The Human Relations Commission met on Dec. 19 to discuss a range of topics, including reports from priority agencies Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) and the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD). Our House provided insights into its grief support programs, serving 818 people through groups in 2024. OPICA Adult Day Program and Counseling Center discussed its services for dementia patients and the Westside Food Bank reported providing 3.5 million meals to 72,000 households. The commission also reviewed initial plans for Kindness Week 2025 and the Critical Conversation Speaker Series.
Opening the meeting, BHPD Lieutenant Andrew Myers read out the monthly police report, noting a 32% increase in total crime from October to November, with a 450% increase in violent crime. Property crime increased by 23% due to a 26% rise in larceny thefts, with specific locations such as Rite Aid, Neiman Marcus, Pavilions, Erewhon and CVS experiencing multiple incidents. Lt. Myers reassured attendees that these figures must be viewed in the wider context—October was anomalous with lower-than-average reported crimes and the statistics for November remain in line with the five-year average for that month.
