Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles (38.0 square kilometers). Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities. Whittier was incorporated in February 1898, although it was first settled in 1887, and became a charter city in 1955. The city is named for the poet John Greenleaf Whittier and is home to Whittier College.
Origin of Name:
In the founding days of Whittier, when it was a small isolated town, Jacob Bailey and his wife, Rebecca, were among the first residents. They followed the Quaker religion, and held religious meetings on their porch. As the city grew, the citizens named it after John Greenleaf Whittier, a respected Quaker poet. Whittier wrote a dedication poem, and is honored today with statues and a small exhibit at the Whittier museum; a statue of him sits in the park, and another representing his poem The Barefoot Boy used to reside by the City Hall. Whittier never set foot there, but the city still bears his name and is rooted in the Quaker tradition.
Neighborhoods
There are several neighborhoods in Whittier. The area centered around Philadelphia Street and Greenleaf Avenue is known as Uptown Whittier and contains the traditional central business core. Just north of Uptown Whittier are the neighborhoods known as Central Park and Hadley-Greenleaf. They have been designated historic districts by the city Historic Resources Commission, and together comprise most of the area of the Whittier Historic Neighborhood Association. These districts contain many Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival homes. In and abutting the hills north of the historic districts is Starlite Estates, an upscale neighborhood. The area surrounding Whittier College is known as College Hills and was also recently designated a historic district. The area east of College Avenue is referred to as East Whittier. East Whittier was a separate agricultural community until the postwar era. The eastern parts of East Whittier, developed in the 1950s and 60s, are Friendly Hills, Murphy Ranch and Leffingwell Ranch.
Police
The Whittier Police Department provides patrol service to the communities of Whittier and Santa Fe Springs. Currently, over 100 officers are assigned to patrol the city streets. The Patrol Division includes the Traffic Bureau, Special Enforcement Team, Code Enforcement, and School Resource Officers.[15] The Police Services Division consists of the Records Bureau, 9-1-1 Communications Center, Property and Evidence, and the Jail. The Services Division operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, staffing communications and records functions around the clock. This permits continuous support to patrol and investigational activities.
In October 2010, the dedication of the new, spacious police station was held. It is a 53,000-square-foot (4,900 m2) facility, built at a cost of $35 million. Police Chief David Singer said he has been working towards a new station since 2002, but the project has been in the works for three decades, because the old station, built in 1955, at only 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) was so small. Voters had previously rejected a raise in their utility tax, so the delay in building was a matter of finding funding. Included in the new station is a more modern jail, air conditioning, upgraded radio and 9-1-1 communications systems and more space for the department offices and private interview rooms. Chief Singer celebrated his efforts by retiring that day, and leaving behind the attractive new building for his officers and community.
If a defendant has been asked to post bond and if the bond amount is greater than a readily available cash amount then the defendant, their attorney, a friend or a family member would contact All Star Bail Bonds in Whittier and request a bail bond to facilitate the release of the defendant.
