The Health and Safety Commission heard reports from its three priority agencies at its Aug. 25 meeting, including the Beverly Hills Unified School District (BHUSD), Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) and Beverly Hills Fire Department (BHFD).
BHUSD Board President Rachelle Marcus and Board Member Russell Stuart presented several updates for the new school year, which commenced on Aug. 9. More than 3,000 students were registered for the 2025-26 year and three new leaders were introduced, including Beverly Hills High School’s new principal, Loan Sriruksa—the first woman in 50 years and first woman of color to lead the school.
In terms of safety, the school board has been encouraging students to utilize the BHUSD Cares reporting system for bullying by trying to make the site more accessible. However, since the system has been in place, it’s received a low number of reports compared to what the school board knows is happening, according to Stuart. Some students choose to use other methods of reporting bullying, such as through social media platforms.
Stuart stated that recently, two commanders from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department visited the BHUSD Command Center to “learn from the district” about the technology used to keep the district safe.
Marcus ended the presentation with a discussion about the hydroponic towers at BHHS used to grow fruits and vegetables for the City Greens Community Farm program, suggesting bringing the program to the district’s elementary schools.
Following the school board presentation, BHPD Lt. Renato Moreno provided crime statistics and trends from June to July. July saw robbery and burglary crimes decrease from the previous month, but an increase in larceny and motor vehicle theft by 60% and 25%, respectively. Moreno drew the commissioners’ attention to one type of larceny known as “distraction theft.”
These thefts typically target older women walking by themselves on both residential and commercial streets and have recently occurred during daytime hours, said Moreno. In the last 40 to 45 days, BHPD has made two arrests related to distraction thefts.
Moreno described that a car, usually with a male driver and a female passenger, will pull up next to the victim walking alone. Then, the passenger will get out of the car and ask the victim for directions to a nearby freeway or location, engage in conversation, and finally, to express their gratitude for receiving directions, “impart a blessing” by putting a necklace around the victim’s neck. Finally, when the victim declines, the perpetrator will remove the necklace and a necklace the victim was already wearing.
“Be aware of people who are pulling up, getting out of the car, calling you over to a vehicle asking for directions or offering some sort of a spiritual blessing that is unsolicited. They tend to be overly friendly,” Moreno advised. “We’re asking folks to be aware, if that happens to you, decline the contact, decline any sort of physical contact and walk away from those encounters. Call 911 if you suspect that this is happening and also try to walk with somebody.”
The final report from a priority agency was presented by BHFD Deputy Fire Chief Alfred Poirier. He reported that from July 2024 to July 2025, call volume has been relatively stable. Poirier also described the department’s response to the fire at the restaurant Funke on South Santa Monica Boulevard on Aug. 12.
Thermal imaging cameras were able to locate the fires that spread from the ventilation ducting into the wooden structural members, the wall and floor on the second floor of the restaurant, according to Poirier.
“BHFD’s quick response and aggressive pursuit of this fire prevented what otherwise could have been a catastrophic fire loss for that restaurant. That impacts not only the restaurant business but the staff of dozens of folks. It affects the vendors that supply that restaurant … and it obviously affects the city as well because of the revenue generated as a result of that restaurant,” said Poirier.
BHFD reported that while the restaurant was open during this time, no one was injured and there were no significant flames spread in the interior of the restaurant.
The meeting also included presentations from Dr. Bonnie Goldstein with the Maple Counseling Center and the BHFD on performance management, updates from the Human Services Division and the 2024 report on water quality in Beverly Hills.