Special Police Commission Meeting in West LA
National Night Out - August 5, 2003

by Bobbie J. Logan

On the evening of August 5th the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners shared the experience of "National Night Out" by giving the community an opportunity to attend one of their regularly scheduled Tuesday meetings at the Felicia Mahood Senior Center in West Los Angeles. The meeting was very well attended with a positive atmosphere that I found quite enjoyable.

Newly appointed Commission President Davis S. Cunningham opened the public session by stating his pleasure and honor at being present in Council Member Cindy Miscikowski's district and asked her to come forward and officially open the meeting.

Ms. Miscikowski welcomed the Commission to West LA. She observed the great turnout of citizens from both police divisions in the West LA council district, the West LA and the Pacific Divisions. She noted many participants were there for the first time to see the Commission, along with many of the better-known activists to those in the police department and the council office.

Members of the West LA and Pacific Community-Police Advisory Boards were also in attendance and were given special mention along with Westside special interest groups focused on local traffic issues.

"I think what you have here tonight is a really great combination of how the department and it's outreach, particularly its community policing efforts, have really reached out and touched a lot of citizens," said Miscikowski, "and I'm hopeful tonight that those citizens are here for the first time can hear about some of these opportunities and become involved and engaged themselves."

She then went on to compliment the city attorney and the neighborhood prosecutors and their efforts, along with West LA citizens who are working with senior lead officers and vice squads to resolve the issues of the adult entertainment ordinance.

Introductions of the three city attorneys preceded the introduction of the new West Bureau Chief and the newly appointed West LA and Pacific Division Captains. Absent were the senior lead officers, as they were observing National Night Out at their particular community functions.

President Cunningham then asked all the uniformed officers to stand and introduce themselves, so that community members would know who they were, starting with Chief Lee Carter who Mr. Cunningham introduced as "Commander," eliciting a round of laughter and teasing for both the new president and the new Chief.

Upper level introductions commenced with the Command Staff, starting with Police Chief William Bratton. In addition to Board President Cunningham, Commissioners Ochi, Saucedo and Skobin were present.

Citizen and officer certificates of achievement followed, with a special award of note being given to Michael Pendergast, Police Commission staff member of 12 years as Community Policing Liaison to the Commission. Michael will be staying with our City family however, as he is going to work for the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Ellen Gaines, Senior Director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, was acknowledged where she welcomed the Commission on behalf of the staff, volunteers and members of the Felicia Mahood Senior Center. She gave a brief description of the well-rounded recreational services provided by the center such as bingo, movies, and trips for both active and non-active seniors who can no longer drive or use public transportation.

Chief of Police William Bratton gave the crime statistic report summarizing the decrease in crime including robbery, burglaries, property crime, aggravated assault and domestic violence with total violent crime dropping by 4.5%. This year the department has a targeted goal of a 5% reduction in the area of violent crime and hopes to exceed that goal. Recruitment is up with seven full Academy classes totaling 345 officers in training. The good news is there is no shortage of recruits coming into the academy.

Chief Bratton also announced that any badge worn by an officer discharged from the department would be retired so it cannot be used again. He does not want any Los Angeles Police Officer to have to wear a badge that may have dishonored that badge number.

Commissioner Alan Skobin discussed the success of Operation Dark Cloud, a recent terrorism / disaster drill which had brought law enforcement, fire department, EMT and CERT team members together at a San Fernando Valley mall. David Cunningham spoke of the importance of our alertness as citizens towards questionable terrorist activity.

Commissioner Rose Ochi talked briefly about the relocation of Parker Center and about the Board of Rights, a tool for rooting out problem officers and reviewing complaints. She indicated it might need an overhaul and that they'll be looking at models around the country in reviewing the LAPD's discipline system.

David Cunningham said the issue of detective deployment will be on the next agenda.

Assistant Chief Sharon Papa reported that she's attended an all day session with the local community about the proposed new Parker Center at 1st and Alameda Streets, the "Mangrove Property." She said that due to significant community concerns the proposed jail and bomb squad facilities are no longer on the table, and that building in phases is being looked at. A full presentation will be made at a future meeting.

Deputy Chief Lee Carter reported on residential robberies in the Brentwood and Palisades areas. West Bureau crime is trending downward, arrest rates are improving and the traffic committee is doing a lot of good work.

He explained the distinction between a simple residential robbery and a home invasion. A home invasion robbery, according to the DA's filing policy, is three or more individuals who are armed, who invade a house and rob the people who are inside. To LAPD, two individuals are considered to be a "home invasion." Chief Carter also remarked that it's a very unique distinction and law.

Commissioner Cunningham brought up the possibility of establishing "safe zones" for people being followed. He said he'd like to explore this concept, would like some kind of program proposal developed and would placed on the Commission Agenda.

Chief Carter ended by stating that Pacific Area is the only geographic area in Operation West Bureau that the community can actually say that they are safer today than they were two years ago. That is predicated by LAPD statistics and that can be attributed to the leadership and the police officers that are out there every day in the Pacific Area.

At this point Mayor James Hahn arrived, and Commissioner Cunningham invited him to address the meeting. Here's the text of his speech:

"Nice to be here in West LA with the great Cindy Miscikowski and the Police Commission bringing the meeting out here ... It's great that we're celebrating the 20th year of National Night Out tonight and that we're doing it and having a Police Commission with having everybody here listening to what the issues are.

I was really pleased to find out, Commission President Cunningham and Commissioners and Chief Bratton, that this weeks crime stats show decreases in every category and I can't remember the last time we saw something like that and that shows that we're doing things right now, things are going in the right direction. We have homicides down 22% year-to-date from last year. We want that trend to continue.

The key to making that trend continue is to make sure that we have enough police officers. As you know, this last year for the first time in five years we had an increase in the police department actually added 325 police officers, net increase to the department first time in five years. We've lost 900 officers in the four years before I became Mayor, so we're glad to see things are going in the right direction.

As far as National Night Out goes, I love being part of National Night Out events. This is the first time I think I've been to one where it was a Police Commission meeting, but that's part of it too and it's about citizens talking about, law abiding citizens, taking back their streets at night. Everybody stays inside and bolts the door and pulls down the drapes and everybody feels afraid. But when you go out at night and you enjoy the night and enjoy the sidewalk and get out and meet you neighbor, then you feel good about your community…

Shelly, we talked about that when you came out to meet the Mayor at one of my meet the Mayor meetings about graffiti.

Again, it's something important that I know Chief Bratton shares your feeling about, we need to send signs out to people that our neighborhood is one that we're proud of, and the signs sometimes that are sent out when somebody sees graffiti is exactly the wrong message that somehow we're tolerating somebody to break the law and to deface our community and to make us all feel maybe just a little bit apprehensive about what's going on.

Painting out graffiti and standing up against graffiti is a way of saying, "I'm standing for my neighborhood, I'm standing up for public safety, I want to be proud of my neighborhood, I want you to be proud that when you come to my neighborhood you think it's a place where everybody wants to be."

My goal, and I know the goal of Chief Bratton and the Commission is to do everything we can to make Los Angeles a safer city. I believe very much that in the gospel of Bill Bratton that when he was in New York City that the economic revival and the turnaround that happened in that city began when the city began to turn around the issue of crime, when it became a safer city.

A lot of people think it's some kind of a chicken and an egg thing, you know, which comes first, but I believe, if you're really going to turn a city around you've got to begin with making the streets safer, making the neighborhoods safer, making the citizens of those neighborhoods safer. When you do that, when people feel good about the neighborhoods they live in, if they feel proud about it, they feel safe … if they feel they can come and go without fear, and then all the other good things will happen.

That's when businesses want to invest in communities, that's when good things happen in communities, that's when jobs come, that's when economic revival comes, that's when property values go up is when we make neighborhoods safe.

So I appreciate all of you who care so much about your neighborhoods, those of you who are involved, supporters of the police department, those of you who are involved in Community-Police Advisory Boards, those of you who are in block clubs and Neighborhood Watch groups, you are the front lines in public safety in the city and I'm very glad that you are all here tonight and I hope I haven't gone too far past my time allotment Mr. President, thank you for allowing me to come here tonight."

<< applause >>

The evening concluded with the Public Comment period, an item that appears on every Police Commission Agenda. At this point in Commission meetings anyone who wishes to is given time to address the Board about any topic.

Many took this opportunity. Here is a laundry list of just some of what was discussed:

Re: graffiti: some is done by gorilla "political artists" - when their posters go up graffiti clean-up efforts can't remove it. Would like to have a class action suit filed or televised public service announcements to bring awareness to the community.

Transfer more homicide officers to the areas that are the most severely impacted by murder.

Perception and reality: the perception is this is the least safe city in the nation, how do we get it out to people that the reality is that the numbers are getting better and better? Safe Zones sound like a great idea - maybe a pilot program with special signage?

There's a continuing problem with an apartment building west of the UCLA campus and north of Westwood. The UCLA extension building is being used for heavy drug dealing. It's a jurisdiction problem … LAPD doesn't want to get involved because it's on UCLA property … UCLA security doesn't want to get involved because they're not sure if it's University related.

Monica Harmon commended her SLO, Officer Dennis Beacham.

Canyon roads need to have speed limits adjusted, cars drive too fast, unsafe, and speed limits are too high.

Use of decoy cars: use citizens more often to do what officers do. Need a blue ribbon committee on traffic/transportation.

Brentwood resident: get local television to "bring back the streets" campaign - emphasize that we start walking. As for traffic, why can't we work it out like London and Hong Kong? Traffic can defeat homeland security, etc., fires, etc. Freeways all over the City are bad, need more light rail.

Commissioner Skobin, who served on the City Transportation Commission, said perhaps it would help to have a joint committee with LA Police Commission and City Transport Commission because, "It takes the will of the government to effect change."

West LA Neighborhood Council member: quality of life issues need to be directed to a more direct phone line to LAPD (without going through non-emergency line).

Brentwood resident: homes have been falling out of escrow when home invasions had to be reported. "What can we, as residents, do to get more officers in our neighborhood?"

Adult Entertainment Ordinance: thank you to the City Council and Prosecutor. Group has spent a long time fighting adult clubs - need more Vice officers in West LA, department too small -- the ordinance needs to be passed - REALLY needs public support as adult entertainment can afford powerful lawyers.

At this point one speaker teased the Police Commission, saying they need more legible name placards, and the audience laughed.

West LA Japanese Citizens League: anti-clubs, lap dancing, prostitution - should NOT be in residential areas! Police need more jurisdictions. Permits are bogus, start off as "juice bars" and turn into adult clubs. Big problem, adopt ordinance and get it out of City Council.

Traffic: bogged down by DOT, lights not timed right.

Large amounts of vagrants/homeless: Santa Monica is putting homeless individuals on buses and telling drivers to drop them off on Bundy.

Last speaker: during Operation "Dark Cloud" LAFD had resources that were NOT dispatched -LAFD and LAPD need to be dispatched as if it was a REAL event/emergency.

EDITOR'S NOTE: We strongly recommend the public attend Police Commission meetings. Normally held in Parker Center on Tuesday mornings, the Agenda is always listed on the LACP website.