Call 911. 

For other situations that are not addressed below, please browse through the links to the left; if you still can't find the answer to your question, feel free to contact the Lancaster Police Department Office at (661) 723-6063 or publicsafety@cityoflancasterca.gov.

For errant shopping carts that are not on the property or in the parking lot of the store to whom they belong, you can call Retail Solutions HQ toll-free at 888-992-4778; you may also request a pick-up online at this link (link will open in a new window).  If the shopping carts are in the right parking lot but are scattered or seemingly neglected, contact the store's management to alert them.

If your neighbor's dog barks excessively and without reason, such that you believe it creates a nuisance, you may call the City's Barking Dog Hotline at (661) 723-5991 or email the Lancaster Police Department Office at publicsafety@cityoflancasterca.gov, subject "Barking Dog."  Have the specific address of the dog(s) in question, as well as your contact information, ready when you call, or include it in your email.  City staff is not able to determine which house in a given area is the one perceived as causing the nuisance, nor are they able to act on anonymous complaints as the City cannot be the "victim" of this type of violation.  This process may be used for other types of animal noise complaints as well.  You may also visit this page for more information.

For animal noise complaints outside of City limits, please submit a written complaint to the Lancaster Animal Shelter at 5210 West Avenue I, or submit a complaint online  animalcare.lacounty.gov/animal-noise-complaint-form (a link will open in a new window). 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has a program for troubled youth aged 11-17 years called Vital Intervention & Directional Alternatives (VIDA).  This 16-week program combines boot camp-like physical conditioning and drill, classroom instruction on life skills such as responsibility and discipline, and community service to help give youth the tools needed to stay on the right path.

Students can enroll voluntarily, under a court order, or anywhere in between; however VIDA enrollment is limited.  For more information or to apply for your son or daughter to become a VIDA student, please call the VIDA office at (661) 949-6585 or visit their website at https://www.vida.la/.

To report a burnt-out street light, call Southern California Edison at (800) 611-1911.  You will need the pole number from the street light itself when you call (usually located on a metal placard at or near the base of the light pole).  NOTE: if the placard is black with white characters (five numeric digits followed by an "S" or a "P"), this is a City-owned light; please call Public Works at (661) 723-5985 for these poles.

If you come across downed power lines, STAY AWAY.  There is no way to tell by looking if a downed power line is charged or not, and touching a live line can be fatal.  Keep others in the area away from the power line as well, at least 30 feet away from the area where the line is down (if the downed line is touching water, at least 30 feet away from the water's edge) in all directions.  Call Southern California Edison at (800) 611-1911 to report the downed lines, then contact the Sheriff's Station as well at (661) 948-8466 to notify them.

If downed power lines are touching a vehicle, stay away from the vehicle.  If you happen to be inside the vehicle, instruct someone to call 911 and stay in the vehicle as long as it is safe to do so, but do not touch any metal parts of your vehicle (such as the door frame).  If you must exit the vehicle for your safety, make sure to jump completely clear - NEVER touch the vehicle and the ground at the same time, as this will "complete the circuit" between the live wires and the ground, with potentially fatal results.