized.

According to court records, Chavez has a prior misdemeanor conviction for being under the influence of a controlled substance. Listoe has no documented prior felony or misdemeanor convictions in Riverside County.

Fentanyl is manufactured in overseas labs, and according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, it’s smuggled across the U.S.-Mexico border by cartels. The substance is 80-100 times more potent than morphine and is a popular additive, mixed into any number of narcotics and pharmaceuticals. The ingestion of only two milligrams can be fatal.

In 2022, there were about 415 fentanyl-induced deaths throughout Riverside County, while in 2021, there just under 400 poisonings, representing a 200-fold increase from 2016, when public safety officials say that only two such fatalities were documented.

Statistics published in May by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed there were roughly 108,000 fatal drug overdoses in 2021, and fentanyl poisoning accounted for over 70,000 of them.

Figures published by the CDC and other agencies show that fentanyl is now the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45 years old.

The Riverside Police Department is offering grants to local businesses to help cover the costs of improving safety and security, the city of Riverside announced Tuesday.

All businesses located with city limits are eligible to apply for funds from the Safety & Security Program, which offers help paying for security cameras, security lighting, fencing and other items related to a business’ attempts to safeguard its property and personnel from theft and violence.

Federal funding via the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, enables the police department to award grants up to $10,000 to qualifying businesses.

“We are excited to announce this opportunity for our local businesses to enhance their security measures that not only better protect their property, but help reduce crime in their neighborhood,” Riverside Police Chief Larry Gonzalez said in a statement.

Grant-eligible upgrades to businesses include:

-- Lighting for parking lots, alleyways and areas immediately around business — lighting may be direct wired, electrical or solar.

-- Video camera systems that surveil activity inside the business or directly surrounding the business.

-- Landscaping that improves a business’ safety and security.

-- Fencing that enhances the safety and security of a business.

-- “Any other devices, structures or equipment that improves the safety and security of the business that have been approved after a CPTED inspection conducted by Riverside Police Department personnel,” according to the city’s announcement.

The Riverside PD’s grant program — CPTED, or Crime Prevention Through Environment Design — “is a multi-disciplinary approach to crime prevention through building safety, architectural design, and the management of build and natural environment,” according to the announcement. “A member of the police department who is qualified to conduct CPTED inspections will meet with the business owner to evaluate safety and security improvement in accordance with best CPTED practices.”

Applicant businesses have to meet several qualifications such as:

-- Being a for-profit business located within the city of Riverside, including home-based businesses though owner residency is not required;

-- Having proof of a valid city of Riverside business license and being in good standing with the city — no liens or judgements unless those resulted from a direct COVID-19 impact;

-- Being a small or micro-enterprise with a maximum workforce of 50 employees, including “sole proprietors, independent contractors, 1099 employees, C-corporations, S-corporations, cooperatives, limited liability companies, partnerships, and limited partnerships,” according to the city.

-- Having no more than $2.5 million in annual revenue;

-- Being registered with California Secretary of State and having valid Riverside County Health Department licenses if required based on the type of business.

City employees and elected and appointed officials are not eligible to participate in this program.

“The safety of our residents, businesses and visitors is our number one priority in Riverside,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said in a statement. “These ARPA grant funds are going to help us maintain our continued commitment to public safety and community wellbeing in our city.”

To apply for a grant, go to www.RiversideCA. gov/RPD/ARPA-GrantApplication to review the business qualifications and download the grant application. When the application is completed, submit it to RPDSASProgram@ RiversideCA.gov.

Prospective grant applicants can direct comments and questions to RPDSASProgram@RiversideCA.gov.