Police Commission News - 2013 ... LA Community Policing

• Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said this would be the last Commission meeting of the year and wish everyone Happy Holidays. President Soboroff then had the Inspector General give an overview of the role he plays as the investigative and oversight arm of the Police Commission during incidence of officer involved shootings (OIS). President Soboroff added that the role of the Inspector General is critical and investigations into officer involved shootings take time. Inspector General Alexander Bustamante said his office will conduct a thorough and independent report and analysis into the vehicle pursuit and subsequent officer involved shooting which occurred over the weekend and report back to the Board with his findings at a later date.

• Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman thanked Police Commission President Steve Soboroff and Inspector General Alexander Bustamante for the detail explanation of the process of review for incidence of officer involved shootings.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board the officers involved in the OIS have been removed from the field until he receives his 72-hour briefing in which he will be presented more facts as to the circumstances surrounding the incident. He said after the briefing the officers involved will either be trained prior to being sent back out into the field or put on an administrative assignment until the investigation into the incident is completed. Chief Beck also informed the Board the Department held its seventh Gun Buyback event in which more than 800 firearms were voluntarily and anonymously surrendered in exchange for a Ralphs gift card. He said the event was an important component of crime reduction and served as an opportunity for people to safely dispose of their unwanted firearms.

• The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within the Newton Area was given by Captain Edward Prokop and Mr. Gilbert Radillo. Captain Prokop stated the Newton Area C-PAB currently has 54 members which is an increase of more than 100% from the beginning of the year. He said the goals for the coming year are to continue recruiting C-PAB members, developing a youth C-PAB, monthly community clean-ups, officer engagement with C-PAB members and the staging of quarterly community events.

• The Department's report, dated December 12, 2013, relative to the revised filing guidelines for direct citations, was approved and transmitted to the Public Safety Committee.

• The Department's report, dated December 6, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for Hollywood Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records management Officer.

• The Department's report, dated December 6, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for West Los Angeles Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

At the Police Commission Meeting on December 10, 2013

• Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said today was day 100 of the new Commissioners' tenure on the Board. He said a learning curve still exists but thanked the Department for their cooperation.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board overall violent crime in the City is 11.5% lower as compared to this same point last year. He added overall gang crime is down 17.7% for the year as well.

• The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crimes strategies, and other programs and goals within the Topanga Area was given by Captain Joel Justice and Mr. Bob Basch. Mr. Basch informed the Board the Topanga Area C-PAB currently has 28 members and has three youth programs: Cadets, Junior Cadet and the Jeopardy program. One of the goals of the Topanga C-PAB is improve the quality of the front desk service and to maintain the tree committee at the station.

• The presentation and discussion relative to the Police Orientation Preparation Program (POPP) was given by Captain Brenda Crump. Captain Crump stated the POPP program began in 2009 as a partner between the Los Angeles Unified School District, West Los Angeles College and the LAPD. This partnership is open to high school seniors and first year college students at West Los Angeles College. The program aims to get students ready for a career in law enforcement while allowing them to receive college credit. To date, 244 four students have successfully completed the program and expansion is planned in the near future.

• The Department's verbal presentation and discussion relative to police radio communications reception was given by Ms. Maggie Goodrich. Ms. Goodrich informed the Board the communications system has excellent coverage with a 2001 Motorola digital radio system. She said the reach of signal goes far beyond the City limits and the contract for the hand-held radios is up for renewal next year. Ms. Goodrich added the only issues with the radio system is only one radio at a time can broadcast. This can become an issue in an incident where there are many officers who are trying to use the radio at the same time.

• The Department's verbal presentation and discussion relative to the Metropolitan Division Mounted Unit was given by Captain Vito Palazzolo. Captain Palazzolo informed the Board the Mounted Unit began as a pilot program in 1981 to perform such tasks as policing events with large crowds. The Department currently has 30 horses with numerous trucks and trailers to mobile the unit anywhere in the City. Each horse goes through 200 hours of training with funding provided by the Mounted Police Foundation. Captain Palazzolo completed his comments by stating each horse can serve between 10-18 years and this year the unit will be riding in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena on New Year's Day.

• The Department's report, dated December 6, 2013, relative to the request for approval of master services agreement with Motorola Solutions, Inc., was approved and transmitted to the Mayor.

• The Department's report, dated December 6, 2013, relative to the first amendment to the agreements between the City of Los Angeles and RMI International, Inc. (C-122078) for security guard services, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor.

• The Executive Director's report, dated November 26, 2013, relative to the official police garage towing & storage rates 2014 – posting completed, was approved.

• The Department's report, dated November 22, 2013, relative to the supplemental police account second quarterly report (April through June 2013), was approved and transferred to the City Council and City Controller.

• The Department's report, dated November 27, 2013, relative to the supplemental police account third quarter report (July through September 2013) was approved and transmitted to the City Council and City Controller.

• The Executive Director's report, dated December 5, 2013, relative to the review and transmittal of the request for proposal for official police garage (OPG) towing and storage services, was approved and transmitted to the City Council.

• The Inspector General's report, dated December 10, 2013, relative to the Ethics Enforcement quarterly reports, calendar year 2012, was approved.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Steve Soboroff wished all a happy Thanksgiving.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck also wished everyone a happy Thanksgiving. He congratulated Sgt. II Jerretta Sandoz upon her being elected as the first African American Director at the Los Angeles Police Protective League. He reported that violent crime is down by 11.5% compared to this time last year.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank reported that there will be no Police Commission meeting next week. There will be meetings on December 10, and December 17, but not on December 24 or December 31.

Captain Martin Baeza and Co-Chair Margarita Amador presented the Hollenbeck Area Community Police Advisory Board Report . Captain Baeza stated that this station, which was opened in 1889 with one police officer, now serves approximately 200,000 people. He emphasized the relationship the station has with the business community and how that relationship supports and provides services to the community. Ms. Margarita Amador described the activities of the CPAB, which includes being the voice of the community, working with the youth programs, and actively monitoring the issuance of ABC Permits in the area. The goals for 2014 include addressing homelessness, illegal street vending, and continued monitoring of ABC Permits. A video was shown of the 2013 National Night Out event at Hollenbeck and it was very impressive as more than 500 community members came out in support of Hollenbeck station.

A verbal presentation was given on the Reserve Corps by Deputy Chief Mark Perez and Lt. Tom Murrell. The reserve program began during World War II as a way to supplement the force and it continues as a vibrant entity today. Reserves come from all walks of life and many reserve officers have all of the responsibilities and police powers as full-time paid officers. They are also required to complete on-going training requirements. In most cases, reserve officers do this kind of work because they want to contribute to the community. Most have employment elsewhere. Recruitment of reserves, as well as full-time employees, was discussed; specifically the issue of timing of qualifying exams and opening of classes.

The Blake Justice Consent Decree – Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Annual Report , as presented by Gerry Chaleff, Special Assistant for Constitutional Policing, and Assistant Chief SandyJo MacArthur, was approved. This Consent Decree was developed in 1977 to monitor the Department's hiring of women and minorities. To date, the recommended percentages are generally met. Mr. Chaleff stated that there are some categories that continue to be a challenge to meet, such as the category of African American women. Commissioner Madison asked for a report which would detail and analyze the ethnicity statistics on hiring for the last ten years as well as the promotional activity for all employees for the same period of time. She and Mr. Chaleff will discuss the specifics of what the report will include.

The Department's report relative to Interfering/Resisting Arrest Audit , as presented by Gerry Chaleff, Special Assistant for Constitutional Policing, and Police Performance Auditor Jeff Phillips, was approved.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa described the impact of the murder of Joseph Gatto in the community and she hopes that justice will be served soon. She also participated in a ride-along in Hollenbeck Area, and was impressed with how busy the patrol units are. Commissioner Paula Madison visited the Valley Bureau and North Hollywood Area. She was very impressed with many aspects during her visit and asked that a presentation be made to the full Commission on the virtues of the Valley Cares Family Justice Center, which will be made today. Commissioner Steve Soboroff noted that the experiences with the LAPD that the new Commissioners are having are “once in a decade experiences,” however they are experiencing them three times a week. Last week, he and Commissioner Madison attended the Community Police Advisory Board Summit, which attracted approximately 800 CPAB members from throughout the City. On Saturday, Commissioner Soboroff went to Camp Pendleton to see 100 LAPD officers go through state-of-the-art training, before he attended the Eagle and Badge Foundation's annual fundraiser with 1,000 attendees. On Sunday, he and Commissioners Figueroa-Villa and Madison attended the Cadet Graduation with 8,000 other attendees. He said the ceremony was both emotional and inspiring. Commissioner Madison added her appreciation to the Ray Charles Foundation for making the Cadet Program a reality at LAPD. Commissioner Figueroa-Villa also acknowledged Natalie Torres-Soriano for her extraordinary work in developing the Cadet Program. Commissioner Robert Saltzman added his praise for the Cadet Program and thanked all who had the vision to make this program possible. An update on the on-body camera project was provided by Commissioner Soboroff. He said that the Department is in receipt of the cameras to be tested. Interim guidelines for their use will be used however the final guidelines will include input from numerous entities such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Los Angeles Police Protective League. Options are being looked at to ensure as much community input as possible. At this point, $1,267,100 has been raised for the on-body camera project. In closing, Commissioner Soboroff cautioned officers on the importance of driving carefully and buckling up.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Earl Paysinger commented that the Cadet Program is a labor of love, and he too is very pleased with its success. He acknowledged Commander Matt Blake for overseeing the best and largest CPAB Summit in its 20 year history. He reported that violent crime is down by 11.4% compared to this time last year. Commissioner Soboroff asked Chief Paysinger if there was any pending issues that may come up as everything appears to be going so well in terms of crime reduction. Assistant Chief Paysinger stated that things are indeed going well and that the future looks very good because the Department is constantly assessing and reassessing its approach to crime trends. He credited the overall success to a strong base of community policing.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank reported that item 8h, the Blake-Justice Consent Decree – Fiscal Year 2012-2013 Annual Report, be continued for one week. Commissioner Madison asked that the Inspector General prepare a report that reflects 10 years of statistics in conjunction with this report. Mr. Tefank stated that there would be Police Commission meetings on November 26, December 10, and December 17 only due to the holidays.

Captain Kris Pitcher and Co-Chair Larry Stern presented the Devonshire Area Community Police Advisory Board Report . Mr. Stern reported that they have focused on the problem of illegal activity occurring in foreclosed homes by obtaining a list of such homes in the area and getting ahead of the problem with focused patrol. Youth programs continue to be a priority in Devonshire and crime continues to decline. Devonshire Area has also combined with other Valley Bureau CPABs to create common strategies. Commissioner Madison noted that in her recent trip to the Valley Bureau, she asked for two additional topics to be presented to the full Commission: how the Valley works with mental health issues and a presentation on medical marijuana dispensary locations in relation to vehicle break-ins. Commissioner Soboroff commended Mr. Stern and Captain Pitcher on the presentation and on the many successes in Devonshire Area.

A verbal presentation was given on the Valley Cares Family Justice Center by Deputy Chief Jorge Villegas and representatives from Northridge Hospital and California State University Northridge. This one-stop shop provides personal assistance to victims of domestic violence. No LAPD funds have been allotted to this program and it was started and is maintained through grant funding. The success of this program is reflected in the higher filing rates in the Area. Assistant Chief Michel Moore stated that the Department would like to see this kind of program citywide yet it involves other agencies and entities and designated personnel.

The Vehicle Pursuit Audit , as presented by Captain Joan Wakefield and Commander Matt Blake, was approved. The audit revealed generally high compliance with policies and procedures. The Pursuit Policy is currently being reworked and issues such timing of supervisor approval for pursuits will be reviewed. Training will also be reviewed to ensure future high compliance.

Special Investigator II Alexa Daniels-Shpall has joined the Office of the Inspector General. She holds a BA from UCLA and a law degree and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) degree from USC. She has interned at a private law firm (Mayer Brown) as well as in various City offices, including the City Attorney, Chief Legislative Analyst (CLA) and a City Councilmember. For the last three years, she worked for the Fire Commission's Independent Assessor writing public reports on the Fire Department's litigation risk management and disciplinary practices.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on November 5, 2013

• Police Commissioner President Steve Soboroff started the meeting with a moment of silence for slain TSA agent Gerardo Hernandez. He also extended prayers to all those injured and their families.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck considered the incident a tragedy. He commended the men and women of Los Angeles World Airport Police Department and Los Angeles Police Department for acting heroically and mitigating the situation as quickly as possible. He completed his comments by stating this incident makes airport security the main topic and people must understand to stop an incident like this, people must be willing to tolerate a full car search.

• Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman spoke last Friday at the Recruit Officer Graduation Class of 5-13. He said it was a great occasion and very upbeat. He was concerned however, of being only two African-Americans and five women among 41 graduates. He pointed out those numbers are significantly below our goal.

• Police Commissioner Kathleen Kim attended the Law Enforcement Association of Asian Pacifics to celebrate the promotion of Asian-Pacific American Officers to Command Staff level. She said it was very inspirational but learned out of 13,000 sworn and civilian, approximately 850 are of Asian descent. She thought it was quite a disparate number for several reasons, primarily because of cultural values within the Asian community whom may not promote Asian-Pacific Americans into law enforcement.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck shared his concern with the Commissioners regarding the diversity of incoming recruits and is working with personnel department to ensure a diversified population. For the month of October, the City of Los Angeles suffered 12 homicides. This is the first month since 1964 the City of Los Angeles has had a month with 12 or less homicides. Part I Crimes for 2013; there was a 12.9% reduction in homicide, rapes were down 27%, robberies were down 12.4%, aggravated assaults were down 9.5%, total violent crime reduction is 11.8%. Property crime is also down in all four categories. Total property crime reduction is 3.3%, which provides a total aggregate Part I Crime reduction of 4.1%. The Department's personnel remain at 9,916 sworn and 2,812 civilians.

• The Department's verbal report and discussion, relative to K9 Deployment of the Metropolitan Division, Gang and Narcotics Division, and Emergency Services Division. Captain Patrick Smith, Commanding Officer of Metropolitan Division, informed the Board the K9 program has been in existence for 33 years. Metropolitan Division deploys 19 patrol dogs, five gun detecting dogs, and two bloodhounds. The policy of the K9 program is find-and-bark not find-and-bite. The average cost per dog is $10,000 and on average, the department purchases two dogs a year. The service life for each dog is approximately 8 to 10 years. The primary source of funding for new dogs comes from the Angeles Police K9 Fund. Captain John Incontro, Commanding Officer of Emergency Services Division, said both the Department and Los Angeles World Airport Police staff the K9 program and is the largest program in the United States. The Los Angeles World Airport Police manages the program at Los Angeles Airport and is responsible for reporting to TSA for regular compliance. TSA provides the K9s and the Los Angeles Airport pays for care and maintenance of the dogs. The Department has an agreement with TSA to work at the Los Angeles Airport 80% of the time and 20% of the time the Department is allowed to work at other city venues. Armando Moriel representing Gangs and Narcotics Division, indicated Gangs and Narcotics Division currently deploys nine dogs. Eight dogs are trained in narcotics and one dog is trained in clean-currency. The clean-currency dog detects money not tainted by narcotics. It is common for the dog handler to adopt the K9 once the dog retires.

• The Department's verbal report and discussion, relative to the Complaint Investigation Audit. Internal Audits and Inspections Division conducted an annual audit on personal complaints. 17 objectives were audited. 16 objectives met a 95% or higher compliance standard. The lowest percentage overall was a 93% for the availability of audio and video tape recordings. Three tapes were not accounted for. Overall the Department did outstanding.

• The Department's report, dated October 25, 2013, relative to the Request for Approval of Extension and Budget Modification of the 2010 Solving Cold Cases with DNA Program (BPC N. 13-0380), was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

• The Department's report, dated October 25, 2013, relative to the Status of Recommendations made by the Office of the Inspector General in the review of Non-Categorical Use of Force Investigations (BPC N. 13-0374), was approved.

• The Department's report, dated October 29, 2013, relative to the Destruction of Obsolete Duplicate Records for Wilshire Area (BPC N. 13-0373), was approved.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on October 29, 2013

• Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said the Board serves as a Board of Directors whose main purpose is service to the public and implementing policy. He stated four of the five Commissioners are new, making for a steep learning curve but added the cooperation between City Hall and the Department has been invigorating.

• Police Commission Vice President Paula Madison said she had meetings with several Captains to gain a better understanding of the Department. She also met with LA City Fire Department commanders to discuss their recruitment practices in an effort to increase the candidate pool and diversity for the police department. She completed her comments by stating she attended the Police Magnet School formal inspection at Reseda High School last week.

• Police Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa said as a Central Bureau liaison she met with Deputy Chief Perez, attended several events and went on a ride-along in the area.

• Police Commissioner Kathleen Kim said as the West Bureau liaison she met with the Captain at Olympic Division. She met with personnel from Risk Management Group and Force Investigation Division to learn more about Department policies on such matters.

• Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the LGBTQ Forum last week with fellow Commissioners Madison and Figueroa-Villa. He said it was very well attended and thanked Chief Beck for improving the relationship between the Department and the LGBTQ community.

• Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked the Commissioners for their time spent working in the field and learning as much as they could about the Department. He attended the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last week. He said they discussed issues of common concern with the on-body camera being the number one topic. Chief Beck completed his comments by offering his support for LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy.

• The Department's verbal report and discussion, relative to the status of the On-Body Camera project was given by Chief Information Officer Maggie Goodrich. Ms. Goodrich informed the Board the Department is currently working with two vendors who are going to loan the Department 30 video devises each for evaluation. She said the devices will be loaned out at no cost and the Department was currently working out logistics on how it will work, what areas of the City the cameras will be used in and which officers would wear them. The testing will begin in November and last 90 days. Ms. Goodrich stated after the initial testing the Department would come back to the Board and present recommendations for usage and a policy draft.

• The Department's verbal report and discussion, relative to the current status of the Police Cadet Program was given by Senior Management Analyst Natalie Torres-Soriano. Ms. Torres-Soriano offered the Board a brief history of the program stating it began in 1963 as the Explorers and transitioned into the Police Cadets in 2010. She said the program offers Cadets, who are between the ages of 13 and 20 years old, alternatives to street life and teaches them discipline, life skills development, motivation and leadership skills. Ms. Torres-Soriano said the program has 27 posts with more than 4,000 active participants. The future of the program will include the expansion of Cadet posts, the creation of a LAPD Page Program and the formation of a Cadet Bike Unit.

• The Department's report, dated October 11, 2013, relative to the Van Nuys Area detective command accountability performance audit (IAID N. 13-027), was approved.

• The Department's report, dated October 11, 2013, relative to the confidential financial disclosure inspection, was approved.

• The Department's report, dated October 18, 2013, relative to the biased policing quarterly report, 2nd quarter 2013, was approved.

• The Department's report, dated October 22, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Central Traffic Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

• The Department's report, dated October 25, 2013, relative to the request for payment of reward offer on City Council File No. 12-0010-S18 for witness #1, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

• The Department's report, dated October 25, 2013, relative to the request for payment of reward offer on City Council File No. 12-0010-S18 for witness #2, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

• The Executive Director's report, dated October 23, 2013, relative to the official police garage towing & storage rates for 2014, was approved.

• The Inspector General's report, dated October 24, 2013, relative to the review of traffic collision reports & safety belt use, second quarter, was approved. Inspector General Alexander Bustamante said in his report police officers are more likely to be killed by not wearing their seat belts while driving on-duty then by assaults or being shot at. He said officers' number one reason for not wearing them was because they impede their tactics when quick reaction is need. Mr. Bustamante looked at various studies on those theories and found there to be no correlation. In fact, Mr. Bustamante stated, injuries suffered by police officers during traffic accidents nationwide could have been prevented 45% of the time had a seat belt been used. Police Commission President Steve Soboroff suggested the Department needed a cultural shift to wearing seat belts at all times and asked the Inspector General to include workers compensation costs to the city as a result of injuries sustained by officers during traffic accidents in his next report.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on October 15, 2013

Commission Comments – Commissioner Steve Soboroff recommended two great law enforcement publications: The Thin Blue Line, produced monthly by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, and the ABC Debriefer, produced quarterly by LAPD Detective Support and Vice Division. Commissioner Soboroff attended, as did other Commissioners, the presentation given by Dr. Bill Lewinski on officers' reactions during use of force scenarios. He said it was a fascinating presentation and there are numerous variables to consider in each scenario. The Department will give a complete report on the status of the on-body cameras on October 29 th , however Commissioner Soboroff was able to report now that his fundraising efforts have now reached $775,000 due to some recent donations, including one from Occidental Petroleum for $100,000. Commissioner Soboroff also visited 77 th Division and Southeast Division and commented on the high level of activity at each Division.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck noted that he was expecting the birth of a grandchild and he may need to leave the meeting. The Department is investigating the dry ice explosions at the airport and Chief Beck assured all that the perpetrator will be apprehended. Last week, the District Attorney filed charges on an LAPD officer for a use of force incident occurring in 2012. Commissioner Steve Soboroff noted that it was the LAPD that determined that this case was appropriate for criminal filing and it proves that the LAPD does hold all employees accountable. Commissioner Paula Madison added that this case proves that civilian oversight works and that the case is now going through the appropriate process. Chief Beck stated that the LGBTQ Forum will take place this evening and he plans on attending. He reported that Part One Crime is down by 4.7% compared to this time last year, and gang-related crime is down by 17.7%. There are currently 9,935 sworn employees, 277 level one reserves, 22 level two reserves, 135 level three reserves, 392 specialist reservists, 44 chaplain reserves, 2,813 civilian employees, and 4,010 cadets.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank noted that he has scheduled the presentation on the Cadet program for October 29 th . The on-body camera status report was scheduled for today, however it was moved to October 29 th as Ms. Goodrich was on vacation this week. He also announced that there will be no Police Commission meeting next week on October 22 nd .

Commissioner Steve Soboroff thanked all of the entities making donations to the Los Angeles Police Department as listed in the agenda.

The staff who work with grants, specifically the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Continuation Program , and the Intellectual Property Enforcement Grant , were thanked by Commissioner Steve Soboroff. He noted that the grants enable the Department to be a more effective force and are extremely important. Both grants were approved.

The Operations – Valley Bureau Vice Command Accountability Performance Audit , as presented by Lt. Cheryl Baratta and Commander Matt Blake, was approved.

The Operations – West Bureau Gang Enforcement Detail Command Accountability Performance Audit , as presented by Sgt. Darryl Martin, Commander Matt Blake, and Deputy Chief Hara, was approved.

Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said he would like to see Department reports of the Cadets program, Police Reserve program and the Metropolitan K-9 division on future agendas. He added he is continuing to cultivate relationships in City Hall and recently had meetings with City Controller Ron Galperin and Councilman Mitch Englander.

Police Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa attended a rally on comprehensive immigration reform over the weekend and thanked the Department for policing the event.

Police Commission Kathleen Kim said she was happy Governor Jerry Brown signed so many immigration bills recently. She thanked the Department for their support of the bills as well.

Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger invited the Commissioners to attend the Command Staff Breakfast with the newest Police Cadets later this week. He said there are 500 cadets in the academy.

The Inspector General's report, dated October 1, 2013, relative to the Post Refresher Training Audit, as given by Inspector General Alexander Bustamante, was approved. Mr. Bustamante informed the Board his office took a sample of a pool of 3,700 officers and found the Department to be in high compliance. He said there was some concern for POST training in regard to CPR for officers but the Department implemented a system which remedied the issue.

The Department's report, dated October 4, 2013, relative to the approval of Raytheon contract for Digital In-Car Video System, as given by Chief Information Officer Maggie Goodrich, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council. Ms. Goodrich informed the Board the contract is a 5 year agreement which will include maintenance of the system. She said 381 vehicles in Operations-Central Bureau would be outfitted with the system which would have no compatibility issues with those already in use in Operations-South Bureau. Ms. Goodrich completed her comments by stating it would take 12 months to execute the contract and would include system upgrades to existing software in OSB.

The D epartment's report, dated September 20. 2013, relative to the transmittal of the report for funding for the 2013/14 Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act (JJCPA) program, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated September 27, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Juvenile Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated September 27, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Metropolitan Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on October 1, 2013

Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said the lines of communication within City government are wide open. He said he had good conversations with council members and the City Attorney over topics such as hiring of police officers, risk management issues, and body cameras.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman stated he attended a reception held by the Oscar Joel Bryant Foundation and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives at the Elysian Park Police Academy in honor of former Police Commissioner John Mack.

Police Commissioner Kathleen Kim apologized for showing up late to the meeting. She said she was at a preliminary immigration hearing which ended up not taking place due to the Federal Government shutdown.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked the Commissioners for their enthusiasm in their new positions and said he was pleased with the way things are preceding. Chief Beck stated last week a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge issued a stay on the Department's Special Order 7. He said he was disappointed with the ruling and the City Attorney is going to file an appeal.

The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within the Southeast Area was given by Captain Phillip Tingirides, Officer Dawson Hill and Ms. Theresa Martinez. Officer Hill informed the Board the priorities of the C-PAB are to continue their relationships with the area clergy, increase membership, map current members, increase Teen C-PAB membership and to continue meetings with local business owners.

The Department's report, dated September 18, 2013, relative to the transmittal of the grant award for the fiscal year 2013-2014 selective traffic enforcement program grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated September 13, 2013, relative to the Bomb Squad audit (IAID No. 13-004), was approved. The audit revealed the Bomb Squad had very good internal controls. The audited added the Bomb Squad was very receptive to recommendations and reacted quickly with a response.

The Department's report, dated September 13, 2013, relative to the California witness relocation and assistance program audit, (IAID No. 12-091), was approved.

The Department's report, dated September 20, 2013, relative to the gang enforcement detail selection criteria audit (IAID No. 13-034), was approved.

The Department's report, dated September 13, 2013, relative to the Operations Valley Bureau timekeeping inspection (IAID No. 13-040), was approved.

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A moment of silence was held to remember the victims of the violence in the shopping mall in Nairobi.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Robert Saltzman thanked the Police Foundation and the individuals who were honored during the “Above and Beyond” ceremony last week. This ceremony honors both the Medal of Valor recipients and the Purple Heart recipients. Commissioner Saltzman thanked Commissioner Soboroff for the effort he is putting into obtaining lapel cameras for the officers and he fully supports that effort and goal. As the process continues, Commissioner Saltzman asked for regular updates from the Department on the cameras, specifically related to data storage and access policy development. Commissioner Steve Soboroff noted that support for the purchase and utilization of lapel cameras for all officers has been very strong. He received a phone call from former Mayor Richard Riordan who pledged $50,000 in support for the cameras. Commissioner Soboroff also recently met with Father Greg Boyle from Homeboy Industries and Father John Bakas from St. Sophia Cathedral. He was very impressed with their support and community insight.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck expressed his condolences to the Laguna Beach Police Department for their loss of Police Officer Jon Coutchie who was killed on duty on Saturday. He thanked the Commissioners for their attendance at the “Above and Beyond” ceremony as well as the Jack Webb Awards benefitting the Los Angeles Police Museum. Last night, there were two fatal drive-by shootings in South Los Angeles. Through community tips, the suspect, who committed both crimes, was apprehended. These kinds of crimes concern the Chief greatly as he sees families impacted by senseless violence. Chief Beck noted that the Department is working through any possible changes to Special Order 7 given the decision by Judge Terry Green against this order. Commissioner Kathleen Kim offered her support to Chief Beck on this matter. Recruitment continues to be a challenge and Commissioner Paula Madison will be examining this issue further. She outlined some of the issues she is focusing on along with the Personnel Department. They are looking at looking at increasing the intake of qualified and diverse Police Officer candidates to fill the pipeline of recruits in the training process. Commissioner Soboroff is looking at innovative ways to enhance employment with the LAPD through community/private partners.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank reported that efforts are underway to schedule this Commission's first community meeting and it will be in Council Member Bonin's district.

Report of the Inspector General – Assistant Inspector General Kevin Rogan reported that Alex Bustamante is currently representing the Office of the Inspector General at the National Association of Citizen Oversight in Law Enforcement National Conference.

The list of Commission Liaison and Assignments was approved. The bureau liaisons are as follows: Commissioner Soboroff as President will serve all Bureaus, Commissioner Paul Madison will be the liaison to the Valley Bureau, Commissioner Figueroa-Villa will be the liaison to the Central Bureau, Commissioner Kim will be the liaison to the West Bureau, and Commissioner Saltzman will be the liaison to the South Bureau.

Co-Chairs Betty Ley and Captain Eisenberg presented the annual report from the Mission Area Community Police Advisory Board . This energetic CPAB has a committee structure focusing on emergency preparedness, technology, events, youth programs, outreach, and quality of life issues. For the first time, they presented a Division-wide National Night Out event and it was a resounding success with approximately 1,000 attendees. They have combined Open House events with Health and Resource Fairs, creating positive community contact and offering services to a wide audience. Mission Area has been able to provide these important events at no cost due to Ms. Ley's efforts. Captain Eisenberg also noted that Mission Area provides an opportunity for gang members to meet community members to discuss the effects of crime in the community. This program has been quite successful. This CPAB is continually developing as it provides ongoing education to all members and the community.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on September 17, 2013

The Board of Police Commissioners held a moment of silence to open the meeting in honor of the victims who lost their lives in the Washington D.C. Naval Base mass shooting.

Police Commission President Steve Soboroff said the response and warmth felt from the Department and the Commission staff last week during their first meeting was overwhelming. He also stated next week he will announce Commission liaisons in which each Commissioner would be assigned a specific responsibility pertaining to issues or areas of the Department that they can gain a more intimate knowledge of. President Soboroff added Vice President Paula Madison will be working with the City Personnel Department and meet with staff regarding the police recruitment and hiring process.

Police Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa thanked Chief Beck for his recent comments in the Los Angeles Times regarding the passage of a State Senate bill which will allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a drivers license. She said the bill was a step in the right direction.

Police Chief Charlie Beck remarked at the bravery of the first responders at the mass shooting at the Naval Base in Washington D.C. He added law enforcement needs to do all they can to get firearms out of the hands of those who have mental illness so another mass shooting tragedy can be avoided. Chief Beck also thanked the Commission for their attention to the Department's hiring practices.

The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within Pacific Area was given by Mr. Rob Kadota. Mr. Kadota informed the Board some of the challenges the area faces are vending ordinances, park curfews, homelessness and medical marijuana dispensaries. The priorities for Pacific Area C-PAB include crime prevention and community engagement, emergency preparedness, and social media outreach. Mr. Kadota concluded by saying the area has three youth programs including the Cadets, Junior Cadets, and the Jeopardy program.

The Department's report, dated September 13, 2013, relative to the commendation of private persons by Department – revised and renamed, was approved.

The Department's report, dated September 11, 2013, relative to the Risk Manager's quarterly status report, second quarter 2013, as given by Risk Manager Beth Corriea, was accepted. Ms. Corriea informed the Board there has been a 53% reduction in internal lawsuits filed by Department personnel as compared to 2012. She added preventable traffic collisions, workers compensation claims, and use of force lawsuits have decreased 12%, 3%, and 18% respectively as compared to 2012 with no new lawsuits pertaining to Fair Labor and Standards Act as well.

The Department's verbal report and discussion relative to the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the Office of the Inspector General's employment litigation audit, dated June 27, 2013, and the Department's response dated July 19, 2013 was continued. The Board requested the Department compose a written report for presentation and Inspector General review.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on September 10, 2013

The members of the Los Angeles Police Commission held elections and unanimously elected Steve Soboroff to serve as the new President, and Paula Madison to the Vice President post.

Police Commission President Steve Soboroff thanked his friends and family in attendance and said one of the more important responsibilities of the Commission moving forward is how the Department will continue to reform. He added the Board will hold meetings in each of the Council Districts at some point in the future.

Police Commission Vice President Paula Madison stated she was humbled and honored to be appointed to the Board and looks forward to gaining a more intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the Department during her tenure as a Commissioner.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman thanked Mayor Eric Garcetti for allowing him to continue to serve on the Board and looked forward to working with the Department and his fellow Commissioners. Commissioner Saltzman also asked the Inspector General to monitor the matter of the March 17th incident in which an arrestee fell out of a moving police vehicle while in transport. He asked the Inspector General to report back to the Board at the appropriate time.

Police Commissioner Sandra Figueroa-Villa thanked her family for being in attendance and said she was excited to work with her fellow Commissioners.

Police Commissioner Kathleen Kim said she was astounded to be appointed as a Commissioner and said she is fully committed to the job.

Police Chief Charlie Beck welcomed the new Commissioners to their positions and thanked their families for their sacrifice in allowing them to serve on the Board. Chief Beck then gave the new Commissioners a detailed report on the year-to-date crime numbers.

The Department's report, dated September 6, 2013, relative to the preventable and non-preventable traffic collision audit (IAID No. 13-005), as given by Police Auditor Jeff Phillips, was approved. Mr. Phillips informed the Board the overall audit was positive and the Department was looking into getting software to install in police vehicles which can monitor driving habits in real-time.

The Department's report, dated September 6, 2013, relative to the quarterly discipline report, second quarter, 2013, was received. The Board directed the Office of the Inspector General to submit an analysis of this report along with any appropriate recommendations to the Board at a later time. Police Commission Vice President Paula Madison asked the Department to add a trend analysis as part of the report in the future.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Richard Drooyan thanked all he worked with at the Police Department, including staff, Mr. Richard Tefank, Mr. Alex Bustamante, and Chief Charlie Beck. He said that it was a true honor to serve with his fellow Commissioners. He knew that this Commission would set a new tone when Commissioner John Mack was named eight years ago. Commissioner Rafael Bernardino stated that he has admired each and every member of the Commission and he feels he is better for having the opportunity to serve with them. He also thanked Mr. Tefank and staff for the support provided. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin echoed previous comments and said that more would be added when Commissioner John Mack is recognized later in the agenda.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck thanked the Commissioners for their outstanding service and noted that many of the Department's accomplishments are a direct result of the civilian oversight provided by this Commission. He listed improved race relations in the City and significant reduction in crime as examples of the Commissioners' work. He reported that Part One Crime is down by 5% compared to this time last year. Gang-related crime is down by -18.8%.

Report of the Executive Director – On behalf of Commission staff, Richard Tefank thanked the Commissioners for their extraordinary contribution. All staff was able to learn from the Commissioners through their examples of leadership, expertise and kindness.

Report of the Inspector General – Alex Bustamante also thanked the Commissioners for their support and guidance and stated that it was a privilege and honor to serve this Commission.

The Police Commission Distinguished Service Medal was awarded to Police Commissioner John Mack for his extraordinary service on the Commission for eight years. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin said that she first met John Mack when she was on the Christopher Commission and he testified as President of the Los Angeles Urban League. She was impressed with him then and continues to be impressed with his lifelong dedication to the Civil Rights Movement. He is considered an icon and he has been a profound Police Commissioner. While he was a critic of the Los Angeles Police Department before he became a Police Commissioner, he maintained a fair approach and helped to shape a police department that he no longer would criticize. He helped to implement some of the massive changes that created an LAPD which is responsive, respectful and diverse. Commissioner Robert Saltzman added that he will always respect Commissioner Mack for his gentle style with a strong backbone. Commissioner Saltzman also noted that as he is staying on the Commission, he will miss work working with each of the outgoing Commissioners. Commissioner Mack thanked all for the honor of the medal and said that he was pleased to be part of the journey with fellow Commissioners.

The Inspector General's report relative to the Review of the Department's Quarterly Discipline Report, Third Quarter, 2012 , was approved. Commissioner Drooyan noted that the way the Department investigates and adjudicates biased policing complaints is critical, and all Commissioners agreed that this attention to detail must be maintained.

Police Administrator Thom Brennan presented the Response to City Council Request for Information on Future Police Facilities , which was approved. The Department is currently in design or about to commence construction a renovation of the old Rampart station, the renovation of the Administration building and construction of a new Training Facility at Elysian Park, and a new Northeast Station. These projects are being developed with funding that was not used after Prop Q construction projects were complete.

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Report of the Chief of Police – Assistant Chief Michel Moore reported that crime continues to trend downwards. There are currently 9,968 sworn employees and 2,814 civilian employees.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank stated that the Election of Officers is a continued item.

Co-Chairs Josh Rubenstein and Captain Stephen Carmona presented the report from the North Hollywood Community Police Advisory Board . They reported that Part One Crime is down -8.2% in North Hollywood, however they still struggle with property crimes. To address the property crime issue, which is predominantly theft from auto, North Hollywood is very proactive in sending out the message, “Lock It/Hide It/Keep It.” The CPAB is structured into committees such as membership, emergency preparedness, neighborhood watch, and citizen surveillance team. This CPAB has been quite successful in its outreach efforts which include setting up temporary posts where people can come by and meet the officers and share concerns. North Hollywood currently has 75 Cadets and is very active in youth programs.

Captain Anne Clark and Assistant Chief Michel Moore presented the Department's report in response to the request from City Council Public Safety Committee regarding the analysis of Assembly Bill 109 (Realignment) costs . Assistant Moore explained that while the costs are high, the cost of not participating in Realignment supervision of post release supervised persons is even higher.

Captain Kelly Muldorfer and Detective Eric Moore presented the response to the City Council motion regarding adoption of an ordinance regulating, “party houses,” which was approved. Captain Muldorfer explained that the Department has researched how these types of ordinances work in other cities. The focus of a proposed ordinance would be to monitor dwellings which are used for commercial parties, however all parties with anticipated attendance over a certain number would be required to obtain a permit.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on August 13, 2013

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she attended the National Night Out event at Stoner Park with some of the city's elected officials on-hand as well. She said awards were given to volunteers of the Department and there was a good turn-out at the event she attended. President Ordin added after the Superior Court decision regarding Special Order 7, the Board will put the issue on next week's agenda to discuss in closed session.

Police Commission Vice President John Mack attended the National Night Out event at Olympic Division. He said it was a great event with a great turn-out which reflected the diversity of the City.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman said he was honored to speak at the police recruit academy graduation last Friday. He said it was also the first recruit graduation attended by new Mayor Eric Garcetti.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino stated he attended the National Night Out event at Hollywood Division. He said there was a good turn-out at the event with a number of public servants on-hand.

Assistant Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur informed the Board the judge in the Special Order 7 ruling issued a stay so the Department would be conducting business as usual. She added the Department is working closely with the City Attorney on the matter going forward.

The Department's report, dated July 30, 2013, relative to the request for proposals for the community online reporting and report distribution services, as given by Chief Information Officer Maggie Goodrich, was approved. Ms. Goodrich informed the Board the Department is working on developing a system where the public will have the ability to file certain types of reports online. The Department is also working on being able to distribute reports, such as traffic collision reports, online as well. Ms. Goodrich said the system is still a few months away.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on August 6, 2013

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said tonight is National Night Out and each commissioner will be attending events in close proximity to their residence.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman formally requested the Department report back to the Board on the complaint mediation program at the August 27 regular meeting.

Assistant Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur informed the Board Mayor Eric Garcetti is convening a group to meet and discuss ways in which the City can make the Venice Beach Boardwalk safer for visitors in lieu of the incident that took place there over the weekend.

The Department's report, dated July 24, 2013, relative to the request for approval of agreement with LexisNexis for computer assisted legal research services, was accepted and transmitted to the Mayor.

The Department's report, dated July 23, 2013, relative to the request for payment of reward offer on City Council file No. 11-0010-S39, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated July 30, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Valley Traffic Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated July 30, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Operations Valley Bureau, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated July 30, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Commercial Crimes Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on July 30, 2013

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino said he attended the Recognition Awards ceremony held at the Deaton Auditorium last week. He said the 37 Life Saving Awards given out represented 37 families that had their loved ones around to enjoy which made the award even more remarkable. Commissioner Bernardino also attended the Asian Pacific Islander Forum at the Chamber of Commerce.

Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board the Department is having a good year so far relative to crime rates. He added there are currently 9,992 sworn police officers on payroll and 2,834 civilian employees.

The Department's report, dated July 26, 2013, relative to the mediation of biased policing & discourtesy complaints, as given by Commander Rick Webb, was approved. Commander Webb informed the Board once the allegation was changed from racial profiling to bias policing it became apparent mediation would be a key component and the concept was introduced. Over time details were worked out and the Department developed a pilot program. Select bias policing complaints which do not involve use of force, criminal misconduct or injuries to any involved parties would qualify for mediation. Mediation is done by third party mediators from the City Attorney's office who are not city employees. The program is a pilot program and will run for 36 months.

The Department's report, dated July 23, 2013, relative to the grant application and award for the 2013 off-highway motor vehicle grant, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated July 23, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for South Traffic Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk.

The Department's report, dated July 23, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Southwest Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated July 23, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Operations-Central Bureau, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

At the Police Commission Meeting on July 23, 2013

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin commended Police Chief Charlie Beck and the men and women of the Department for their response to the recent demonstrations and protests over the George Zimmerman trial verdict.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked President Ordin for the commendation and said he was very proud of the way the rank and file performed.

The verbal presentation and update from the commanding officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within the Wilshire area was continued.

The Department's verbal report and discussion, relative to firearms seized from prohibited carriers was given by Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese. Chief Albanese informed the Board there is a state-wide system which tracks those individuals who are not permitted to possess firearms. The two most common reasons these individuals are on the list is because of a crime conviction or mental illness. Chief Albanese stated there were 2,650 individuals on the list with 307 of those due to mental illness. The Gun Unit focused their efforts on the mentally ill and was able to seize 76 firearms. Chief Albanese completed his report by saying this is an on-going effort by the Gun Unit.

The Department's report, dated July 19, 2013, relative to the response to the Office of the Inspector General's Employment Litigation Audit recommendations, as given by Police Administrator Gerald Chaleff, was received and filed. Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman requested the Department produce documentation on training subsequent to the report.

The Department's report, dated July 12, 2013, relative to the search warrant applications and supporting affidavits audit, fourth quarter, fiscal year 2012/13 (IAID No. 13-032), was approved.

The Department's report, dated July 19, 2013, relative to non-categorical use of force investigations audit (IAID No. 12-095), was approved.

The Department's report, dated July 19, 2013, relative to the supplemental police account first quarterly report (January through March 2013), was approved and transmitted to the City Council.

The Department's report, dated July 19, 2013, relative to the inmate welfare fund 2012 annual expenditure report, was approved and transmitted to the City Council.

The Department's report, dated July 17, 2013, relative to the motorcycle training contract – agreement no. 12112109, was approved and transmitted to the City Attorney and Chief of Police.

The Department's report, dated July 19, 2013, relative to the request for reward – City Council file no. 09-0010-S42, was approved and transmitted to City Council

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Commission Comments – Commissioner John Mack commented on the demonstrations occurring following the George Zimmerman verdict of “Not Guilty.” He noted that the vast majority of people expressing their right to voice their opinion did so peacefully and effectively. A small minority of protesters were involved in destructive behavior. He said that he was very impressed with LAPD's balanced response in protecting the peaceful protestors' rights while keeping the City safe from the protestors determined to cause harm. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin agreed that the Department achieved a good balance in monitoring the events of the evening.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck noted the events of the last three evenings. He said the Department is committed to protecting the rights of the protestors, however the Department's approach will change if any violence occurs in future protests. He reiterated that the vast majority of protestors are exercising their right peacefully. Total violent crime is down by -11.6% compared to this time last year, and gang-related crime is down by – 20%.

Report of the Inspector General – Alexander Bustamante noted that the Office of the Inspector General has several reports coming to the Commission soon, including a Constitutional Policing Review and report on Non-Categorical Use of Force Cases.

Dr. Luann Pannell presented the discussion and video related to “Mission Possible – Bridging the Gap Between Law Enforcement and the Autism Community.” This program is designed to bring Los Angeles Police Officers together with middle and high school students who are within the Autism Spectrum. In these training sessions, 100 officers are paired with 100 students so that each may learn about effectively communicating with each other. Training will be conducted in all bureaus.

Commander Scott Kroeber and Captain David Lindsay presented the update on “Modified Procedures for Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detainer Requests” program. Commander Kroeber displayed statistics reflecting that all bookings are down by -7%, and Customs Enforcement Detainer Requests are down by -36% compared to last year. These numbers reflect a national trend, as stated by officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Another update will be presented in six months.

Commander Stuart Maislin and Dr. Luann Pannell presented the Biased Policing Update, Quarterly Report, 1 st Quarter 2013 , which was approved. As the adjudication process of these types of complaints has moved back to the divisional level, Commissioner Mack asked that the Inspector General also audit the process. Inspector General Bustamante said that the Office of the Inspector General is working on the report now and will be presenting it to the Commission in the near future.

The Operations – Central Bureau Timekeeping Inspection , as presented by Police Performance Auditor Jeff Phillips, was approved.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on June 18, 2013

Police Commission Vice President John Mack said he attended the LAPD Cadet graduation last Saturday. He said there were approximately 500 graduates with approximately 7,000 people in attendance. Commissioner Mack completed his comments by praising Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger for the successful transition of the program from the Explorer Scouts to Cadets.

Assistance Chief Earl Paysinger informed the Board there have been approximately 9,000 police cadets who have graduated from the academy with 6,000 of them currently active. He added the next cadet academy is scheduled to begin Saturday July 13.

The Executive Director's report, dated June 11, 2013 relative to the proposed change in the corporate ownership of U.S. Tow, Inc., official police garage for service area 13 (Newton) of the Los Angeles Police Department, contract no. C-106370 to Moshe Ben Dayan, pursuant to Los Angeles municipal code section 80.77.4(E)(2), was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated June 14, 2013, relative to the Public Safety Committee inquiry regarding the use and retention of the recorded digital in-car video system, was continued until next week.

The Department's report, dated June 7, 2013, relative to the Pacific Area detective command accountability performance audit (IAID No. 13-001), was approved.

The Department's report, dated May 28, 2013, relative to the Memorandum of Agreement between the Los Angeles Police Department and California State University, Los Angeles, University Police, regarding training of California State University, Los Angeles Police Officers, was approved.

The Department's report, dated June 11, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for Southwest and Northeast areas, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman said he attended a presentation on Use of Force by consultants to the Department.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino said he attended the citizen police academy graduation for the LGBT community last Thursday.

Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board he attended the opening of the National Homeland Security Conference at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown. He said he will be involved with the conference the remainder of the week. Chief Beck also stated Police Administrator Gerald Chaleff would be honored by the Los Angeles County Bar Association with their Shattuck-Price Outstanding Lawyer Award for his lifetime achievements in the field.

The Executive Director's report, dated June 1, 2013, relative to the proposed adjustments to police permit fees for fiscal year 2013-14, was approved and transmitted to the City Administrative Officer and the Chief Legislative Analyst.

The Department's report, dated May 31, 2013, relative to the grant application for the 2012 Prison Rape Elimination Act demonstration projects grant award, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated May 31, 2013, relative to the request for approval of the Frist Amendment to No. C-116816 (agreement) with TLC Veterinary Centers, Inc., for canine veterinary services, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated May 31, 2013, relative to the request for approval of Fourth Amendment to contract no. C-114355 with Motorola Solutions, Inc., for the provision of an alarm and permit management system, was approved.

The Department's report, dated May 31, 2013, relative to the proposed additions to council-approved records retention schedule-PDX 91, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

At the Police Commission Meeting on May 21, 2013

Police Commission Vice President John Mack stated he attended the 30 year pin ceremony for sworn and civilian employees. He said it was a delight to see the men and women serving the Department for such a long time. Police Commission President Andrea Ordin acknowledged Commission Detective Tom Butler and Senior Auditor Lourdes Saludares for their service. Commissioner Rafael Bernardino stated he recently attended the graduation of the Magnet High School Program and the open house at Mission Division. He was pleased to see so many community members attend. Ordin also attended the Women Against Gun Violence brunch. She thanked Chief McCarthy and Captain Melissa Zak for being co-chairs for the brunch.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked the commission for attending several events throughout the City. He announced the ending of the oversight of the Consent Decree. He thanked the Police Commission for their role in creating best practices so the Department could move beyond the Consent Decree.

The Executive Director announced there will not be a Police Commission meeting next Tuesday, May 28, 2013, due to the Memorial Day holiday. The next meeting will be held Tuesday, June 4, 2013.

The report of the Inspector General concurred with the Chief of the Police in that the Consent Decree has ended. The Inspector General's office will continue to oversee the independent monitoring of the Department. They will continue to create new and efficient ways to improve upon the processes and transparency. He updated the Commission on a program the Department, Police Protective League and the City Attorney's office have been working on. They are trying to develop a mediation program to resolve workplace cases that have become trails which has resulted in the past 5 years at a cost of approximately 31 million dollars in verdicts and settlements for the City. The plan is to create a mediation plan long before they reach trial by giving officers and the Department a chance to mediate or resolve their conflict beforehand and to unwind the administration action, if the Department sees it to be appropriate.

The Verbal Presentation and Update from the Commanding Officer and the Community Police Advisory Board representative regarding community itiated problem solving, crime statics and other programs and goals within the Olympic Area was given by Captain Tina Nieto and Bill Righthart. They discussed the numerous programs they have within the division and discussed the success of those programs. President Andrea Ordin thanked Captain Neito for the all the hard work done.

Inspector General's Report, dated May 15th, 2013 relative to the Complaint Investigations Audit involving Gang and Narcotic Officers, was approved.

The Department's Report, dated May 17, 2013, relative to the Recommendation for Police Commission Citation was approved.

The Department's report, dated May 10, 2013, relative to the Traffic Safety Awareness Programs (City Council File No. 12-1506) as approved and transmitted to the Transpiration Committee.

The Department's Report, dated May 17, 2013, relative to the Transmittal of the Grant Award Acceptance for the Fiscal year 2012-13 Police Grant Funds - Post-Release Supervised Persons Programs was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's Report, dated May 17, 2013, relative to the Request for Payment of the Christopher Dorner Reward, City Council File No. 13-0010-S3 was approved and transmitted the City Council. The 3 panel judge recommended the reward be dispersed to 3 different claimants, 5%, 15% and 80% based on their belief on the result of locating Christopher Dorner.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended the Los Angeles Fire Foundation's fundraising event and said it was a nice opportunity to see fellow partners in the public safety arena.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck attended the Annual Memorial Run which honors officers killed in the line of duty. This year, the family of University of Southern California Department of Public Safety Officer Keith Lawrence joined in the Memorial. Part One Crime is down by -6.8% compared to this time last year. LAPD staffing currently reflects 9,948 sworn employees and 2,836 civilian employees.

Report of the Executive Director – Richard Tefank reported that there will be no Police Commission meeting on May 28, 2013.

Report of the Inspector General – Alexander Bustamante attended the meeting at USC regarding arrests made following a party. He said approximately 800 people were in attendance and many points of view were shared. The Office of the Inspector General is reviewing video of the incident and working with the Department in the investigation process.

All agenda items, including the Ethics Enforcement Section Quarterly Report, First Quarter 2013 , Destruction of Obsolete Records for Central Area , and Proposed Addition to Council-Approved Records Retention Schedule – PDX 9 , were approved.

Commission Comments – Commissioner John Mack attended the Los Angeles Police Foundation's True Blue fundraising event which raised significant funds for the foundation. He added that he would like to hear the Department's perspective about the incident at USC over the weekend. Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino attended the Annual Memorial Ceremony honoring all Los Angeles Police Department killed in the line of duty. He said it was a touching ceremony and a fitting tribute.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck discussed the arrests which were made at USC during the weekend. He said in situations such as this, the Department responds to behavior, not ethnicity. While an investigation is being conducted to determine if racial profiling occurred, the Department is already meeting with stakeholders in the community to improve the communication. A meeting will be held tonight on the USC campus to discuss the matter. The investigation will be presented to the Police Commission as soon as it is complete. Chief Beck then reported on LAPD staffing which currently reflects 9,958 sworn employees, 269 level one reserves, 21 level two reserves, 128 level three reserves, and 2,838 civilians. Violent Crime is down by -12.7% compared to this time last year.

Report of the Inspector General – Alexander Bustamante stated that the Office of the Inspector General is also attending all meetings regarding the USC incident. They will also be monitoring the investigation.

Assistant Supervising City Attorney Songhai Miguda-Armstead was presented with the Police Commission Distinguished Service Medal for her lead role in the initiation and maintenance of the Safer Cities Initiative in the Skid Row Area. Ms. Miguda-Armstead stated that she was honored to receive the medal and that she looks forward to completing more work in the community.

Captain Nancy Lauer, Ms. Mona Sutton, and Sergeant Catherine Plows provided a presentation from the Harbor Area Community Police Advisory Board . This CPAB focuses on specific community problems, develops a strategy to solve the problem, and then implements that strategy. They have been successful in lessening the extremely dangerous incident of teenagers skateboarding down the hills of San Pedro (known as “bombing”), creating pocket parks in areas where high levels of sex offenders congregated – limiting their ability to be in the area, and holding weekly peace marches to decrease the number of homicides. Current goals include increasing Harbor's social media presence and working on emergency preparedness. President Andrea Sheridan Ordin commended the Harbor CPAB for its targeted nature of approaching and resolving problems.

Captain Kelly Muldorfer and Lt. George Bush discussed the impact to the Department of the Los Angeles County Superior Court eliminating certain court rooms and services . The Los Angeles County Superior is closing certain court locations. The services provided by those locations are being redirected and consolidated into certain court houses. The redirection will affect the Department in the West, South, and Central Bureaus, and delays are anticipated.

The Operations – Central Bureau Vice Command Accountability Performance Audit , as presented by Lt. Cheryl Baratta and Detective Jose Ceja, was approved. Compliance was achieved in most items audited. Commander John Sherman noted that corrective measures have been taken where compliance was low, such as the completion of Standards Based Assessments for each employee.

The Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) Monthly Report – March 2013 , as presented by Captain William Hayes, was approved. At this time, there is no backlog in processing DNA kits. Captain Hayes noted how effective and critical Scientific Investigation Division (SID) is by using the example of the recent kidnapping of a 10 year-old girl. Through the concentrated work of the SID professionals, a profile of the suspect was available very quickly. Chief Beck added that it makes perfect sense to have SID within the Detective Bureau to ensure coordinated crime solving. Executive Director Richard Tefank said that the City Council no longer requires reports on the backlog of DNA kits, as long as the backlog does not exceed 5%. Under the same premise, these reports will no longer be coming to the Police Commission as well.

The April 30th Police Commission meeting was held at the John W. Mack Elementary School in South Los Angeles during the early evening hours. The Commission holds these special meetings periodically in an effort to allow local community members to attend who might otherwise not be able to due to scheduling conflicts.

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she attended the Community Police Advisory Board Symposium. She said it was an excellent event.

Police Commission Vice President John Mack welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Principal Brenda Grady for allowing the meeting to take place at the school. He said the school was well maintained, had a great staff and excellent leadership.

Police Chief Charlie Beck thanked LAUSD Police Department Chief Steve Zipperman for his attendance at the meeting. He also thanked the Commissioners for their attendance at Los Angeles World Airport Chief Patrick Gannon's swearing-in ceremony. He completed his comments by informing the Board he will be presenting the Department's budget for FY 2013-14 to the City Council's Budget Committee this week.

Police Commission Executive Director Richard Tefank explained the role of the Police Commissioner Office which included support to the Police Commissioners, approval and issuance of police, parking, special event, and noise variance permits.

Inspector General Alexander Bustamante explained his role as the oversight arm of the Board of Police Commissioners. He said he as a robust role in the oversight of the police department that includes reviewing, monitoring and auditing Department policies, procedures and actions. Mr. Bustamante completed his comments by saying he reports only to the Board of Police Commissioners and operates under their direction.

Southwest Division Captain Paul Snell welcomed the attendees and discussed some of the programs and issues of the area. He said the major issue in the area is burglary theft from vehicle and explained some of the tactics implement to curtail the crimes.

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin opened the meeting by stating we must remember the victims of the Boston Marathon terror attack and the bravery of the first responders. She added the tragedy in West, Texas resulted in the loss of 14 people including 10 first responders. The Board then observed a moment of silence in honor of the victims.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino said he attended the Valley Bureau Asian Pacific Islander Community Forum last week. He found it to be informative, very lively and well attended.

Assistant Police Chief Earl Paysinger informed the Board he attended the Police Cadet Job Fair held at the Police Administrative Building over the weekend. He said he was pleased with the attendance and the success of the event. Chief Paysinger also stated it was a busy weekend of policing for the Department in the wake of the Boston Marathon terror attack. He said the Department policed the CicLAvia, USC/LA Times Festival of Books, Dodger, Clipper and Kings events without incident.

The Department's verbal presentation and discussion, relative to the positive impacts of the Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development program and community partnership in policing with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles was given by Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese. Chief Albanese informed the Board each of the geographical divisions has a Gang Impact Team with 9 CLEAR programs where the Department can allocate additional resources to high gang activity areas. In addition, the Department has 45 current gang injunctions and a number of youth gang prevention programs such as Jeopardy, Police Cadets, Police Activity League, gang intervention academy and the Summer Night Lights Program.

The Department's verbal presentation and discussion, relative to the status of the latent fingerprint backlog was given by Police Administrator Yvette Burney. Ms. Burney informed the Board despite resources being down there was a 250 case drop in the backlog last quarter. She said the 10 case priority for area property crimes is still in effect.

The Executive Director's report, dated April 17, 2013, relative to the board rules and regulations for the implementation of a police permitted valet parking program in the City of Los Angeles, was approved.

The Executive Director's report, dated April 16, 2013, relative to the establishment of valet parking operator and valet parking attendant police permit fees, as given by Executive Director Richard Tefank, was approved and transmitted to the City Administrative Officer and the Chief Legislative Analyst. Mr. Tefank stated there has been a need for some kind of regulation for quite some time. He said the new permit would be issued by the Commission after an application and parking plans were submitted. The tentative fee would be $314 annually. In addition, valet parking attendants would be required to obtain a permit to work and must have a valid California driver's license along with a clean criminal history in regards to burglary and auto theft. The permit would cost $70, be valid for one year and will allow the permit holder to work for any valet operator in the City.

The Executive Director's report, dated April 15, 2013, relative to the proposed adjustments to fees for special services established by the Board of Police Commissioners, was approved and transmitted to the City Administrative Officer for information purposes only.

The Department's report, dated March 12, 2013, relative to the addition of the registered City of Los Angeles Hollywood Entertainment District Business Improvement District, as an approved private entity secondary employer for off-duty uniformed employment, was removed.

The Department's report, dated April 12, 2013, relative to the professional services agreement between the City of Los Angeles and Lyndon J. and Associates, Inc. for court reporter services, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated April 9, 2013, relative to Operations South Bureau narcotics enforcement detail command accountability performance audit, was approved.

The Board of Police Commissioners began their meeting with a moment of silence in honor of the people killed and injured in the Boston Marathon terror attack.

Police Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the Department's LGBTQ Community Forum with fellow commissioners Richard Drooyan, Rafael Bernardino, and Andrea Ordin. He said the good turnout was an example of the extraordinary change in the relationship the Department has with the LGBTQ community. Commissioner Saltzman also visited Hollywood Division to meet with officers and command staff. He said he was very impressed with the many youth programs at Hollywood Division.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino said he attended the LGBTQ Forum as well and thanked Deputy Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur for organizing the event. He said he was impressed with Captain Dave Lindsay's remarks at the forum.

Police Chief Charlie Beck expressed his compassion and support for the first responders and the people affected by the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon yesterday. He said he has been in contact with Commissioner Ed Davis and thought his police department has done an incredible job of responding. Chief Beck said his heart goes out to the families of the deceased and injured and added the incident underlies how suspicious activity reporting is everyone's responsibility. He completed his comments by stating he was a participant in the annual Baker to Vegas Relay Race and the both the Department's Elite and Women's team took home top honors.

The Department's report, dated April 5, 2013, relative to the Memorandum of Agreement between the Los Angeles World Airports and the Los Angeles Police Department, as given by Captain Melissa Zak, was approved. Captain Zak said the agreement outlines the coordination and collaboration between the two agencies and delineates responsibilities for reimbursement, staffing, investigations, labor demonstrations and training. Commissioner Richard Drooyan said this Memorandum of Agreement was a significant improvement over the previous version from 2006.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on April 2, 2013

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she attended the Department's 25 year pin ceremony this morning for sworn and civilian employees with 25-30 years of service. She said it was a wonderful ceremony and thanked the honorees for their dedicated service.

Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board he is traveling to Chicago for a symposium on gun violence solutions hosted by the University of Chicago. He said he will meet with the heads of the New York, Boston and Chicago police departments to gain a better understanding of what other agencies are doing nationally.

The Department's report, dated March 21, 2013, relative to memorandum of agreement between the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles World Airports Police Department, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Hollenbeck Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Central Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Hollenbeck Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 26, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Wilshire Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Devonshire Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 26, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Commercial Crimes Division, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 26, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete records for Southwest Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to DNA monthly report for February 2013, was approved and transmitted to City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the quarterly discipline report, fourth quarter, 2012, was received. The Board directed the Office of the Inspector General to submit an analysis of this report along with any appropriate recommendations to the Board.

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Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she did a radio interview on the Hutchinson report and discussed the oversight role of the Police Commission.

Police Commission Vice President John Mack said he attended the Operations South Bureau Community Forum with fellow Commissioner Robert Saltzman. He said the forum was different in that it involved the entire community as opposed to only certain demographics. Commissioner Mack added the presentation by Deputy Chief Bob Green on the Use of Force process, the role of the Inspector General and Police Commission was excellent and the evening in general was very good.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino attended the African-American Community Forum held by Central Bureau. He said it was a good event with good participation and particularly was impressed with the Police Cadets in attendance.

Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board the 4th Annual Cesar Chavez luncheon was held last week and had a good Latino turnout. He encouraged the Commissioners to put the event on their calendar early next year so they can experience the luncheon for themselves. Chief Beck also said the Department policed opening day at Dodger Stadium with no major incidents.

The verbal presentation and update from the Commanding Officer and Community Police Advisory Board (C-PAB) representative regarding community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within the Foothill Area was given by Captain Sean Malinowski and Ms. Victoria Burch. Captain Malinowski informed the Board one of the top priorities of the C-PAB is to open it up to expansion and bring in a younger demographic. Some of the accomplishments of the Foothill C-PAB were forming a non-profit to combat sex trafficking/prostitution, the annual Crime Fighters Conference, National Night Out events and getting members Civilian Emergency Response Team certified.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the asset forfeiture revenue audit (IAID No. 12-050), as given by Captain Bill Hart, was approved. Captain Hart informed the Board the audit looked at the protocol and procedure for these types of investigations and tested nine objectives with six of them receiving a passing score. Of the three objectives that received below par scores, four recommendations were given. They include having the C/O of Gang and Narcotics Division (GND) provide training, instruct employees to record deposits immediately after deposit is made, develop a training video and compose a Special Order that will address issue found in audit.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to the amendment to Los Angeles Municipal code, section 55.11, to include the electronic transmission of sale records to the Los Angeles Police Department, was approved and transmitted to the Public Safety Committee, Los Angeles City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 29, 2013, relative to Senate Bill 1315-Imitation Firearms (traditional BB or pellet – firing air guns), was approved.

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she attended the Los Angeles Police Women's Association 2013 Symposium last week. She said there were hundreds of police officers in attendance and the symposium is a tradition well worth keeping.

Police Chief Charlie Beck informed the Board he attended the Los Angeles Police Women's Association 2013 Symposium and the Los Angeles Police Protective League Delegates Conference. Chief Beck added that all four bureaus are showing a crime decrease.

The Department's report, dated March 22, 2013, relative to the quarterly discipline report, third quarter, 2012, was approved.

The Department's report, dated March 22, 2013, relative to the Commercial Crimes Division command accountability performance audit (IAID No. 12-089), as given by Lieutenant Bert Mora, was approved. Lieutenant Mora stated this was a first time audit with three objectives tested. Objectives #1-2 received a 100% compliance rate with objective #3 falling short of compliance. In an effort to remedy the problem, Lieutenant Mora said they formed a working group to address the issue.

The Department's report, dated March 22, 2013, relative to the grant application and award acceptance for the 2012-2013 Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force Program, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 22, 2013, relative to the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) monthly report for January 2013, was approved and transmitted to City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 22, 2013, relative to the proposed addition to council-approved records retention schedule-PDX 89, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated March 19, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for Topanga and Olympic Areas, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

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At the Police Commission Meeting on March 12, 2013

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino reported he attended Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council and was pleased to see West Valley Division Captain John Egan along with other officers who were in attendance. The council focused on specific issues in the neighborhood and the officers at the event were patient and answered all questions. Commissioner Bernardino stated officer participation in neighborhood councils are an important part of the Department's goal as it relates to Constitutional Policing.

Commissioner Robert Saltzman stated he attended the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) session at the Mayor's Office. Appointees and leaders from the LGBT community attended, one of the issues discussed during the session was the relationship within the LGBT community and the Department. It was noted during the session how the relationship with the Department has become more positive and constructive during the Mayor Villaraigosa's tenure.

Police Chief Charlie Beck cited crime statistics, reporting violent crime has decreased in every category, year to date homicides are down 25.8%, rape 38.5%, robberies 13.5%, and aggravated assaults has declined 12.3%. Property Crime is down 8.4% year to date. Currently the Department has 9,978 sworn personnel and 2,861 civilian employees.

Received verbal presentation and update from Van Nuys Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) Captain Ivan Minsal and Co-chair Penny Meyer. Currently Van Nuys CPAB has 32 members, and it consists of 4 committees. The 4 committees are; Youth, Blight Abatement, Emergency Preparedness, and Membership and Outreach committee.

Received verbal presentation report, dated February 28, 2013 relative to the Digital In-Car Video System Inspection (IAID No. 12-074) from Commander Matt Blake, Lieutenant Heriberto Mora and Police Auditor John Doucet. One of the areas found deficient was the documentation of the Digital in- car video condition prior to the officers going out in the field. The officers were conducting a check on the condition of the equipment but were failing to document it in the Daily Field Activity Report (DFAR). An adjustment has been made to the DFAR in order to ensure a system check is conducted prior to their shift.

The Department's report, dated March 1, 2013, relative to the Extension for the 2009 Los Angeles Smart Policing Project was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 1, 2013, relative to the Grant Application and Award for the 2012 Port Security Grant was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 6, 2013, relative to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Los Angeles and Personal Court Reporters for Court Reporter Services was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 8, 2013, relative to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Los Angeles and Jonnell Agnew & Associates for Court Reporter Services approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 8, 2013, relative to the Professional Services Agreement between the City of Los Angeles and Ben Hyatt Certified Deposition Reporters, for Court Reporters Services was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated March 1, 2013, relative to the Reprogramming of Funds for the 2009-2011 Internet Crimes Against Children Program was approved and transmitted to the Mayor.

The Department's report, dated March 8, 2013, relative to the Destruction of Obsolete Duplicate Records, for West Valley and Northeast Areas was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

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Commission Comments – Commissioner Rafael Bernardino attended a Valley Glen Neighborhood Council meeting and was impressed with the active participation of both those on the Council and those attending. He was also impressed with the attendance and participation of Area Senior Lead Officers who stayed to discuss and address local issues and concerns with all attendees.

Report of the Executive Director – Senior Management Analyst II Eva Vega noted that item 10a, #3 on the agenda should reflect “#026-12,” not “#057-12.”

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck reported that crime statistics continue to decrease and total violent crime is down almost 14% compared to this time last year. Gang-related crime is down by -20.3%. As for the personnel strength, there are currently 9,978 sworn employees, 272 level one reserves, 21 level two reserves, 120 level three reserves, more than 1,000 volunteers, and 2,861 civilian employees. President Andrea Sheridan Ordin noted that Inspector General Alex Bustamante will also be involved in the review of the Christopher Dorner case, and Commissioners John Mack and Richard Drooyan have been assigned to follow the investigation.

The DNA Quarterly Report – 4 th Quarter, 2012 , presented by Detective James Blocker and Police Administrator Yvette Burney, was approved. Great improvements have been made in the processing of DNA since 2008, when there was a large backlog. At this time, there are no kits to be examined which are older than 120 days.

The Community Caretaking Doctrine and Vehicle Impound Procedures Update , as presented by Deputy Chief Michael Downing, was approved. Deputy Chief Downing outlined some of the statistics since Special Order No.7 has been in place, which is a little less than one year. Special Order No.7 was intended to create a population of more responsible drivers. At this time, vehicle impounds are down by 39% and it is believed that Special Order No.7 is partially responsible for that decrease, yet as Chief beck explained, there are other factors to consider as well such as miles driven and the economy. As there appears to be a certain amount of confusion among officers as to how to best follow Special Order No.7, additional training is being put in place. A report which will look at the broader picture of statistics related to impound procedures is due next month.

The Biased Policing Update, Annual Report, 2012 , as presented by Commander Rick Webb and Dr. Luann Pannell, was approved. In the year 2012, 266 biased policing complaints were closed, and within those complaints, there were 486 actual allegations. Much progress has been made in tracking and adjudicating these types of complaints. While mediation is still desired, there are issues to be resolved before it can be used. It is estimated that mediation will not be in place for at least six months.

The Commission asked for additional information in future reports including a “sustained column” in the chart of possible outcomes, adjudication protocol, and mediation protocol

Commission Comments – Commissioner Rafael Bernardino was pleased to attend a Western Justice Center reception honoring Police Commission President Andrea Sheridan Ordin . President Ordin thanked Commissioner Bernardino for his support and added that she was indeed honored as the Western Justice Center promotes peaceful resolution to conflict. Commissioner Ordin also attended and presented at the Law Enforcement Audit Training Symposium. She was impressed as there were more than 140 attendees at the symposium.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck said now the Department and the region have experienced the death of Christopher Dorner and four funerals of his victims, however work remains to be done to end this episode of history. Chief Beck has asked for a comprehensive review of the Christopher Dorner case which will not only include the individual's case, but a review of related systems as well. He anticipates the review to be before the Board soon, yet he does not have a definitive date yet. Total violent crime is down by 15.6% compared to this time last year. There are currently 9,993 sworn employees, 280 level one reserves, 20 level two reserves, 130 level three reserves, more than 1,000 volunteers, and 2,860 civilian employees.

Co-Chairs Dana Johnson and Captain Arcos provided a presentation from the 77 th Community Police Advisory Board . To achieve maximum outreach, this CPAB has created a media campaign which includes video messages from Captain Arcos and the Senior Lead Officers of 77 th . One of the videos was shown during the Commission meeting and all agreed that the format was very effective. A Teen CPAB is being initiated at 77 th which will add to the Area's youth outreach efforts. There are 37 members in the 77 th CPAB and the members are continually participating in numerous activities, as noted by Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino.

The Inspector General's Work Permits Audit , which reflected good compliance, was approved. Portions of this audit were also discussed in closed session.

The Southwest Area Detective Command Accountability Performance Audit , was approved. Concern was expressed over some cases not being taken to the District Attorney's Office for filing. Chief Beck explained that the Detectives are taking all necessary steps, however he is currently having discussions about the process with District Attorney Jackie Lacey.

The Board of Police Commissioners observed a moment of silence for Monica Quan, Keith Lawrence, and Riverside Police Officer Michael Crain who were murdered last week by former Los Angeles Police Officer Christopher Dorner. The Commission asked the public to keep the families of the victims in their thoughts and prayers.

Police Commission President Andrea Ordin said she attended the Operations South Bureau reception for Deputy Chief Bob Green. She said she was happy to see many government entity and community group representatives on hand.

Police Commissioner Rafael Bernardino said he also attended the reception for Deputy Chief Bob Green and the remarks given by Chief Green were inspirational. Commissioner Bernardino added the diversity of the crowd in attendance was a reflection of the community.

Police Chief Charlie Beck said his heart goes out to the families of Monica Quan, Keith Lawrence and Riverside Police Officer Michael Crain during their time of grief. He also expressed sympathy for the other Riverside Police Officer who was severely injured during an ambush attack by Christopher Dorner. Chief Beck also stated he was able to meet with the two victims of mistaken identity over the weekend. He described them as gracious in spirit and wished them a speedy recovery. Chief Beck then offered an update on the Dorner case saying there continues to be a police presence in Big Bear and the Department continues to provide protection to 50 families. He stated the Department is currently reviewing the Dorner complaint for any new allegations. Chief Beck added the report will be made public and the Board of Police Commissioners, who he said was the most experienced and best qualified in the nation, would review the findings.

The Inspector General's report, dated February 4, 2013, relative to the Central Property Section inspection, was approved. Inspector General Alexander Bustamante informed the Board the Department was given one day notice prior to the inspection taking place. He said the inspection randomly selected firearms to see if they were on-hand and all items tested were properly entered. Mr. Bustamante said the Department achieved 100% compliance for the inspection. Commander Scott Kroeber, who oversees the division, attributed the success of the inspection to the division's civilian employees and their attention to detail.

The Department's report, dated February 4, 2013, relative to the Ethics Enforcement Section quarterly report, fourth quarter 2012, was received. The Board directed the Office of the Inspector General to submit an analysis of this report along with any appropriate recommendations to the Board.

The Department's report, dated February 8, 2013, relative to the amendment to joint powers agreement for the Los Angeles Interagency Metropolitan Police Apprehension Crime Task Force (L.A. Impact), was approved and transmitted to City Council.

The Department's report, dated February 5, 2013, relative to the transmittal of the additional grant award acceptance for the 2010 port security grant program, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor.

The Department's report, dated February 8, 2013, relative to narcotics analysis laboratory trust fund expenditure plan no. 16 – overtime and equipment, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.

The Department's report, dated February 5, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for Newton Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

The Department's report, dated February 5, 2013, relative to the destruction of obsolete original records for West Valley Area, was approved and transmitted to the City Clerk, Records Management Officer.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Rafael Bernardino reported that he was honored to attend the Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C., and it was a very joyous and special event.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck thanked Commissioner Bernardino for his attendance at the recent graduation. He also reported that crime is down in all categories. Total violent crime is down by -19% compared to this time last year. Personnel strength is at 10,010 sworn, 280 level one reserves, 20 level two reserves, 130 level three reserves, over 1,000 volunteers, and 2,871 civilians.

The Police Commission presented a certificate of appreciation to Detective III Deborah Gonzales upon her retirement after 31 years of outstanding service to the people of Los Angeles. Chief Beck also presented a certificate to her adding that she has truly made a difference in the LAPD and made the Department a better place to work for all of her colleagues.

Former Co-Chair Edie Rueveni and Captain Bill Murphy presented the status report from the Northeast Area Community Police Advisory Board . Ms. Rueveni outlined five major areas which this CPAB has focused attention on: social media marketing and outreach, funding for youth programs, increasing membership, surveillance camera systems in the community, and vehicle related theft reduction (which has been reduced by 32% in the last five years). Captain Murphy added that many of the CPAB meetings are now held out in the community as opposed to in the Northeast Station. He feels that the community venues have boosted attendance and participation. Northeast has very vibrant and large youth programs, including a boxing program. Commissioner Robert Saltzman asked about the recent move of Senior Lead Officers which was in the media. Captain Murphy stated that he needed to move Senior Lead Officers due to retirements and promotions. Their movement created some concern in the community, yet he is certain that the new Senior Lead Officers will prove to be outstanding.

Commander Matt Blake presented the Foreign Language Telephone Call Procedures Inspection , which was approved with the understanding that the Department will be reporting back with improvement progress. The latest audit completed on the stations' ability to service foreign language speakers on the phone revealed a 48% compliance rate. This very low rate has caused great concern in the Department and steps are being taken to improve the rate. There are technical issues to address such as the phone system dropping some calls when three calls are waiting. It also needs to be identified if Communications Division is actually assisting calls if they are completely transferred over to them. Suggestions were made such as utilizing volunteers or staff to only handle phone calls away from the front desk, as the multiple demands on front desk officers cause calls to be dropped.

Commission Comments – Commissioner Robert Saltzman reported that he was honored to participate in both the LAPD's Martin Luther King breakfast and the Kingdom Day Parade. He said that both events reflected a very positive outpouring from the community. Commissioners Richard Drooyan and Andrea Sheridan Ordin also attended the LAPD's Martin Luther King breakfast and commented on Commissioner John Mack's eloquent and inspiring words has he delivered the keynote address.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck thanked the Commissioners for their attendance at the Martin Luther King Day events. He reported that crime is down in all categories yet it is too early in the year to make meaningful comparisons. Personnel numbers are at 10,010 sworn, 280 level one reserves, 20 level two reserves, 110 level three reserves, over 1,000 volunteers, and 2,871 civilians.

The Police Commission presented a certificate of appreciation to Mike Kubeisy for his heroic actions in the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake nineteen years ago. Mr. Kubeisy was a resident of the Northridge Meadows apartment complex, which was destroyed in the earthquake. Immediately following the earthquake, Mr. Kubeisy immediately proceeded to aid his neighbors. He rescued five individuals, one of them being his current wife, and one of them being an LAPD police officer who went on to rescue additional people in the complex. Mr. Kubeisy was thanked by the Police Commission for his extraordinary lifesaving actions.

Deputy Chief Albanese presented a verbal report on the current status of the backlog of latent fingerprints . Staffing for latent prints should be at 96 employees, yet due to budget constraints, there are currently 67 employees. This staffing shortage has resulted in a backlog of latent prints to be analyzed. The Department is addressing the backlog by processing all violent crime latent prints, and prioritizing commercial crime prints. Unfortunately, the backlog will not decrease until additional staff is hired, but this plan appears to be the best approach until hiring is fiscally possible.

The Request for Proposal for Performance Auditing Training , as presented by Captain Joan Wakefield, was approved.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck noted that he would be participating in the ceremonial closing of Parker Center at 2:00 pm. All employees are now out of the aging structure and it will now be officially closed. There are currently 10,022 sworn employees, 280 level one reserves, 20 level two reserves, 130 level three reserves, 1,007 volunteers, and 2,875 civilian employees.

Report of the Inspector General – Inspector General Alexander Bustamonte reported to the Commission that his office will be preparing a report analyzing the recidivism rate of Conditional Official Reprimands. Chief Beck added that he welcomed the analysis, as the goal of the Conditional Official Reprimand process is to reduce recidivism.

Co-Chairs Brady Metcalf and Captain Horace Frank presented the Central Area Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) report. The Central CPAB currently has 23 members which includes representation from the Business Improvement District, residents, Skid Row, and local businesses. The CPAB is looking to include representation from clergy and education. Central Area continues to work through local challenges including encampments on the streets, feedings, and the belongings of homeless individuals remaining on the sidewalks. Captain Frank noted that the recent cold weather has posed additional concerns for the homeless population and one individual has died due to the low temperatures. They closed the presentation noting that the CPAB was instrumental in assisting with the pressure washing of specific streets in May of 2012, and that the monthly “Art Walk” is now running smoothly.

Commission Comments – President Andrea Sheridan Ordin opened the meeting by wishing all a Happy New Year. Following the press coverage of a study on hit and run incidents, President Ordin asked that the Department prepare a report analyzing these incidents in Los Angeles for the last five years.

Report of the Chief of Police – Chief Charlie Beck agreed on the importance of continually monitoring hit and run incidents, and did note, however, that the study which was referenced was actually conducted in 2003 and is somewhat dated. Chief Beck noted that it is too early to make any comparison for 2013 crime statistics, so he provided the year-end statistics for 2012, which reflect a -1.4% reduction in Part One Crime from 2011. He was pleased to report that homicides have remained under 300 for the last three years. There are currently 10,022 sworn employees, 280 level one reserves, 20 level two reserves, 130 level three reserves, 1,007 volunteers, and 2,875 civilian employees.

Report of the Executive Director – Executive Director Richard Tefank said that he may need to leave during the meeting due to Police Commission items being heard in the City Council meeting, and Senior Management Analyst II Eva Vega would staff the meeting, if needed.

Report of the Inspector General – Inspector General Alexander Bustamonte updated the Commissioners on two reports that he will be submitting for their review. In early February, he will be submitting his Suspicious Activity Reporting System Audit, and in February or March, he will be submitting his review of Non-Categorical Use of Force cases.

Management Analyst Margaret Carmine was named the Los Angeles Police Commission Employee of the Month for December, 2012. Margaret handles an enormous workload with a high level of energy and professionalism. Always ready to assist fellow employees, she recently volunteered to take on a co-worker's tasks while the co-worker was out for a family emergency. Her attention to detail on large complicated billing projects is extraordinary, contributing significantly to the success of the Alarm Section. Congratulations, Margaret!

Deputy Chief Mark Perez presented the Conditional Official Reprimands – Supplemental Report , which was approved. Commissioners expressed their appreciation for the supplemental report, which addressed previously raised questions. The Conditional Official Reprimand (COR), which is a warning of specific discipline if an officer commits a similar offense a second time, has been in place for six years. Chief Perez noted that the recidivism rate has dropped since the COR program began. While the Commissioners recognized that discipline is under the sole purview of the Chief of Police, they did express concern over the justifications for when a Conditional Official Reprimand is used and when an Official Reprimand is used, as there does not appear to be a consistent pattern of discipline meted. Commissioners also expressed concern over the use of a COR in use of force, driving under the influence, and domestic abuse cases. After a spirited discussion, President Ordin concluded that while discipline remains with the Chief, the Commissioners are inherently part of the process in the use of force cases as they review and make findings on all categorical use of force incidents. The Inspector General will be reviewing the use of Conditional Official Reprimands in an upcoming quarterly report.

The Operations-Valley Bureau Gang Enforcement Detail Accountability Performance Audit, was approved. Commander Jim Cansler stated that all recommendations from the audit have now been implemented.

For additional information on any of these items, contact:

Tamryn Catania

(213) 236-1405		phone
email address:		v8834@lapd.lacity.org

For more information call (213) 485-3531. The City of Los Angeles does not discriminate on the basis of disability. Sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices and other auxiliary aids and/or services are available upon request. To ensure availability, all requests for reasonable accommodation must be made at least three business days (72 hours) in advance. Please contact the Police Commission at (213) 485-3531 Voice or (213) 485-9818 TTY.