Frequently Asked Questions

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The agenda for the City Council meetings will be posted pursuant to Government Code section 54954.2 specifically requires that the governing body post the agenda for a regular meeting 72 hours before the meeting and 24 hours before a special meeting.

The City Council meets the first and third Wednesday of the month at 7 pm in the Council Chambers, 14403 East Pacific Avenue, Baldwin Park, CA 91706.

The agenda will be available at the City Clerk's Office, Council Chambers Bulletin Board, City Website and posted on the Council Chambers bulletin board.

Just call the City Clerk's Office and we'll assist you. Basically, we'll need a project number, the date the item went before the City Council, the originating department, and any other information you can give us. If there is a recorded document, we'll need to know the type of document, i.e., Deed, Hold Harmless Agreement, Certificate of Compliance, etc., the approximate date the document was recorded, and any City project numbers or names.

All current and previous Planning Commission resolutions and agenda bills can be picked up at City Hall in the Planning Department, 14403 East Pacific Avenue, Baldwin Park, CA 91706, 626-960-4011, ext. 472.

Organic waste is any material that is biodegradable and comes from either a plant or an animal. Biodegradable waste is organic material that can be broken into carbon dioxide, methane, or simple organic molecules.

• Grass
• Leaves/Tree Branches
• Shrubs/Brush
• Plants/Weeds
• Garden Trimmings
• Sawdust
• Meat, Fish, Poultry
• Dairy Products
• Coffee Grounds
• Fruits and Vegetables
• Bread, Pasta, Rice, Grains
• Bones, Eggshells, Seafood Shells
• Plate Scrapings
• Food Soiled Paper/Napkins

• Animal waste
• Palm fronds
• Soil
• Rocks
• Paper, plastic, silverware/dishware
• Glass, metal, rubber
• Food packaging material
• Compostable or biodegradable products
• Treated Lumber

A focus on recycling organic materials is central to California's efforts to combat climate change. When organic materials such as food scraps, yard trimmings, and paper decompose anaerobically (without oxygen) in a landfill, they produce methane, which is one of the most potent climate pollutants in the atmosphere and a major contributor to climate change.

SB 1383 requires cities and counties to procure annually a quantity of recovered organic waste products to meet their annual procurement target. Per CalRecycle, these procurement requirements will strengthen California's green, self-sustaining economy. Demand for these products will drive infrastructure investment and create new green-collar jobs in the state.

Recovered organic waste products can:

• Benefit local communities and spaces such as parks
• Improve soil and air quality
• Support local environmental initiatives, such as Climate Action Plans

CalRecycle assigns an annual procurement target to each jurisdiction based on its population. Jurisdictions can fulfill their target by procuring any combination of the following recovered organic waste products:

• Compost
• Mulch
• Renewable Energy (Transportation Fuel, Heat, and Electricity) from Anaerobic Digestion and Electricity from Biomass Conversion

Each jurisdiction has the flexibility to choose what mix of recovered organic waste products it wants to procure, and may choose to either use or donate these products to meet its procurement target, depending on its local needs.

Recovered surplus edible food will be donated to food banks, homeless shelters, and other organizations for those who are food insecure. Starting in 2022, food service businesses must donate surplus edible food to food recovery organizations. This will help feed almost 1 in 4 Californians who are without enough to eat. California has a 2025 goal to redirect 20% of surplus edible food (currently being thrown away) to people in need.

In partnership with other agencies in the region, the City is working to implement SB 1383's food recovery mandates. The City has joined the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments' regional food recovery program and will also begin work on creating two 'mini food recovery hubs' at Baldwin Park's Serenity Homes family site and the city's new homeless shelter Esperanza Village. Local businesses and eligible food donors will be able to partner with these local food recovery organizations to safely donate edible food.

Yes, everyone is required to participate and properly sort discarded materials into the correct bins or receptacles provided. If you choose not to participate, you may receive contamination charges from Waste Management. Additionally, by January 2024 the state has mandated the City to fine residents and businesses who are not participating. We appreciate all Baldwin Park residents for putting in the extra time and effort into properly sorting their waste.

• Fever
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of taste and smell

If you or a family member are experiencing severe symptoms, please call your doctor. If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911.

At this time, testing is limited to residents of Baldwin Park, and employees of Baldwin Park Businesses, who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have priority needs, or have been quarantined due to an exposure of a confirmed case of COVID-19, are low income and those who have no health insurance.

No, this testing is being provided free of charge and no health insurance is required.

Baldwin Park residents and employees of Baldwin Park businesses who are in the highest-risk categories are eligible for same-day or next-day testing if they currently have symptoms. This includes those individuals with COVID-19 symptoms who are:

• 65 and older; and/or
• Have underlying health conditions including:
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Hypertension
  • Chronic lung disease
  • Moderate to sever asthma; or
  • People who are immunocompromised, including as a result of cancer treatment
• Those with no health insurance
• Those who identify as low-income

The test consists of a nasal swab, collected by a licensed health care professional.

To confirm eligibility testing appointment availability, go to www.baldwinpark.com.

At this time, there are drive-through appointments only. When you book your appointment, you will receive a confirmation with the date, time, and location of your appointment, as well as other details.

We are adding more appointments regularly. Please check back to see when additional appointments have become available.

Test appointments are available for the following day only.

Please check back regularly, as appointments may be added due to cancellations and/or increased availability and changes.

Please cancel using the confirmation email received when you scheduled your initial appointment.

Please arrive at the scheduled time listed on your confirmation email.

Yes, but please do not expose others if you suspect you are ill. Only those with confirmed appointments will be tested.

At this point in time we are not able to accommodate walk-ups. Please check the LA County Site for walk-up availability.

The test itself will only take a few minutes, but the wait in line at test site will vary.

The test will be done while you remain in the vehicle.

The test is free of charge to Baldwin Park residents and employees of Baldwin Park businesses.

Test results will take up to 48hrs to get back. Positive result news will be delivered by telephone by VITAL Medical services physician, who will also guide the patient to seek follow up care. Negative results will be delivered by email.

911 is the phone number that should be dialed whenever police, fire or ambulance services are needed for an emergency. When you dial 911, your address and phone number will show up on a monitor in the police dispatch center if you are calling from a landline. The police dispatcher answers your call and will transfer your call to the Fire Department or Paramedics if required. To contact the police for non-emergent matters you may call 626-960-1955.

An emergency is something that must be stopped, prevented, or remedied at the immediate time because it threatens life, physical well-being, or property. If you’re unsure if your situation is an emergency, call 911 anyway. If the dispatcher determines that your call is not considered an emergency call, you will be asked to phone back on the business line.

This keeps 911 free for other emergencies.

Noise & Parking Complaints

Loud music complaints, parking complaints, barking dog complaints, etc., should not be called in on 911.

You should have the following information ready for the dispatcher:

• Is anyone injured
• Location of the problem
• Nature of the problem
• Suspect description
• Time element
• Vehicle description

When giving information, do not edit. Give all the information you have.

Do not hang up! Before you hang up, be sure to tell the dispatcher that you have dialed 911 by mistake and that you do not need emergency help!

This is particularly important if you dial from a business phone with several phone lines. Anytime the police dispatcher receives a 911 "hang-up", the caller must be contacted to be sure that no actual emergency exists. If your business has dozens or even hundreds of phone lines, it may be impossible for the dispatcher to determine, who if anyone, needs help, and an officer must then be dispatched to the address.

You may dial 911 for an emergency at any payphone without needing any coins. The phone number and location of the payphone will show up on the police dispatch monitor.

No!!! While it is not against the law, we strongly advise against doing this. Automatic dialing of 911 can result in accidental calls to the 911 dispatcher. Speed dialing can malfunction, and stop working, which would delay precious response time. In addition, if you are training your children to press a one-button speed call number in an emergency, they may not know how to call for help from another phone.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is encouraging citizens with cellular phones to report drunk or reckless drivers, accidents, or other emergencies by dialing 911. You will be connected directly to CHP dispatch, and the call will be routed to the proper jurisdiction if necessary. The types of calls that CHP considers "emergencies" include:

• Crimes-in-progress
• Drunk or reckless driving
• Fires
• Medical emergencies
• Stranded drivers in need of assistance
• Traffic accidents or other road hazards

911 allows emergency calls to be transferred to an interpreter who can interpret other languages. Interpretation is accessible from every telephone, including home and business phones, coin-operated, and phones equipped with Tele-communication Device for the Deaf (TDD). In addition, the police department has several bilingual dispatchers.

It’s important that we attempt to get as much information as possible so that our officers are better prepared to handle any type of call. For example, if you are calling to report a suspicious vehicle the dispatcher will want to know what kind of vehicle it is, what color it is, a license plate number, and also if it’s occupied. The more information we have the better the chances we have of finding the vehicle or individuals and possibly preventing a crime.

Calls are prioritized depending on the level of urgency. If we receive a noise complaint regarding music and we receive a call of an injury traffic collision, we will dispatch the traffic collision before the noise complaint even if the noise complaint comes in first. We make every effort to handle calls as quickly and efficiently as possible. However, emergencies do arise and we must handle those first.

For more information on the requirements to become a police officer, including citizenship and education requirements, read the California Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) information.

Please visit the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) website. 

For employment opportunities within the Baldwin Park Police Department, please visit the City of Baldwin Park Human Resources Department.

For further information, please contact Acting Sergeant Frank Real.

All oversized items and large quantities of cash in your possession at the time of arrest/booking are stored at the Baldwin Park Police Department. You would need to inquire about your stored property and make an appointment.

Any small items you had when you were arrested are placed in your prisoner property bag and are returned to you when you are released from the jail. If you are transferred to court, LA County jail, or to another Police Department’s jail, your property follows you. Check with the last facility you were released from.

If your friend gives you written authorization to pick up his/her safekeeping property you can make an appointment with the Police Technician.

At times the Police Technician can be away from their desk, in a meeting, in the field, away at training, or out sick. By making an appointment, you will not have to make repeat visits in an attempt to pick up your property.

To make an appointment call 626-960-1955 ext 234.

The Police Technician can only release items taken as evidence with the investigating detective’s approval. You would need to contact the detective handling your case.  Detective Contact Information

The fastest way to locate your property is to provide the Police Technician with the Baldwin Park Police Department’s case number, for example, Department Report DR10-12345. If you don’t have your case number the Police Technician can locate the case number with your first and last name and date of birth.

A "fix-it ticket" can be signed off at the:

Baldwin Park Police Department
14403 E Pacific Avenue
Baldwin Park, CA 91706

Come in Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9:30 am and 6 pm. We will gladly inspect the vehicle and, if the problem is one that we can sign off, we will. There is a $15 vehicle inspection fee. A citation may be signed off by any police officer in California. It does not require the inspection to be done by the issuing agency.

You take the "fix-it ticket" back to the courthouse that has jurisdiction over the issuing law enforcement agency.

On the back of the parking citation, you will find instructions that will assist you in filing a response if you feel you were incorrectly cited.

On the face of the citation, you will find the address of the traffic court, as well as the date and time you are scheduled to appear. You can appear in court to contest your traffic citation.

If the problem is happening right now, you may call the Police Communications Center at our non-emergency line, 626-960-1955 and a Parking or Traffic Officer will be dispatched as soon as possible.

Drivers’ licenses are obtained through the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) at 800-777-0133 or visit California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Proper identification consists of:

• Current California Department of Motor Vehicles identification card
• Current California driver’s license
• Current military identification card
• Current out-of-state drivers’ license
• Current passport
• VISA

Vehicles may be impounded for several reasons. The registered owner must bring proper identification, and current registration to the Police Department if your vehicle was impounded as a result of:

• Being abandoned
• The driver was arrested
• Expired or suspended registration
• A one-day storage as a result of an unlicensed driver driving the vehicle
• A traffic hazard

Bring all Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) paperwork showing current registration or a one-day moving pass. This must be done Monday through Friday, between 9:30 am and 6 pm. If the vehicle is currently registered, a release will be issued for a fee of $245. If the vehicle was reported stolen, there is no fee. After you have received a vehicle release, arrangements can be made with the tow company to pay their fees and have the vehicle released.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding the release of a vehicle under these circumstances, please contact the Records Bureau at 626-960-1955. If your vehicle was impounded because it was used in a crime or is evidence of a crime, contact the Tow Coordinator at 626-960-1955, ext. 429. Be sure to have your license plate number or case number available so you can be referred to the detective handling the case. If your vehicle was impounded because it was being operated by a driver driving on a suspended license, it will be held for 30 days (per California Vehicle Code Section 14602.6).

Requirements for a Vehicle Release

In order to get a vehicle release, you must meet all of the following requirements:

1. The registered owner must be present with a valid form of identification
2. The vehicle registration must be current or you must possess a Deposit of Fees receipt issued by the DMV and a temporary moving permit
3. You must pay the release fee of $245.

Determination of Release

If the registered owner is unlicensed, he/she must be accompanied by a licensed driver. However, on any storage or impound one can request a hearing to determine the validity of storage (per California Vehicle Code Section 22852). At the hearing, a determination will be made on the validity of the storage, and/or the 30-day hold status.

If the hearing determines the storage to be unlawful, the storing agency will be responsible for the towing and storage charges. Your failure to request or attend a scheduled hearing shall satisfy the Post-Storage Validity requirements (per California Vehicle Code Section 22852). Hearings are conducted Monday through Friday at 12:45 pm in the front lobby of the police department. Appointments are not needed. The registered owner is still responsible for the release fee regardless if the vehicle was released early from a 30-day hold.

This is the California Vehicle Code (CVC) section for driving a vehicle with a suspended license. 14601.1(a) CVC - No person shall drive a motor vehicle when his or her driving privilege is suspended or revoked for any reason other than those listed in Section 14601, 14601.2, or 14601.5, if the person so driving has knowledge of the suspension or revocation. Knowledge shall be conclusively presumed if mailed notice has been given by the department to the person pursuant to Section 13106. The presumption established by this subdivision is a presumption affecting the burden of proof.

You may find out where your vehicle is being stored by calling the Police Department Records Bureau at 626-960-1955. Please have your license plate number, vehicle identification number (VIN), or police report number available when you call.

If circumstances arise and the registered owner is unable to come to the Police Department to obtain a release form, the registered owner may (with written, notarized authorization, and proper identification) authorize someone else with a valid California drivers’ license to pick up the vehicle.

If the registered owner is in jail/prison, the inmate and a Sheriff’s Custody Deputy must sign a written letter authorizing the vehicle to be released to a California (CA) licensed designee. This signed form, along with current registration, and a valid CA drivers’ license, must be brought to the Police Department to obtain a release form.

To obtain a copy of the collision report, contact the Records Bureau at 626-960-1955. It may take five to ten working days for a collision report to be ready for release. Collisions involving major injuries may take longer due to extensive follow-up investigations.

You may make a supplemental report at the front counter of the police department or speak to and officer about your concerns:

14403 E Pacific Avenue
Baldwin Park, CA 91706

Come between Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8 am and 6:00 pm. Your supplemental report will be attached to the original report written by the officer and your insurance company will take it from there.

Major and fatal traffic collisions are some of the most detailed police reports written. Highly accurate measurements are taken of the roadway, vehicles, and evidence located in the area. These measurements are later used to create scale drawings and diagrams of the collision scene. This information can be used to reconstruct the collision to help determine which party was at fault and why the collision occurred.

The traffic bureau’s goal is to reduce the number and severity of impaired driver related traffic collisions, to increase Driving Under the Influence (DUI) arrests, and to educate the public on the tragic costs of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Sobriety/Drivers’ License Checkpoints are visible and effective methods of reducing the incidence of drinking drivers. These enforcement efforts are publicized to deter people from driving impaired and to encourage sober designated drivers. Remember, it only takes one impaired driver to change the lives of many.