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LOS
ANGELES POLICE COMMISSION
NEWS BRIEFINGS
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At the Regular Police Commission Meeting on July 1, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the CPAB
Summit during the previous week, along with a meeting with community
members and Sgt. Lisa Phillips from Northeast Vice Unit to discuss
various lewd conduct issues. He was impressed with some of the creative
ways to address the issue which cannot be adequately controlled through
law enforcement alone. Commissioner Saltzman also attended an event at
the Getty House with the Mayor benefitting the Getty House Youth
Programs. He also participated in the City Council's recognition of
Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, where both he and Chief Bratton honored
Captain Tina Nieto from Hollenbeck Area. Additionally, Commissioner
Saltzman attended a weekend event with the Mayor and members of the Gay
and Lesbian community. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended a
retirement event honoring Deputy City Attorney Wilma Pinder, along with
a celebration for the beginning of service for Deputy District Attorney
D'Annette Meyers as the President of the County Bar Association. At
this event, retiring County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke was also
honored. Commissioner Ordin also attended the Chief's Clergy Summit
and felt that the meeting was productive. In addition, she attended the
press conference announcing the results of the Northeast Area
multi-agency gang sweep. Commissioner Alan Skobin attended two
retirement dinners, one for Detective McConnell and one for Lt. Jones.
He participated in the dedication ceremony for the new Operation Valley
Bureau and Valley Traffic facility. He was very pleased to see the much
improved accommodations for the employees. In attending the Chief's
Clergy Summit, he was impressed with the job opportunities tied in with
the clergy community. Commissioner Skobin also met with Council Member
Zine to discuss gang issues.
Commissioner John Mack, along with Commissioners Pacheco and Skobin,
attended the promotional ceremony for one commander and several
captains, the welcoming ceremony for Captain Eric Davis to Wilshire
Area, He also introduced Mayor Villaraigosa at the Mayor's Urban
Business Summit, along with attending the memorial service for Los
Angeles public relations pioneer Pat Tobin. Commissioner Anthony
Pacheco observed the gang sweep in Northeast Area. He was very
impressed with the effectiveness of the multi-agency task force and
commended all who participated. He commented that a command post will
stay in the area to provide continued safety.
Report of the Chief - Chief William Bratton reported that compared to
this time last year, Part One, or serious crimes, are down by 6.4%.
Chief Bratton relayed the statistics reflecting the ethnic composition
of the Department, which closely resembled that of the City's. He
stated that re-training will begin on Special Order 40 in the near
future so that all officers are clear on its meaning. He outlined the
chain of events that occurred the previous afternoon once the Department
had learned of a judge's decision to dismiss a case once a video
provided evidence that contradicted the officers' account of the
incident. The involved officers have been assigned to home and the
matter will be fully investigated.
Report of the Executive Director - Richard Tefank reported that the
Commission Investigation Division Activity Report for the month of May
was included for review, and that staff from Charitable Services Section
has been making presentations regarding the guidelines for charitable
organizations to Council District offices.
Report of the Inspector General - Andre Birotte, Jr. reported that he
has attended many of the same events previously mentioned. He also
stated that he had been quickly notified of the incident involving the
LAPD officers and will be following the investigation closely.
Acting Commission Executive Assistant Donna Basulto was named the
Police Commission Employee of the Month for June, 2008. Donna eagerly
stepped in and assisted during vacancies in the Executive Section,
ensuring that all functions proceeded seamlessly.
The Commission approved the donation from Lockheed Martin Corporation
of the Hydra and Minerva Simulation System. Chief Bratton described
this system that will allow command staff to communicate critical
information in real time. A demonstration of this system will be
provided to the Commission in the future.
The Foreign Language and Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD)
Telephone Calls Audit was received and filed until this item returns in
60 days. Commissioner Saltzman raised some questions regarding the
report and expressed concern over the relatively low compliance rate.
When the Department returns to discuss this issue, the following items
will be discussed: how this item is handled in COMPSTAT, the number of
complaints related to this issue and how they are handled, the need for
TDD machines in the Traffic Bureaus and at Airport Field Services, and
the training provided on how to handle these calls.
The Department's Complaint, Form 1.28, Investigations Audit, Phase II
(Fiscal Year 2007/2008), was continued for 45 days so that
management's response to the audit may be included in the review.
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At the Regular Police Commission Meeting on June 24, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended the
historic promotion ceremony for Deputy Chief Sandy Jo MacArthur, the
third woman in the LAPD to be named Deputy Chief. Commissioner Alan
Skobin attended and spoke at the recent LAPD recruit graduation,
previewed the Commissioners' Gallery at the Los Angeles Police Museum,
attended the Peace Officers Association of Los Angeles County Board
Meeting, attended the Shomrim Brunch, visited the recently injured
Valley Traffic Division motor officer in the hospital, and participated
in the interactive experience of the Force Options Simulator. He noted
that the simulator provides excellent real time training to officers in
the options they have to control a volatile situation. Commissioner
John Mack met with Commissioner Pacheco and Executive Director Tefank
to discuss several issues. Commissioner Mack, along with Commissioner
Pacheco, Commissioner Saltzman and Commissioner Skobin attended the
Chief's Community Forum Summit, and felt that the dialogue was very
constructive. He was intrigued with the notion of the use of anger
management techniques with gang members. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco
was also interested in that approach and will pursue the issue.
Commissioner Pacheco also met with Deputy Mayor Jeff Carr to discuss
gang issues.
Report of the Chief - Chief William Bratton reported that compared to
this time last year, all violent crime is down by 6.1%, and gang-related
crime is down by 14.8%. The Department is keeping up with the goal of
hiring 60 new recruits per month. He announced that the first of three
meetings with members of the clergy will be held this Saturday morning
at the Ahmanson Recruit Center. The dedication ceremony for the Valley
Operations Bureau/Valley Traffic Division Facility will also be held
this Saturday.
Co-Chairs Captain Joe Hiltner and Pat Karasic presented a status report
on the Pacific Area Community Police Advisory Board. Captain Hiltner
described the Area's traits and challenges including Venice Beach and
Los Angeles International Airport. Part One Crime in Pacific Area is
down by 10% compared to this time last year. Ms. Karasic stated that
the Pacific Area is becoming quite active again and has recently
renovated the officers' break room and has providing landscaping for
the station. In addition, the dialogue created by CPAB members has been
very effective in crime solving. Pacific Area CPAB is currently looking
for new members to continue the positive work they are accomplishing.
Commander Kirk Albanese and Lt. Doug Miller presented the
Department's Community Relations Efforts. He stated that the
Community Relations Unit provides the framework for the Department's
efforts, and that all programs function on an understanding of
diversity. Each station now has a minimum of a Sergeant II, Police
Officer II, and two Youth Services Officers to run various community
programs. A new approach is being tried in recruit training which
emphasizes life-long learning skills in terms of diversity. A manual is
being developed for each station which will provide specific community
information to each new employee of that station. Deputy Chief
MacArthur and Dr. Pannell will return in 60 days with an update on the
progress of the Area-specific manuals.
The Audit Recommendation Status Report, Fourth Quarter, 2007/2008 was
approved. Commissioner Skobin asked that the feasibility of providing
the Peace Officers Legal Source Book on-line be examined.
The Department's Response to the Complaint Investigations Audit,
Fiscal Year 2007/2008, was approved. Commander Rick Webb stated that
several improvements have been made such as the use of direct quotes
through hyperlinks. Challenges still remain in the use of summarized
statements, yet the general quality is much improved.
The Grant Application for the 2008-2009 Forensic Casework DNA Backlog
Reduction Program was approved. Chief Forensic Chemist Greg Matheson
also provided a status report on the current condition of the DNA
backlog. He said that there is a current backlog of 7,621 cases waiting
to be processed. The majority of those cases, 7,324, are sexual assault
kits. Mr. Matheson stated that this grant will assist with the
backlog.
The Command Accountability Performance Audits for Rampart, Southwest
and Wilshire Areas were approved. All audits showed marked improvement
from previous audits
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At the Regular Police Commission Meeting on June 17, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the recent
West Bureau Command Officers meeting and also participated in
ride-alongs in the area. He introduced his niece and her friend in the
audience, both of whom are recent Yale graduates. Commissioner Andrea
Sheridan Ordin attended a Mexican American Bar Foundation meeting. This
foundation provides scholarships for Hispanic law students. She also
worked on grievance cases and will be participating in the next Pro Bono
Law Clinic on Skid Row. This particular clinic will service the 50
individuals who were identified as the most in need of assistance.
Commissioner Anthony Pacheco stated that Blair Taylor, the President of
the Los Angeles Urban League, made a presentation regarding the League
to Commissioner Pacheco's colleagues at his law firm. Commissioner
Pacheco also attended the Mexican American Bar Foundation meeting and
added that the Foundation has given out $500,000 since its inception.
He will be meeting with Council Member Bill Rosendahl to discuss various
issues, and will also be attending the Chief's Community Forum
Summit.
Report of the Chief - Chief William Bratton reported that compared to
this time last year, all violent crime is down by 6%, and gang-related
crime is down by 14.3%. With the upcoming graduating class of recruits,
the total number of sworn employees will exceed 9,700.
Report of the Executive Director - Richard Tefank reported that the
system which allows individuals to view and retrieve computerized
reports from Police Commission meetings will be up and running by
August. The Department's Community Relations report will be
presented to the Commission next week.
Report of the Inspector General - André Birotte, Jr., reported that
officials from the New Wales Police Department visited the Office of the
Inspector General this week as they are researching the various forms of
civilian oversight.
Sgt. II Roland Fogel was presented with a certificate of appreciation
for his leadership and concern for his fellow officers by bringing the
need of digital cameras in cars to the Commission's attention.
Through his effort, and that of Rhonda Sims-Lewis and her staff, 20
cameras were distributed to each Division, and 20 for each Traffic
Division.
Police Administrator Thom Brennan provided a status report on all of
the current construction projects. All projects are on, or ahead of
schedule, including Rampart, Olympic, Hollenbeck, Harbor, Topanga,
Operations Valley Bureau, Metropolitan Detention Center, Emergency
Operations Center, and Metropolitan Bomb Squad facilities. The new
Police Administration Building is 70% complete.
Captain Ann Young presented a status report on the Autism Awareness
Training Program. This program, which was initiated by Mental
Evaluation Unit, provides roll call training to officers on how to
identify and effectively work with Autistic individuals. Captain Young
stated that Dr. Luann Pannell has agreed to make this training part of
the standardized roll call training program. A video will also be
produced to assist in the training effort. All roll calls shall have
received this training by the end of the year. Commissioners Pacheco and
Ordin praised Captain Young for this important work that greatly
enhances officers' ability to work effectively in the community.
The Office of the Inspector General's Training Evaluation and
Management System II Audit, Phase II, as presented by Inspector General
André Birotte, Jr., was approved. Inspector General Birotte recommended
more automatically generated action items. Police Administrator Maggie
Goodrich added that simplification of the process and eliminating
duplication of efforts, will further improve the system.
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At the Regular Police Commission Meeting on June 10, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman reported that he
participated in the Gay Pride Parade in West Hollywood and was very
impressed with the positive response to LAPD by the many attendees.
After the parade, he spoke to many individuals and was reminded of the
urgency to address the Explorer contract issue. To that end,
Commissioner Saltzman asked Executive Director Richard Tefank to check
on the status of the Explorer issue with the Bureau of Contract
Management under the Department of Public Works. Along with
Commissioner Mack, Commissioner Saltzman met with Deputy Chief Perez and
Commander Webb to discuss the complaint process. He also received an
update on the Safer Cities Initiative from Mr. Tefank and participated
in the command staff breakfast prior to the Commission meeting.
Commissioner Alan Skobin chaired the recent Public Safety Oversight
Committee meeting and attended the Chief's Muslim Community Forum
where he learned of a very useful video being produced to assist
officers on understanding Muslim customs when interacting with
individuals in a law enforcement setting, and vice versa. Commissioner
Skobin also attended the Police Protective League's Annual Delegates
Conference and felt that there were several “take-away” items,
including the need to advise officers of the many benefits of the in-car
video cameras during training, in addition to the mechanics of the
equipment. Commissioner Skobin visited with the officer who was
hospitalized last week with a gun shot injury. Commissioner Andrea
Sheridan Ordin attended the Women Against Gun Violence annual brunch
where Chief Bratton was honored. She was impressed with the many
stories of personal loss due to gun violence. Commissioner Ordin also
attended and spoke at the press conference announcing the new in-car
video cameras. She felt that the message of the numerous benefits was
emphasized at the conference, however the coverage of the Hollenbeck
SWAT incident may have received more media coverage. She was very
pleased to be part of the Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) Summit.
Commissioner Anthony Pacheco also participated in the CPAB Summit, the
Gay Pride Parade, and visited with the recently injured officer.
Report of the Chief - Chief William Bratton reported that while
homicides are up by 10.7% compared to this time last year, all violent
crime is down by 6%, and gang-related crime is down by 13.4%. He
commented on the nine homicides over the weekend stating that they
represent a spike, not a trend. Los Angeles was again named the second
safest large city in the country according to Federal Bureau of
Investigation statistics. Chief Bratton announced the promotion of
Commander Sandy Jo MacArthur to Deputy Chief, and Captain Kyle Jackson
to Commander. Five new Captains will be named next week. He thanked
the Commissioners for their visits and concern for the injured officer.
One of the lessons learned from the tragic Officer Simmons event was the
need for the Bomb Squad to roll out with SWAT. At the recent Hollenbeck
SWAT incident, this procedure proved very effective as the robot
actually went into the home first and relayed real time video back to
the officers waiting outside.
Co-Chairs Vickie Burch and Captain Joseph Curreri presented the
Foothill Community Police Advisory Board annual report. All Basic
Car Areas are represented in Foothill's 43 CPAB members. They meet
monthly and feature a guest speaker at each meeting. Among the popular
topics right now are abandoned vehicles, street vendors, graffiti, and
shopping cart retrieval. A Foothill Teen CPAB has also been launched.
In both the CPAB and Teen CPAB, there is an effort to gain new members.
Captain Curreri added that while Foothill has the largest number of gang
members residing within its borders in the valley, it also has the
second lowest number of Part One crimes of the 19 Areas.
Deputy Chief Mark Perez provided a status of Personnel Complaint
Investigations arising from the May 1, 2007 MacArthur Park incident. He
stated that the investigations went to Chief Bratton for his review last
week. Chief Bratton asked for more insight into some of the rationales
presented. That work is now being done and the investigations will go
back to the Chief in a minimum of three weeks. After the Chief approves
them at that time, they will be given to the involved officers. Deputy
Chief Perez will be back in approximately four weeks to provide another
update.
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At the Regular Police Commission Meeting on June 3, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman reported that he met
with Assistant Chief Paysinger and representatives from the University
of Southern California Department of Public Safety regarding issues of
mutual concern. He was also pleased to attend the recruit graduation on
May 23rd. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin thanked all who attended
the Police Commission's community meeting in Hollenbeck and stated
that she enjoyed hearing from the community members. She, and
Commissioners Pacheco, Mack and Skobin attended the 2008 Medal of Valor
Ceremonies. She added that the ceremony was greatly enhanced this year
with the addition of video clips of the award recipients which allowed
the audience to see the more personal side of these heroes. Commissioner
Ordin also attended several fundraisers including that of the Inner City
Law Center and the Constitutional Rights Foundation. In addition, she
participated in several phone conferences and reviewed grievances.
Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the Z Awards Public Safety Luncheon
sponsored by Council Member Dennis Zine, the Hollenbeck Police Activity
League Supporters Dinner, and a fundraiser for the Hispanic American
Police Command Officers Association. He also participated in a La Ley
Foundation Board Meeting. Commissioner John Mack met with Mayor
Villaraigosa and several African American and Latino community leaders
to discuss various issues. He also traveled to San Francisco to
participate in Police Executive Research Forum's Commissioners'
Retreat, which was a meeting of national and international Police
Commissioners. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco also attended
Commissioners' Retreat and was impressed with the information shared
by all attendees.
Report of the Chief - Chief William Bratton reported that the month of
May is Police Memorial Month, and therefore many annual activities
wrapped up last week, including the Medal of Valor Ceremony and the
Memorial Run. He was pleased to join the Mayor at the announcement of
the City's gang initiatives. The multi-jursdictional plan focuses on
prevention, intervention, and suppression. This plan will assist the
Department in apprehending gang members on the street, in their cars and
at home. He reported that while homicides are up by 7.7% compared to
this time last year, all violent crime is down by 6.5%, and gang-related
crime is down by 13%.
Report of the Executive Director - Richard Tefank reported that the
Department will be hosting the Community Police Advisory Board Annual
Summit at the Ahmanson Training Facility this Saturday, June 7th, from
7:30 am to 2:00 pm.
Report of the Inspector General - André Birotte, Jr. stated that he did
not have any additional items to report other than the items already
mentioned.
Management Analyst I Orestus Valenzuela was named the Police Commission
Employee of the Month for May, 2008. Orestus has done an outstanding
job in monitoring and regulating the permit process for charitable bingo
games and carnivals in Los Angeles. He consistently provides
outstanding service to all permitees and is always ready to assist his
colleagues as well.
Captain Kevin McClure presented the Hunter - La Ley Third Quarter
Report for Fiscal Year 2007 - 2008. He stated that the challenge for
the Department remains in actually getting individuals from all
ethnicities to take promotional exams. A large amount of effort has
gone into making the exam process as accessible as possible including
working with the Los Angeles Protective League to provide bibliographies
online. Commissioner Ordin commented that the numbers are actually
reflecting great improvements. Commissioner Pacheco stated that the
numbers reveal that the Department has a true focus on diversity.
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At the Special Police Commission Community Meeting on May 27, 2008
Police Commission President Anthony Pacheco opened the meeting by
welcoming all and introducing each Commissioner. He stated that the
Police Commission holds meetings in the community to hear from community
members directly, and in turn, better serve them.
Council Member Jose Huizar welcomed the Police Commission to Boyle
Heights. He was pleased to discuss the new Hollenbeck Station opening
in October, and the coming of the new Gold Line, a new City Library, and
a new High School. While work still needs to be done, he feels that the
crime reduction in the Hollenbeck Area is significant.
Captain Blake Chow provided a complete report on the Hollenbeck Area
including logistics, current crime trends, programs, and future goals.
While crime does continue to decline at Hollenbeck, gangs continue to be
a focus for Hollenbeck officers. He stated that an excellent Crime
Analysis Detail Unit, gang suppression, gang injunctions, and
outstanding community partnership programs are some of the things that
have led to Hollenbeck's success. He mentioned that officers are
anxious to serve in Hollenbeck and there is a 3 ½ year waiting list. He
is honored to be part of such a vibrant community.
Joe Correa discussed the outstanding service accomplished by White
Memorial Hospital. This hospital is a true member of the community
providing child care and offering intervention services to gang members
when they are admitted.
Nineteen members of the public spoke regarding various issues including
successful CLEAR projects in the neighborhood, excessive use of force in
the Ramona Gardens area, and community praise and support for Captain
Blake Chow and Captain Tina Nieto.
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At the Police Commission Meeting on May 20, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman, along with
Commissioner Pacheco, attended the South Bureau Command Officers
meeting. He commented on the outstanding job done by LAPD officers who
assisted in the University of Southern California Commencement
Ceremonies. In addition, conversations continue regarding the Explorer
issue. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended a celebration
sponsored by the City Attorney's Office honoring Asian-American art
and newly-promoted Deputy Chief Terry Hara. She also participated in
on-going Commission projects. Commissioner Alan Skobin met with a
representative from the Taxi industry to discuss law enforcement efforts
regarding Bandit Taxi Cabs. He attended the Chinatown Public Safety
Association annual dinner honoring Deputy Chief Terry Hara and fallen
SWAT Officer Randal Simmons. He also visited the West Valley Station,
and finally, along with Commissioner Pacheco, he attended the LAPD
Police-Celebrity Golf Tournament, benefiting the Los Angeles Police
Memorial Foundation. Commissioner John Mack was in Washington D.C.
participating in activities related to his responsibility as a National
Urban League Board Member. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco participated in
a tour of White Memorial Hospital in East Los Angeles. He commented on
the hospital's extensive community work including providing a quality
childcare facility and more than 3,500 free health screenings each year.
Commissioner Pacheco was so impressed with the facility that he asked
representatives to come to the Police Commission Community Meeting on
May 27th to make a presentation on the relationship between the hospital
and LAPD. Commissioner Pacheco asked the Department to report back on
reimbursement provided through insurance claims for officers who receive
suspension time as a form of discipline.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Sharon Papa reported that the newest
class of recruits consists of 50 individuals, however the new budget
authorizes 60 recruits per class.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the
Commission Investigation Division activity report for April, 2008, was
included in the Commissioners' materials for review, and that item
number 7D is being pulled from the agenda.
Commander Rick Webb presented the update on the Internal Affairs
investigative protocols for Racial Profiling investigations. Since the
protocols began in November, 2007, 76 cases have been reviewed, and all
have been in compliance. Two reports on this issue are anticipated by
July 1st. The Department is preparing a report which will answer the
Commissioners' previous questions, and Commission staff is preparing a
report comparing and contrasting the LAPD and other law enforcement
agencies in terms of racial profiling complaints.
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At the Police Commission Meeting on May 13, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended a meeting
at the University of Southern California regarding terrorism. He also
participated in several discussions regarding the Explorer issue and
other topics. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin reported that she
participated in numerous meetings and also worked on several grievances.
Commissioner Alan Skobin met with Captain Young and Lt. Pat Shields
from Detective Support and Vice Division, to discuss the City Hotel
Ordinance and enforcement, attended the 999 for Kids dinner,
participated in the Board Meeting and Retreat for the Peace Officers
Association of Los Angeles County, attended the Valley Vote meeting, and
attended a luncheon for the Task Force for Regional Auto Theft
Prevention. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco was on the east coast last
week but announced that all Commissioners received confidential
correspondence from the City Attorney's Office regarding the
Department's ongoing affiliation with Learning for Life and the
Explorer program. The matter is now with the Department of Public Works,
Bureau of Contract Compliance for examination and findings, as that is
the entity charged with enforcing the City's social policy ordinances,
including discrimination. When the Bureau of Contract Compliance makes
a determination on this issue, it will then be placed on a Police
Commission agenda.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger stated that the
Department is currently comprised of 12.2% African Americans, 40%
Latinos, 6.6% Asians, and 39% Caucasians, reflecting one of the most
diverse law enforcement agencies in the nation. He also reported that
gang crime is down by 13% compared to this time last year.
Inspector General's Report: André Birotte, Jr., introduced Special
Investigator II Gary McGaskill, a new addition to the Office of the
Inspector General.
Executive Director's Report: Richard Tefank reported the he, Lt.
Dawson, and Detective Ben Jones met with representatives from the
Controller's Office for an exit interview for the Official Police
Garage audit.
Deputy Chief Mark Perez provided the status of Personnel Complaint
Investigations arising from the May 1, 2007 MacArthur Park Incident. He
stated that the complaints are in the process of adjudication and should
be ready for presentation to the Chief of Police in two weeks. After
presentation to the COP, the accused officers will have the opportunity
to provide a response, and the complaints will then be returned to the
Chief for final disposition. Commander Perez stated the cases have been
presented to the District Attorney and a determination is not expected
for at least two months. Deputy Chief Perez will return in four weeks
with another update.
Captain Ann Young provided a status report on the Autism Awareness
Training Program. She stated that the Department is leading the way
with Autism training and has trained over 500 officers and civilians
this year. The program consists of Mental Evaluation Unit personnel,
Autism of America - Los Angeles volunteers, and members of the Autistic
community, attending roll calls and discussing ways to recognize the
different spectrums of Autism. She also stated that they are in the
process of putting together a video to be played at roll calls. Emily
Iland and Caroline Wilson from Autism Society of America and Detective
III Gil Escontrias were presented with certificates of appreciation for
their outstanding work in creating, developing, and implementing this
valuable program.
The Timekeeping and Fair Labor Standards Act Audit, March 2008, was
approved. The audit revealed that the Department could support payroll
documents 94% of the time. Commissioner Skobin commented that this
audit was reflective of a sampling and may or may not be an accurate
picture.
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At the Police Commission Meeting on May 6, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended the
pre-meeting breakfast with command staff, participated in several
preparatory events for the May Day demonstrations, and worked on
grievances. Commissioner Alan Skobin met with Captain Baca and Lt.
Carlton to discuss the Bandit Taxi Enforcement program, which is a joint
effort with the Department of Transportation. He also met with a senior
official from the Drug Enforcement Agency, and separately with the Los
Angeles Police Foundation Board to discuss issues of mutual concern.
Commissioner Robert Saltzman participated in another portion of the
Mobile Field Force Training; the classroom training, which he found very
informative. Commissioner John Mack attended the retirement celebration
for Lt. Fred Booker, observed May events both at First and Broadway, and
at the command post, and he also attended the Department's Annual
Memorial Ceremony.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton overall crime statistics
continue to reflect decreases compared to this time last year. He
commented on the success of the Department's work with the May Day
demonstrations, and stated that training will now focus on the
Department's response in the event of a natural disaster.
Inspector General's Report: André Birotte, Jr., just reurned from
paternity leave and reported that he and his staff were pleased to
observe the Department's work on May Day.
Executive Director's Report: Richard Tefank reported a correction on
Item 8E, as it should be the “Inspector General's Report,” not
the “Department's Report.” He added that item 8I has been pulled
from the agenda, and item 8J has been moved to the beginning of the
agenda.
Hollenbeck Community Police Advisory Board Co-Chairs Captain Blake Chow
and Mr. Sal Martinez presented their annual status report to the
Commission. The Hollenbeck CPAB has been successful in several areas of
community outreach. Captain Chow discussed the “Captain's Table”
meetings with representatives from Ramona Gardens and the newly formed
Teen CPAB, both of which have been very effective ways to enhance
community interaction. The Hollenbeck CPAB is also responsible for a
monthly newsletter and a new Web site which provides numerous resources
for the community along with up to date information. With 21 members,
the Hollenbeck CPAB is very active, and always looking for new members.
Community members spoke on behalf of the tremendous work of Captain Chow
and his willingness to communicate and work directly with all community
members.
Commissioner Mack expressed appreciation to Captain Chow and Mr.
Martinez for the outstanding work they do and noted that the Police
Commission will be holding a community meeting in the Hollenbeck Area on
May 27th, at 6:30 pm, at Hollenbeck Middle School, 2510 East Sixth
Street.
The Adjudication of Categorical Use of Force Incidents - Completion of
Training Status Report for March, 2008, was approved. Commissioner
Skobin added that these reports have been very helpful and have shown
great improvement. To that end, the Commissioners agreed that future
reports should include trend analysis and should be submitted quarterly
instead of monthly.
The Inspector General's Non-Categorical Use of Force Investigations
Audit, Fiscal Year 2007/2008, was approved. Inspector General Birotte
stated that the audit revealed overall favorable results. He did
mention that further clarification could be made regarding the handling
of complaints that rise from non-categorical use of force incidents.
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At the Police Commission Meeting on April 29, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the West
Bureau COMPSTAT meeting along with the Central Bureau Area Command
Officers Meeting. He found both to be very informative. Commissioner
Andrea Sheridan Ordin participated in a meeting regarding the Safer
Cities Initiative in the Skid Row Area. She was very pleased to attend
and address the recent recruit graduation ceremony. She noted that she
personally knew a graduate and his family, and it was especially nice to
see such a large class becoming police officers. Commissioner Alan
Skobin attended a La Ley Foundation meeting where scholarships were
discussed for both LAPD officers and young people looking to the LAPD
for a career. Another item that was mentioned was the desire for La Ley
to sponsor an award at the Cadet graduations, along with the Explorer
graduations. He feels that the other employee organizations would also
like to sponsor awards, and he would like to see the Department look
into this possibility. Commissioner Skobin also attended the
Sheriff's Youth Foundation meeting and the recent Explorer
graduation. Both were very well-attended events. In addition, he
toured the new Operations Valley Bureau and Valley Traffic facility.
Finally, he discussed with Deputy Chief Beck the possibility of using
Reserves in Detective Bureau. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco commented
that he participated in a fly-along with Air Support, which turned out
to be a very short fly-along due to an unexpected sense of air sickness!
Commissioner Pacheco also met with Chief Paysinger and Office of
Operations staff, and discussed the backlog of DNA kits with Crime Lab
personnel. He also announced that he would be participating in Autism
Awareness training for a Metropolitan Division roll call on Tuesday
afternoon. This program is the result of a collaborative effort between
the Los Angeles Police Department and the Autism Society of America -
Los Angeles, to provide officers with the information on how to
recognize the signs of Autism, and how to communicate effectively with
these individuals.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton reported that total violent
crime is down by 4.2% compared to this time last year. He also
commented that the Department is well-prepared for May Day activities.
Executive Director's Report: - Richard Tefank reported item 8L has
been pulled from the agenda.
Inspector General's Report - Assistant Inspector General Django
Sibley introduced Special Investigator II Gary Bushman, who has joined
the staff of the Office of the Inspector General.
Deputy Mayor Arif Alikhan outlined the Mayor's proposed fiscal year
2008 - 2009 budget for LAPD. He made it clear that public safety is the
Mayor's priority, and to that end, this year's budget includes an
increase in sworn overtime allotment, which is essential in law
enforcement work, and an appropriation for in-car video cameras. All
Commissioners thanked Mr. Alikhan, the Mayor, and the members of the
Budget and Finance Committee for their assistance in approving a
favorable budget for the Department during a challenging fiscal year.
Commander Pat Gannon and Carol Tantow provided the annual report from
the Domestic Violence Task Force. Ms. Tantow explained that an outside
company has been retained to evaluate the DART Teams and that report
should be complete by the end of the year. Commissioner Ordin commented
that she was pleased to participate in last year's annual Domestic
Violence Awareness event. This year's theme will be Domestic Violence
Among Adolescents.
Captain Dave Baca presented the report relative to the Photo Red Light
Program. At this time, there is a dispute between the City and Nestor
Traffic Systems due to contract non-compliance. Deputy City Attorney
Terry Martin Brown advised that this issue could result in litigation
and future discussions should be held in closed session.
Commander Rick Webb presented the Annual Complaint Report for 2007.
Commissioner Mack, along with other Commissioners, expressed concern
over the fact that out of 320 complaints filed pertaining to racial
profiling, none were sustained. Chief Bratton stated that his staff
would provide an analysis of other law enforcement agencies throughout
the country, including the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, to
provide a comparison for the Commission.
Employee News
Special Investigator II Gary Bushman has joined the Office of the
Inspector General. He has more than 30 years of law enforcement
experience with Riverside County Sheriff's Department, Tustin Police
Department, Santa Ana Police Department, and Orange County District
Attorney's Office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on April 22, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman and Commissioner
Mack both received an extensive briefing and participated in a tabletop
exercise in preparation of this year's May Day event. He feels that
the Department is well-prepared to assist the community in safely
celebrating this day. Commissioner Saltzman, along with Commissioner
Ordin, also participated in a conference call regarding the Safer Cities
Initiative in the Skid Row area. He also met with Executive Director
Tefank on various issues, and held meetings regarding Force
Investigation protocol, and Use of Force protocol. Commissioner Andrea
Sheridan Ordin noted that the conference call regarding Safer Cities
Initiative was very informative and that this discussion is ongoing.
She also reported that “Project 50,” a collaborative effort to house
the 50 most needy individuals on Skid Row, is now approximately half
complete. In addition, she attended the reception for the new Los
Angeles Mexican Consul General. Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the
Shomrim Society's Annual Luncheon where Assistant Chief McDonnell and
Department Chaplain Kolodny were honored. He also mentioned two quality
of life issues that do not always receive attention, yet they are very
important to public safety in Los Angeles: the Hotel/Motel Ordinance and
the Bandit Taxi Cab issue. Commissioner Skobin has been working on both
of these issues and will be placing them on a Police Commission agenda
soon. Commissioner John Mack was pleased to participate in the May Day
briefing and agrees with Commissioner Saltzman that the Department is
well-prepared for the day. He also met with Captain Eric Davis at
Wilshire Division to discuss area issues. He joined Chief Bratton,
Assistant Chief Paysinger, Deputy Chief Diaz, Deputy Chief Beck and a
number of Los Angeles clergy members to discuss the increase in
homicides, and the question of racially motivated crime. Commissioner
Anthony Pacheco met with Council Member Jose Huizar to discuss area
issues, and attended the reception for the new Los Angeles Mexican
Consul General. He has prepared numerous questions for his meeting with
Office of Operations Command Staff, which will occur later in the
afternoon. He was pleased to serve as a judge in a mock trial at the
University of Southern California.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger reported that Part I
Crimes are down by 7.1% compared to this time last year. He also
commented on the success of the Command Mentoring Sessions, which are
meetings where new Command Staff members interact with more tenured
members.
Executive Director's Report: Richard Tefank reported that he has been
working with the Controller's' Office regarding two Official Police
Garage (OPG) audits. Commission staff is currently working on OPG
related projects that will be presented to the Commission shortly.
Officer Richard Russell was named the Police Commission Employee of the
Month for March, 2008. Officer Russell has done an outstanding job in
developing a power point presentation which is shown to officers to
inform them of the police permit process. He is a valuable asset to the
Commission Investigation Division team.
Police Administrator Thom Brennan provided an update on police
facilities currently under construction. Staff is now moving in to the
Operations Valley Bureau. All new stations, Rampart, Hollenbeck,
Olympic and Topanga, will be complete this year, however, due to budget
restraints, they will not all be open until early 2009. The new
Metropolitan Jail will be complete in February, 2009, and the new
Emergency Operations Center will be complete in June, 2008, but will
require 9 -12 more months for the required equipment to be installed.
The Police Administration Building is 65% complete. The Department is
addressing the issues raised in the Controller's recent audit of the
project. Mr. Brennan commented on the extremely positive working
relationship of all City entities involved.
Senior Management Analyst II Wanda Bell presented the Report for
Supplemental Funding for the 2007-08 and Award of Funding for the
2008-2009 Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Act Program. The item was
approved. As $90,000 of this funding is designated for the Explorer
program, Commissioner Saltzman reminded all that it has been five months
since the Commission asked for a response if the Explorer program is in
compliance with the City's Nondiscrimination Policy. Commissioner
Pacheco agreed with importance of this fact and noted that the
Commission is awaiting legal advice on the matter from the City
Attorney's office.
Assistant Inspector General Beth Kennedy and Police Auditor Erin Kenney
discussed the Warrant Applications and Supporting Affidavits Audit
Second Quarter, 2007. Police Commissioner Alan Skobin stressed the
necessity for clear guidelines for the officers and requested an update
from staff in the future on how this need was being addressed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on April 15, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended portions of
the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Conference held at USC. He
was very impressed with the cooperative efforts of all law enforcement
agencies that were involved, and the level of presentations.
Commissioner Alan Skobin attended many events and specifically mentioned
attending the Formal Inspection at Mission Area, the Centurions'
Reunion Dinner, and the Peace Officer Association of Los Angeles County
luncheon where seven LAPD officers were honored. Commissioner John Mack
attended and participated in the Mobile Field Force training and found
it very informative. He also attended the Los Angeles Joint Regional
Intelligence Conference. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin tended to
various administrative duties and also attended the Phoenix House
fundraising event honoring Chief William Bratton and Rikki Klieman.
Commissioner Anthony Pacheco also attended the Phoenix House event. He
and Commissioner Skobin attended the Asian Pacific Islander Community
Forum meeting and he also met with Deputy Mayor Arif Alikhan to discuss
various police issues.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton provided an update on weekly
crime statistics. Homicides are up by 9.6% compared to the same time
last year, however total violent crime is down by 5.2%. He reported
that officers continue to be trained in preparation for May Day events.
He also commented on the national media attention that was earned by the
Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Conference, specifically related
to the LAPD's Anti-Terrorism training program.
Executive Director's Report: Richard Tefank noted that he may be
leaving during the meeting as he could possibly be called to testify on
a matter in City Council.
Deputy Chief Charlie Beck and Detective Jeff Godown provided additional
requested statistics relative to current crime trends.
A presentation of the Special Weapons and Tactics Board of Inquiry
Panel was given by Chief William Bratton, Assistant Chief Sharon Papa,
Attorney Richard Aborn, Deputy Chief Richard Roupoli, Captain Jeff
Greer, and Lt. Michael Albanese. Chief Bratton explained that this
Board of Inquiry was in keeping with the Department's approach of
continual review of specialized units to achieve best practices.
Assistant Chief Papa reviewed the timeline of the Panel's work and
introduced the Panel members. Richard Aborn reiterated his, and the
Panel's, respect for the members of SWAT and commented on their high
level of professionalism and expertise. He stated that the Panel does
not recommend lowering the selection criteria for SWAT in any manner,
but does recommend opening the opportunity for all members of the
Department to apply, as opposed to just members of Metropolitan
Division. He clarified that some of the testing procedures had not been
validated for 10 to 20 years, and that they needed to be reviewed. Among
other recommendations were additional training for working with
individuals with mental impairments, possible rotation in SWAT, and
recertification. Captain Jeff Greer outlined some of the items that
have already been implemented. An interim plan is in place to begin
allowing all Department personnel to apply for SWAT, an additional
Lieutenant and Captain have been added to the Unit, and officers now
have take-home cars, among other changes. In addition, Chief Bratton
has requested that a report on rotating personnel in all specialized
units be prepared.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Police Commission Meeting on Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Commission Business: Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended the Mobile
Field Force training and was very impressed with entire process of
preparing officers for all circumstances. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan
Ordin participated in a meeting regarding the complaint process, as did
Commissioner Mack. She also attended the Central City Association
Treasures event and other fund raisers. Commissioner
John Mack met with Lt. Fred Booker regarding the recent spike in
homicides in the African American community. In addition, he attended
the Urban League's Annual Whitney Young Awards along with the
promotion ceremony for Deputy Chief Terry Hara. Commissioner Anthony
Pacheco also attended the ceremony for Deputy Chief Hara, the 25-Year
Pin Ceremony, a promotion celebration for soon-to-be Captain Rick Wall,
and the Central City Association event. Commissioners Pacheco and Mack
also received a briefing on the SWAT Board of Inquiry report.
Chief's Report: Chief William Bratton reported that homicides are up
by 9.4% compared to this time last year, however, overall violent crime
is down by 4.8%. Chief Bratton has met with African American political
leaders and members of the media to discuss perceptions and realities of
homicide statistics. He plans to meet with African American clergy in
the very near future. He stated that much effort has been placed on
reaching out to the Latino community to ensure a safe celebration of May
Day this year. The Commission was thanked for the continual attention
given to placing cameras in patrol cars, and Commissioner Skobin was
thanked for his assistance in securing funding for new Astro radios.
Both Commissioners Pacheco and Ordin praised Chief Bratton for his work
in shattering glass ceilings in the Department and for addressing
different realities in different communities.
Executive Director's Report: Richard Tefank met with Council Members
Zine and Greuel, and Controller Chick regarding false alarm processing.
The new computer system will be in place soon to alleviate some of the
false alarm billing issues. He also commented that the Commission
Investigation Division Activity Report for the month of February was
included for review.
Inspector General's Report: Assistant Inspector General Django
Sibley reported that Office of the Inspector General staff had attended
two community meetings in the Wilmington area.
Deputy Chief Mark Perez reported that all investigations related to the
MacArthur Park incident on May 1, 2007, are now complete. All
complaints are now in the adjudication process. Deputy Chief Perez will
continue to provide the Commission with monthly updates.
Police Performance Auditor IV Erin Kenney and Deputy Chief Charlie Beck
discussed the Gang Enforcement Detail Selection Criteria Audit, Third
Quarter, Fiscal Year 2007/2008. The audit revealed that performance
evaluations were delivered late and that officers who were on loan to
the GEDs did not always meet the same requirements as those who were
permanently assigned.
Captain Kris Pitcher provided an overview of trends in Officer Involved
Shootings. While the actual number of Officer Involved Shootings is
comparable to previous years, the number of suspects who have died in
these incidents, has doubled in 2008. Captain Pitcher also provided a
myriad of related statistics and breakdowns.
Lt. Rick Wall provided a status report on the Mental Evaluation Unit.
MEU continues to provide training programs for the entire Department,
including SWAT and Communications, on how to deal with individuals who
suffer mental illness. MEU has also been providing training on how to
work with Autistic individuals. The Commissioners commended Lt. Wall on
his outstanding work in MEU and his promotion to Captain. Commissioner
Ordin asked that status reports to the Commission continue with the new
Lieutenant in MEU.
Commander Kirk Albanese presented the report regarding the increasing
aggressiveness of freelance photographers. The Department does not
recommend changing the City Ordinance to allow for a minimum “personal
safety zone.” There are existing state and municipal codes which, if
applied correctly, can effectively and sufficiently mitigate the hazards
posed by aggressive photographers.
Employee News
Commission Executive Assistant II Isabel Rosas has joined Commission
staff. Isabel began her career with the City of Los Angeles in 1978 in
the CETA program as a Clerk Typist. Promoting regularly, Isabel has
worked at Personnel Department, the Department of Water and Power, the
Fire Department, Cultural Affairs Department, and the Board of Fire and
Police Pensions Commission. Isabel is very active in various City
associations including the Los Angeles Affirmative Action Association
for Women, the Los Angeles City Employees Chicano Association, and
AFSCME. She has also been active in several campaigns including March
of Dimes, WalkAmerica, Aids L.A. Walk, and American Heart Association
fund raisers. Welcome, Isabel!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on April 1, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman met with Assistant
Chief Paysinger regarding several items including recent public safety
issues at USC. He also held several meetings regarding the Explorer
issue. Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the Hispanic Forum and he was
also contacted by the American Foundation for the Prevention of Suicide
following last week's discussion of suicide by police officers.
Commissioner Skobin arranged that the representative contact Dr. Kevin
Jablonski to coordinate efforts within the Department. Commissioner John
Mack also attended the Hispanic Forum along with the Wilshire Community
Police Council's Spring Salute which honored Wilshire Area police
officers.
Commissioner Anthony Pacheco attended the Police Assessment Resource
Center's working group meeting to draft guidelines for independent
monitors throughout the country. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin
attended the retirement event for Police Officer Terri Lincoln who was
one of LAPD's first female helicopter pilots.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton provided an update on weekly
crime statistics. Once again, gang-related crime is showing a decrease,
yet homicides are still up by 20.2% compared to the same time last year.
He reported that recruitment is going well and two classes of 70
recruits began their careers in March.
The Commission presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Reverend
Zedar Broadous who has been steadfast supporter of the Los Angeles
Police Department. For years, Rev. Broadous has provided extensive
printing services to the Department at little or no charge.
All agenda items were approved including the Grant Application for an
Electronic Traffic Citation System from the Office of Traffic Safety,
the Categorical Use of Force Investigations Audit, Third Quarter, Fiscal
Year 2007/2008, the Initiation of Complaints Audit, Third Quarter,
Fiscal Year 2007/2008, Gang Awareness Training Audit, Third Quarter for
Fiscal Year 2007/2008, the Adjudication of Categorical Use of Force
Incidents - Completion of Training Monthly Status Report - February
2008, the Training Evaluation and Management System (TEAMS) II Audit,
Phase 1, 2007/2008, the Supplemental Audit of Arrest, Booking, and
Charging Reports, First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2007/2008.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on March 25, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman met with Chief
Bratton on a variety of issues including some of the recent crime
statistics. He also met with Captain Sargent and Commander Webb
regarding categorical use of force incidents. Commissioner Andrea
Sheridan Ordin participated in a meeting regarding complaints generated
from the Safer Cities Initiative program on Skid Row. She anticipates
this issue being agendized in a future meeting. She was also pleased to
attend and represent the Police Commission at the Public Safety
Committee when the In-Car Video contract was presented and approved.
This item will now go directly to City Council as it has been waived by
the Budget Committee. Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the LAPD
College Fair where 75 - 80 colleges and universities were represented.
In addition, representatives from the federal government were there to
advise on GI benefits for officers interested in advancing their
education. He also attended an event presented by the Mission Area
CPAB, which was a bus tour of the area. He felt that it was very unique
and informative. He also met with Assistant Chief McDonnell and
representatives from Film LA to discuss rumors related to off-duty
officers working on movie locations. Commissioner John Mack met with
Commissioner Pacheco and Executive Director Tefank and others to discuss
the Explorer program. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco, along with
Commissioner Ordin, met with representatives from the Kennedy School of
Government at Harvard, who are conducting an analysis of the Consent
Decree.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton provided an update on weekly
crime statistics. He also shared Chief Information Officer Tim
Riley's impressions, and his own, of the outstanding job Police
Administrator Maggie Goodrich did on preparing and presenting the facts
related to the In-Car Video contract. He reported that Captain Kris
Pitcher will be providing a review of recent Officer Involved Shooting
incidents to the Commission on April 8, 2008. Chief Bratton also
announced that he will be presenting a public version of the SWAT Board
of Inquiry report to the Commission on April 15th. Commander Scott
Kroeber will be holding a press availability this week to describe the
new selection process for SWAT, which he designed.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that Item #8A,
the update from the Harbor Area Community Police Advisory Board, will be
heard at a future meeting. He introduced Isabel Rosas, who will be the
new Commission Executive Assistant II, starting on April 1.
Inspector General's Report - Andre Birotte, Jr., attended the Safer
Cities Initiative meeting with Commissioner Ordin. He stated that there
is some delay related to the hiring of the two new Special
Investigators, due to the hiring freeze.
The Commission presented certificates of appreciation to Donna Muñoz
upon her promotion to Management Analyst II in the Detective Bureau, and
to Clerk Typist Catherine Taylor, who has accepted a position in the
Chief's Office. Both have done an outstanding job in Commission
Investigation Division.
All agenda items were approved, including the Executive Director's
report recommending that the 2710 West Temple Street Facility be renamed
in honor of Police Officer Randal D. Simmons.
Department Psychologist Kevin Jablonski presented his report on suicide
among law enforcement personnel and the efforts the Department is
undertaking to educate employees regarding suicide risks and prevention.
He stated that the California average for suicides is 9 per 100,000,
however the rate of LAPD officers who commit suicide is 21 per 100,000.
It is four times more likely that an officer will die by his or her own
hand, than by violence on the job. While the Department has the highest
number of psychologists working in the most diverse settings than any
other national law enforcement agency, there has not been a
well-coordinated suicide prevention campaign, until now. The goal of
the new Department-wide campaign is to improve the psychological health
and wellbeing of Department employees by reducing the rate of suicides
to zero and dramatically reducing the associated mental health problems.
Commissioners Saltzman and Skobin will be following this issue.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on March 18, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the retirement
for Deputy Chief Gary Brennan. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin also
attended Deputy Chief Brennan's retirement, and worked with staff from
the Office of the Inspector General on a variety of issues including
enforcement on Skid Row. In addition, she worked on grievances.
Commissioner John Mack was also in attendance at the Deputy Chief
Brennan retirement. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco held several meetings
with command staff, Commission staff, and staff from the Office of the
Inspector General on numerous topics.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief James McDonnell commented on Deputy
Chief Brennan's retirement and the fact the five generations of
Brennans have served the Los Angeles Police Department. He reported
that there are currently 418 recruits in the Police Academy and the
Mayor has given his full support to continue hiring police officers.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video project will be heard in Public Safety Committee on Monday, March
24th. Commissioner Ordin has graciously agreed to attend the meeting.
Lt. Doug Miller and Lt. Fred Booker will present the community
relations report next week.
Deputy Chief Charlie Beck and Detective Jeff Godown presented a
Homicide Analysis Report. Homicides are up 34.8% compared to this
time last year. The Department is not suggesting that there is one
particular reason for this current spike, yet there are numerous factors
to look at to get a complete picture. Last year, homicides were at a
relatively low level in comparison to the proceeding 10 years, so
comparing to last year only is not a comprehensive analysis. Deputy
Chief Beck reiterated that the statistics do not support any form of
hate crimes related to these homicides. In practically every incident,
the victim and the suspect are of the same ethnicity. He also stated
that while homicides are up, shots fired and aggravated assaults are
down. In addition, gang-related crimes, including gang-related
homicides, are down. Each incident receives complete attention and
analysis as the Department continues to try and lower the homicide
statistics.
Assistant Chief James McDonnell provided a status report on the
recommendations provided in the “Rampart Revisited,” report and the“Blueprint for 21st Century Policing.” He stated that all
recommendations are proceeding and Commissioner Pacheco asked that
regular, future updates be provided.
The Office of the Inspector General's status of their review of the
MacArthur Park incident investigation was given by Inspector General
André Birotte. Special Investigators Julie Buchwald and Teresa Magula
have been actively following this investigation. A public report will
be prepared by the Office of the Inspector General in the future. Mr.
Birotte stated he would ideally like more resources to handle this
investigation, however he feels that it can be adequately handled at
current staffing levels.
The Commission approved the Office of the Inspector General's report
relative to the Gang Enforcement Detail Work Product Assessment Summary,
Fiscal Year 2007/2008.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on March 11, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Alan Skobin met with Executive
Director Richard Tefank, Lt. Andre Dawson, and Detective Ben Jones to
discuss Official Police Garage issues. He also attended the Centurions
football game last Saturday. The halftime ceremony was a touching
tribute to Police Officer Randy Simmons who was a former Centurion.
After meeting with Valley Bureau reserve officers and reserve
coordinators, Commissioner Skobin asked the Department to report back on
1) improving the timeliness with which the City pays reserves the $50
per month expense stipend, 2) paying reserves for their time spent in
court or depositions when subpoenaed, and 3) the possibility of allowing
full time and reserves the opportunity to purchase and carry LAPD
approved Tasers if the officers desire to do so, similar to the
Department's policy on shotguns. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin
reviewed grievances and she also attended the National Organization of
Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) annual dinner. This year,
NOBLE honored Captain Kyle Jackson, along with fellow Police
Commissioner John Mack and Inspector General Andre Birotte.
Commissioner John Mack thanked Deputy Chief Earl Paysinger for his kind
introduction at the NOBLE awards. Commissioner Mack spent most of the
week at the Weingart Foundation Board retreat, which was held out of
town. Commissioner Robert Saltzman was ill most of last week and he
thanked Commissioner Pacheco for taking over the interviews for the
Commission Executive Assistant II position. Due to his illness, he
regretted to miss some events, including the NOBLE event, and the
Saturday roundtable discussion. He did manage to meet with Captain
Kevin McClure, Officer Kristie Nielson, and Officer Carol Davis to
discuss the Hunter-La Ley Consent Decree and the Department's
relationship with the Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender community. The
Chief has a GLBT Community Forum and Commissioner Saltzman plans to
attend the next meeting. Commissioner Saltzman also met with Deputy
Chiefs Beck and Perez, and others, to discuss the procedures and
protocols related to the Board of Rights process. He also met with
former County Supervisor Ed Edelman. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco met
with the Director of Los Angeles Urban League, Blair Taylor regarding
gang issues. He also stated that Police Commission community meetings
are being planned in the near future.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger reported that violent
crime is down by 4.6% compared to the same time last year. Violent
crime is down in all Bureaus with the exception of Central Bureau, where
it is up by 5.8%. Currently, there are 417 recruits in the Police
Academy. At a press conference on Tuesday morning, Chief Bratton and
Mayor Villaraigosa announced that the Department is half way to reaching
the goal of increasing the number of officers by 1,000.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that a status
report on the recommendations in the “Rampart Revisited” report will
be presented next week. The interviews for Commission Executive
Assistant II were completed with Commissioner Pacheco. The In-Car Video
issue is scheduled to be heard by Public Safety Committee on March 24th.
Commissioner Pacheco stated that a Commissioner should also attend the
Public Safety Committee meeting. Commissioner Pacheco added that he
would like to invite individuals who are experts on crime trends to
address the Commission at a future meeting regarding the recent spike in
homicides.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. reported that two
Special Investigator II positions will soon be filled. He was also
honored to be an award recipient at the NOBLE awards dinner.
Commissioner Pacheco asked Inspector General Birotte to provide a status
report on the MacArthur Park investigation next week.
Co-Chairs Bertha Woolridge and Captain John Egan presented the 2008
Rampart Area Community Police Advisory Board report. The extremely
active Rampart CPAB maintains a committee structure. Their core
committee is the Crime Prevention Committee which focuses on public
education of crime trends in the area and graffiti abatement, among
other issues. There is also a Traffic Committee and a Youth Committee.
Following the Harbor Area program, Rampart is looking into creating a
Teen CPAB. There are currently 37 Rampart CPAB members and there are 9
individuals with approved applications coming in. It is anticipated
that membership will grow even larger when the new Rampart station is
complete.
The Northeast Area Gang Enforcement Detail Command Accountability
Performance Audit was approved, as presented by Police Performance
Auditor IV Erin Kenney and Captain Lance Smith.
The Mission Area Gang Enforcement Detail Command Accountability
Performance Audit was approved, as presented by Police Performance
Auditor IV Erin Kenney and Captain Bill Scott.
Assistant Chief Sharon Papa discussed the Special Weapons and Tactics
Board of Inquiry report which is a confidential document that was
presented to the Chief at the beginning of the year. A public version
of that report will be presented to the Commission in 60-90 days.
Assistant Chief Papa mentioned that some recommendations are already in
place, such as the addition of a Captain in Metropolitan Division and a
Lieutenant in SWAT. Commissioner Pacheco asked if the rotation of
Metropolitan officers was addressed in the report. Assistant Chief Papa
said that it is, but in a broader scope, therefore that issue will be
presented to the Commission separately.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on March 4, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Alan Skobin attended a meeting of
the Police Officers Association of Los Angeles County, with officials
from a Countywide Emergency Preparedness program to discuss resources
that are available to use in the event of a disaster, and he met with
Council Member Parks to discuss the need for Astro radios. He also
discussed the issue with Council Member Cardenas. Commissioner Andrea
Sheridan Ordin worked closely with the Inspector General's Office in
the preparation and release of abridged summaries of categorical uses of
force to be posted on LAPDOnline.org. Commissioner John Mack met with
Maggie Whelan from the Personnel Department and Assistant Chief Sharon
Papa, and others, to discuss concerns related to recruitment of African
Americans. Commissioner Anthony Pacheco thanked staff and his fellow
Commissioners for their work while he was in trial on the east coast for
a two month case which is now complete.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger reported that violent
crime is down by 5.1% compared to the same time last year. There were
nine retirements last week, one of which was Deputy Chief Gary Brennan.
Chief Brennan represented the third generation of his family to serve
the LAPD. Commissioner Ordin commented that unbeknownst to the
Commissioners, Deputy Chief Brennan was present to speak on an agenda
item last week, on his last day, showing his true dedication up to the
last moment. Chief Paysinger also visited the Police Magnet at Reseda
High School, and he was very impressed with the talented students in the
program.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video issue is scheduled to be heard by Public Safety Committee on March
24th. In addition, the Department had requested that item 8b be
continued for one week, and item 8c be pulled. Lt. André Dawson
introduced Detective III Sandra Betancourt, who is new to Commission
Investigation Division.
Commissioner Pacheco inquired on the status of five projects. 1)
Commissioner Skobin provided an update on the purchase of Astro radios.
He stated that 600 have been purchased and are being distributed, and
10,000 more are in the budget process. Commissioner Skobin has also
been speaking with Council Members regarding this issue, and all have
been supportive and recognize it as an officer and public safety issue.
2) The New Officer Orientation aspect of Community Relations will be
presented to the Commission on March 18th. 3) An update on the“Rampart Revisited” report will be presented next week. 4) The SWAT
Board of Inquiry update will be presented to the Commission next week.
5) Regular reports have been presented to the Commission regarding the
May Day incident at MacArthur Park. The investigation is now complete
and has been presented to adjudicators. Deputy Chief Hillman continues
to present status reports on the recommendations as outlined in the
October 9, 2007 report.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. participated in a
review of “Guidelines for Federal and Local Monitors,” in Denver
last week. The document will be presented publicly in the near future.
He also met with Chief Ramona Prieto from the California Highway Patrol
to discuss oversight issues.
Police Performance Auditor III Jennifer Litchfield was named the Police
Commission Employee of the Month for January, 2008. She works in the
Audit Section of the Office of the Inspector General and was honored for
her outstanding work on large and detailed projects.
Police Performance Auditor IV Erin Kenney and Captain Phil Trotter
presented the West
Valley Area Gang Enforcement Detail Command Accountability Performance
Audit. While the audit did not reveal perfect results, much improvement
has been made. The Commissioners expressed their appreciation for the
format which reflected “high” and “low” risk factors. All
agreed that enhanced communication has led to improved audits. The
audit was approved.
The follow-up report to the Complaint Investigations Audit for Fiscal
Year 2006/2007, as presented by Deputy Chief Mark Perez and Commander
Rick Webb, was approved. Items were discussed such as the documentation
of presentations made to the District Attorney, improvements made to
recording procedures and devices, documenting rationale and interviewing
the accused officer, and verbiage for response letters for unfounded
complaints.
Employee News
Detective III Sandra Betancourt has joined Commission Investigation
Division. She has been with LAPD for nearly 20 years, and has served at
Newton Division, Gangs Operation Support Division, Fugitive Warrant
Section, Central Bureau, and Major Crimes Division, Criminal Conspiracy
Section, She has served as the Department's Hate Crime Coordinator and
as a Bomb Threats/Explosives investigator. She also worked at the
Threat Management Unit, investigating Stalking and Workplace Violence
cases for 3 years. Welcome, Sandra!
Management Analyst II Vicky Castro has joined the Alarm Section of
Commission Investigation Division. She transferred into the City from
the MTA in 1997 and has worked in Transit Services, Metropolitan
Division, the Office of the Inspector General, and Air Support Division.
Welcome back, Vicky!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on February 26, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman had lunch with
Director Brian Johnson from the Police Protective League to discuss
various issues. He was also pleased to attend and participate in the
Department's annual Black History Month Recruitment Expo at the
Crenshaw Christian Center. He was very impressed with the ongoing
effort and detailed organization it takes to continually recruit high
caliber individuals. He reiterated his support for the continuous
hiring of officers in light of current budget limitations. Commissioner
Alan Skobin agreed that the momentum of hiring officers cannot be
lost at this point. Commissioner Skobin attended a fundraiser for the
family of slain Officer Randy Simmons at Miceli's restaurant, the
first Chief's Muslim Community Forum, the Police Historical Society
Chief's Circle Luncheon, and the appreciation luncheon at Mission
Station for supporters of the LAPD San Fernando Valley Toy Giveaway. He
also discussed with Council Member Tom LaBonge the importance of funding
replacement ASTRO radios, met with officers from the Van Nuys Area and
Valley Traffic Division regarding a number of issues that were important
to them, and he toured the Van Nuys Station to inspect the cot room
conditions and possible alternatives. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan
Ordin also agreed that funding for radios and hiring officers will
remain a priority for this Commission. She participated in a meeting
regarding workplace environment issues with several department leaders
with a goal of continuing the efforts to improve LAPD as a premier place
to work. Commissioner John Mack attended to personal matters this week.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief James McDonnell commented on the
magnificent scale of the funeral service for Officer Randy Simmons. He
also attended the funeral service for Police Officer Samuel Williams,
which was equally moving. He commented on the first Chief's Muslim
Community Forum, and thanked Commissioner Skobin for his attendance.
All crime categories are down with the exception of homicides, which are
up 20% compared to this time last year. Gang-related crime is down by
15.3%. There are currently 371 recruits in the Academy.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported the Police
Commission has received correspondence from the Mayor requesting that
the Rampart station be named in honor of Officer Randal Simmons. Chief
Bratton has also mentioned this desire as it would be a perfect match
considering the Rampart Station will be the new home of SWAT.
Commission staff is working with Council Member Garcetti's office to
draft a motion to that effect. Mr. Tefank met with planners of the move
to the new Police Administration Building to discuss the Commission's
needs. He also reported that Commissioner Pacheco will be returning
next week and that the Commission Investigation Division Monthly Report
was included in the Commission packages for review.
A certificate of appreciation was presented to Commission Executive
Assistant II Julie Walters for her more than five years of outstanding
service to the Police Commission. Julie is promoting to Management
Analyst II at Civil Rights Integrity Division. Congratulations, Julie!
Co-Chairs Captain Clay Farrell and Gary Minzer presented the 2008
Hollywood Community Police Advisory Board Status Report. Captain
Farrell described the dynamics of the Hollywood Area and the significant
changes and improvements that have recently occurred. It is a very
densely populated area that is home to significant Los Angeles tourist
attractions along with a booming night club industry that can attract as
many as 30,000 individuals per night. Goals for 2008 include focusing
on crime areas and gang activity, and enhancing community partnerships.
Mr. Minzer outlined the general belief that Hollywood CPAB has always
held, and that is that the police cannot do everything in a community by
themselves. To this end, the Hollywood CPAB has been very effective in
coordinating efforts with other City entities, community groups,
business improvements districts, and others. The fires in the fall
emphasized the fact that communication during emergencies needs to be
improved. They believe that the e-policing program is a good start, yet
it needs to be enhanced. The Hollywood CPAB works closely with the
Neighborhood Prosecutor Program. Captain Farrell stated that there are
250 youth involved in the Hollywood PALs program and 35 in the Explorer
program. He also thanked Mr. Minzer for his years of work as a CPAB
member and leader.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on February 19, 2008
Commission Business - All Commissioners attended different portions of
the services for Officer Randal Simmons, including President Anthony
Pacheco who obtained permission to attend from a trial on the east
coast. All Commissioners commented on the extraordinary outpouring of
community support for all members of the LAPD over this tragic loss of a
truly remarkable human being. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin
attended the interment portion of the service and was overwhelmed with
the beauty of the ceremony and the number of people showing their
respect. Commissioner Alan Skobin remembered sharing dinner with
Officer Simmons just weeks before his death at the SWAT banquet.
Commissioner Skobin also had the opportunity on two occasions to visit
with the officers at West Valley Area to talk to about the loss of an
officer. Commissioner Skobin wears a black wristband from LAPD Family
Support Group as a reminder of fallen officers. Those bracelets are
available through the Memorial Foundation. He also met with Motor
Transport and Administrative and Technical Support Bureau regarding the
motorcycle safety and maintenance issues. Commissioner Robert Saltzman
thanked all staff who participated in the coordination of the Simmons
funeral. He also noted the additional support received from former
Police Commissioners Shelley Freeman and David S. Cunningham, III.
Commissioner Saltzman also met with Council Member Bill Rosendahl to
discuss various issues and he attended the Chief's African American
Community Forum meeting. Commissioner
John Mack also commented on the tremendous outpouring of sympathy from
so many different sources regarding the loss of Officer Simmons.
Commissioner Mack also met with Torie Osborne from the Mayor's Office
regarding the Explorer issue, with Steve Olivas from the Mayor's
Office, with Mark Morial from the National Urban League, and he also
attended the Chief's African American Community Forum meeting.
Chief's Report - Chief Bratton thanked the Commissioners for their
time, attendance and genuine concern during this difficult time.
Officer Simmons' name will be remembered on memorial monuments in
several locations, including Washington D.C. It is also a possibility
that an LAPD facility will be dedicated in Officer Simmons' name. The
Department passed “with flying colors” an FBI audit that analyzed
the way crime is reported. Chief Bratton reported that violent crime is
down by 9.1%, compared to this time last year.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video project is with the Public Safety Committee, and is expected to be
heard within 30 days.
Inspector General's Report - Andre Birotte, Jr., reported that he
also attended the Chief's African American Community Forum meeting and
the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement
conference in Cincinnati.
Police Performance Auditor Erin Kenney presented the Gang Enforcement
Detail Command Accountability Performance Audit for both Harbor Area and
Hollenbeck Area. Both audits were approved, and in general, reflected
improved communication and coordination. There were items that
reflected clerical errors or perhaps lack of judgement, yet no
intentional omissions were detected. These audits were conducted in
mid-2007, allowing the Department to respond back to Audit Division with
a dialogue to create improvement.
Police Administrator Gerald Chaleff and Lt. Lopez presented the Hunter
La-La Ley Second Quarter Report, Fiscal Year 2007-2008. While progress
is being made in the hiring of all employee groups, the statistics still
do not reflect a perfect balance throughout the Department. Mr. Chaleff
described the Hunter-La Ley Consent Decree as an instigator to create
the feeder pools necessary for equal opportunity promotions.
Captain Scott Sargent described the necessity of protocols of Miranda
warnings to suspects who are interviewed in administrative
investigations. A committee is being created to develop such protocols
and a proposal will then be presented to the Commission at a future
date.
The Department's and the Inspector General's reports relative to
the Ethics Enforcement Section Quarterly Report, Third Quarter, 2007,
were approved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on February 12, 2008
The meeting began with a moment of silence for fallen SWAT Officer
Randal Simmons. All Commissioners expressed their deepest sadness over
this significant loss in the LAPD family.
Commission Business -Commissioner Robert Saltzman visited Officer James
Veenstra, and his wife, Captain Michele Veenstra, in the hospital along
with attending a press conference with updates on the SWAT stand off.
He was also pleased to join the Inspector General at a meeting of the
Los Angeles Urban Round Table regarding the Office of the Inspector
General. Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the Anti Defamation
League's Sherwood Awards, and the installation luncheon for the
Police Officers Association of Los Angeles County. He stated that all
activities were greatly overshadowed by the tragic SWAT stand off.
During the past three weeks, Commissioner Skobin has been on SWAT
call-outs and remarked of the officers outstanding focus on safety.
Officer Simmons was an extremely dedicated and talented member of SWAT.
Commissioner Skobin described him simply as, “a beautiful person.”
Commissioner Skobin also visited the Veenstra family in the hospital and
commented that Captain Veenstra asked him to, “please keep working to
get equipment for our cops.” Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin
expressed similar experiences with comments from Captain Veenstra when
she visited with her. She commented that Captain Veenstra is an
eloquent spokesperson for the many needs of the Department.
Commissioner Ordin also attended the second press conference regarding
the SWAT stand off and remarked that Officer Simmons was clearly an
outstanding individual both professionally and personally. As there are
many LAPD officers with similar characteristics, Commissioner Ordin
enjoys reading the Blue Line portion that describes the personal
triumphs and occurrences in officers' lives. Vice President John Mack
attended the first press conference following the SWAT stand off and
viewed the crime scene. He commented on the fact that Officers Simmons
was truly a role model in the way in which he conducted his life, as he
was a mentor for many children. Commissioner Mack was touched when he
visited the Simmons family over the weekend and acknowledged that they
are in the midst of a very traumatic and difficult time. He also had
the opportunity to visit Officer James Veenstra, along with his wife,
Captain Michelle Veenstra in the hospital. Commissioner Mack shared
information regarding the services for Officer Simmons:
Funeral
Friday, February 15, 2008, 11:00 am
Crenshaw Christian Faith Dome
7901 S. Vermont Avenue, Los Angeles
Interment
Immediately following the funeral services
Holy Cross Cemetery
5835 West Slauson Avenue, Culver City of Los Angeles
Chief's Report - Chief Bratton reported on Officer James Veenstra's
upcoming release from the hospital, and the good possibility that he
will not need any more surgeries. Crime statistics continue to reflect a
decrease compared to this time last year, with the exception of
homicides. Gang-related crimes are down by 20%. Chief Bratton thanked
the Commissioners for their time and concern given following the SWAT
stand off.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video project has left the Mayor's Office and is now in the Public
Safety Committee.
Inspector General's Report - Andre Birotte, Jr., reported on the
success of the information session with the Los Angeles Urban Round
Table at the Lucy Florence Coffee Shop.
Police Administrator Thom Brennan reported that the new Police
Administration Building will be completed by May, 2009, and staff is
expected to move in during the summer and fall. All other construction
projects are either on schedule or ahead of schedule.
Captain Philip Fontanetta, Leslie Evans, and Johnny Rains presented the
2008 Community Police Advisory Report for the Southwest Area. Violent
Crime was reduced by 14% in 2007 with the assistance of several programs
including the Safer Cities Initiative, a CLEAR program, and Safe
Passage. Southwest has active youth programs including Explorers,
Project Elementary, and Boot Camp. The Southwest CPAB has now developed
a Web site and has been very active in assisting others in creating
Block Clubs. Working with the Los Angeles Urban League, the CPAB has
been effective in creating a “Safe Passage” program for youths going
to and from school.
The Commissioners approved all candidates considered for the Medal of
Valor award.
Assistant Inspector General Beth Kennedy Alonso presented the Inspector
General's Complaint Investigations Audit for Fiscal Year 2007/2008.
Out of 60 complaint investigations reviewed, 29 had areas of concern.
The areas of concern included information being omitted, problematic
paraphrasing, lacking effort in identifying and/or interviewing accused
and witnessing officers, and not all necessary questions being asked
during interviews. The Commissioners expressed disappointment and
concern over these findings and asked the Department to report back in
three weeks with a status report on previous recommendations intended to
address these issues, and in six weeks to report on the status of the 29
questioned cases.
Employee News
Community Police Aide Joaquin Trujillo has joined both Commission
Investigation Division, Alarms Unit, and the Executive Section. Joaquin
is working on his Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice at California
State University Los Angeles. He plans on becoming a police officer, and
later, a detective. Welcome, Joaquin!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on February 5, 2008
Commission Business -Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin reviewed
grievances and several litigation reports while preparing for her
upcoming meeting regarding workplace issues. She had a good report from
the third Pro-Bono Legal Clinic on Skid Row. Fifty individuals were
assisted by 38 lawyers for both short and long-term legal issues.
Commissioner Alan Skobin attended the first ever Citizens' Academy
provided by the Drug Enforcement Agency. This 10 week program provides
individuals with a good understanding of DEA operations and the joint
efforts with many local law enforcement agencies, including the LAPD.
Commissioner Skobin also attended a La Ley meeting, met individually
with Council Member Zine, and with the President of La Ley.
Commissioner Rob Saltzman met with former County Supervisor Ed Edelman
who is also a current Board of Rights Hearing Examiner. Commissioner
Saltzman also received many supportive calls regarding the Financial
Disclosure issue. He commented that the Vice President for Student
Affairs at USC outlined some of the reasons, which were not related to
LAPD's response, for the disturbance at USC a few weeks ago. Vice
President John Mack stated that he and Executive Director Tefank met
with the Court-appointed independent monitor. He was also very pleased
to attend and speak at the recent recruit graduation and he commented
that Commander Lou Grey's son was one of the recruits.
Chief's Report - Assistant Chief Sharon Papa reported that the
incident at USC is being thoroughly reviewed. She stated that the
recent news reports of a barricaded suspect actually being a former LAPD
officer, were misleading. The individual was actually a recruit for one
month in 1994. Commissioner Skobin was present at that incident and he
commented about the professionalism and safety focus of the SWAT
officers involved. While Part One crimes are down by 13.7% compared to
this time last year, there has been a 20% increase in homicides.
Recruitment continues to go well.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that he met
with Lt. Doug Miller regarding the upcoming Community Relations report
which will be presented to the Commission upon President Pacheco's
return. The In-Car Video contract is still in the Mayor's Office.
Inspector General's Report - Assistant Inspector General Django
Sibley stated that the Office of the Inspector General will be holding
an informational session for the community at the Lucy Florence Coffee
Shop on Saturday, February 9th, at 10:00 am. The coffee shop is located
at 3351 West 43rd Street.
Deputy Chief Michael Hillmann and Commander Sandy Jo MacArthur reported
on the recommendations contained in the MacArthur Park Incident report, “An Examination of May Day 2007.” All 23 recommendations are either
in place, soon to be in place, or on-going. Some recommendations, such
as the Incident Management Team, have already proven to be very useful.
Commissioner Skobin noted that while many line officers have gone
through the now required training, some staff officers have not.
Commissioner Saltzman asked generally what is different now than before
MacArthur Park. Chief Hillman stated that there is now a coordination
of planning, a unity of command, enhanced communications with the media,
and a technique that allows for isolated arrests.
Transportation Director Larry Tagawa outlined some of the issues
related to the Department's Harley Davidson motorcycles. He was asked
to return in 30 days with a more detailed analysis of the Harley
Davidson motorcycles compared to the BMW and Kawasaki models that match
LAPD speculations.
Police Administrator Yvette Sanchez-Owens discussed Scientific
Investigation Division's current ability to process the backlog of
evidence - fingerprint, blood, urine, DNA, etc. There are significant
backlogs in these areas and they are related to budget issues. There is
a current need for more supervisors, criminalists, support staff, and
vehicles. To address these shortages, Ms. Sanchez-Owens has
restructured the Field Unit, switched from analog to digital, introduced
robotics to the analysis process, and sought grants and donations, among
other things to improve the situation.
The Consent Decree/Gang Enforcement Detail Status Report - Fourth
Quarter, as presented by Captain Regina Scott, was approved.
The Consent Decree Quality Assurance Assessment Cadre Police Commission
Update Report, as presented by Commander Lou Grey, was approved.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on January 29, 2008
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman was out of town,
however, yet he spoke to the Inspector General regarding several Use of
Force cases and attended the Command staff breakfast. Commissioner Alan
Skobin attended the SWAT banquet, the League of Women Voters meeting,
the Metropolitan News Person of the Year Awards, and he met with
Commander Rick Webb and staff regarding the Use of Force adjudication
process. Commissioner Skobin played a major role in the Department's
acquisition of new Astro XTS 5000 portable radios, stated that the
Department has received its first shipment of 697 of the much-needed
radios. He also indicated that efforts are under way to complete the
project and provide 10,000 radios. Commissioners Mack and Ordin each
commended Commissioner Skobin for his efforts in shepherding this matter
to its fulfillment, however Commissioner Skobin gave credit to the focus
and teamwork of Chief Bratton, the Mayor's Office, the Fire
Department, and Chief Information Officer Tim Riley and his staff.
Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin worked on grievances which were
presented to her, and discussed several matters with the Inspector
General. She also participated in planning meetings in preparation for
the third pro bono homeless clinic this Thursday, providing legal
services to Skid Row residents through downtown law firms. In addition,
she attended an event at Garfield High School sponsored by the Los
Angeles County Bar Association's Diversity Committee. More than 50
lawyers were on hand to discuss law careers with high school students.
Commissioner John Mack met with several people, including Khalid Shaw
from Stop the Violence, Keep the Peace, Randy Archibald from the New
York Times, and Police Administrator Gerald Chaleff. He also had the
opportunity to attend a Watts Gang Task Force meeting along with Deputy
Chief Charlie Beck and Kenny Garner. He was impressed with the
productivity of the group but noted that the overriding tone was one of
sadness and frustration due to the significant gang killings over the
weekend.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton reported that overall Part One
crime is down by 15.6%, even though there has been an increase in
homicides and rapes compared to this time last year. Last week, Chief
Bratton attended the ongoing Policing in the 21st Century conference in
Boston.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the
Commission Investigation Division's Activity Report was included in
the Commission package for review, the In-Car Video contract is still in
the Mayor's Office, and the Department has requested that Agenda Item
8H be continued.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. stated that his
office has extended offers to two Special Investigator candidates.
Captain III Richard Wemmer was presented with a Police Commission
certificate of appreciation for his 37 years of outstanding service to
the Department and to the people of Los Angeles.
Co-Chairs Captain III Jodi Wakefield and Blair Beston presented the
2008 Central Area Community Police Advisory Board (CPAB) Update.
Captain Wakefield provided an overview of issues that are unique to
Central, including Skid Row, a transient gang influence, the emerging
community of downtown property owners, and the coming LA Live! facility.
While the Central Area does not have a large youth population, it does
have active youth programs that provide for the Area's youth as well
as other Areas'. This year, the Central Area Children's Holiday
Party was attended by 3,100 children. The Safer Cities Initiative on
Skid Row has created a positive impact on Skid Row in terms of crime and
quality of life. Captain Wakefield acknowledges that there may be
complaints regarding the enforcement of Safer Cities Initiative, but
they are far outweighed by the safety that is now afforded for people
who reside on Skid Row. Given the difficult nature of the job, officers
who work the Safer Cities Initiative detail in Central do so on a
volunteer basis. The officers who are there want to be, and thus, they
provide an excellent service to the community. The Central CPAB has
been responsible for many area improvements such as trash removal
programs, the painting of sidewalks and various community events
including “Art Walks.”
Commander David Doan presented the response to a City Council inquiry
regarding Department policy on participation in Drug Enforcement Agency
raids of permitted Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles. He
reiterated that the DEA does not recognize local or state law and will
continue to uphold federal law. Therefore, the DEA will continue
aggressive law enforcement action by enforcing all federal laws,
including asset forfeiture proceedings. The LAPD does assist in the DEA
Task Force raids when asked.
Employee News
Commission Executive Assistant I Darlene Goya has joined the Police
Commission, Executive Section. She has been with the City for 27 years
and I worked for the Department of Building and Safety and the Office of
the City Clerk. Welcome Darlene!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on January 22, 2008:
Commission Business - Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin attended the
conference on homelessness in Los Angeles presented by the Manhattan
Institute for Policy Research. She also participated in other meetings
and discussions regarding the Skid Row issue. In addition, she attended
a breakfast meeting with command staff prior to the Commission meeting.
Commissioner Alan Skobin attended a banquet honoring Mayor Park, Mayor
of Gwangju Metropolitan City, sponsored by the Congress of Racial
Equality, the World Cultural Sports Foundation and the Martin Luther
King Day Los Angeles Committee. Mayor Park was also the International
Grand Marshall for the Kingdom Day Parade. Commissioner Skobin was
honored to accept an award on behalf of Chief Bratton at this event for
his effort on bridging cultural roles in Los Angeles. Commissioner
Skobin also attended the Chief's Religious Community Forum and joined
Commissioner Mack in a meeting with the Mayor to discuss the
Department's proposed budget. Commissioner Robert Saltzman joined
Commissioner Mack in participating in the Kingdom Day Parade. He was
impressed with the large crowd despite the rain. Commissioner Saltzman
also commented on the popularity of Chief Bratton driving a “T3” for
the duration of the parade. Lately, there has been interaction between
the University of Southern California's Department of Public Safety
and the LAPD. Commissioner Saltzman stated that he was again impressed
with the professionalism of the LAPD's personnel. Commissioner John
Mack, as stated previously, participated in the Kingdom Day parade and
met with the Mayor to discuss the proposed budget. In addition, he met
with the Los Angeles Civic Alliance to discuss the Consent Decree and
other issues before the Commission.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton commented that the
Department has eight “T3” vehicles and is working on getting more as
they are proving to be effective in the community. He reported that the
crime statistics are up in some categories and down in others, however,
overall Part One crime is down by 16.4%. Chief Bratton announced the
promotion of Commander Terry Hara to Deputy Chief of West Bureau, and
the reassignment of Deputy Chief Beck to Detective Bureau, and Deputy
Chief Garner to South Bureau. He also stated that he would be speaking
at two upcoming conferences: “Policing Los Angeles in the 21st
Century,” at USC, and part of a series of conferences on innovative
policing theories at Harvard University.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that Public
Safety Committee will be reviewing the Financial Disclosure issue on
January 24th, and the item will return to full Council on January 30th.
The In-Car Video contract is currently with the Mayor's Office.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. stated that he also
attended the conference regarding homelessness in Los Angeles. In
addition, he has been conducting interviews for an opening in his
office.
Secretary Silvia Torres was named Police Commission Employee of the
Month. In addition to being an outstanding employee throughout the
year, Silvia recently accomplished three tasks which have significantly
contributed to the productivity of the Police Commission: she revised
the Consent Decree audit tracking system, she developed a system to
monitor the services provided by the Hearing Examiners, and she created
a database to track the permitted parking lots in the City of Los
Angeles.
Captain Jeri Weinstein presented an update on the current status of the
personnel complaint investigations relative to the MacArthur Park
incident occurring on May 1, 2007. She stated that approximately 11,000
hours have been spent investigating this incident thus far. Next week,
the investigation will be presented to the District Attorney and the
City Attorney. There are 72 allegations against 29 known officers, and
139 allegations against unknown officers.
The monthly Adjudication of Categorical Use of Force Incidents -
Completion of Training Status Report, was approved, as well as the
Inspector General's and Department's report relative to the
Discipline Report, Third Quarter 2007.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on January 15, 2008:
Commission Business - Commissioner Robert Saltzman attended and spoke
at the dedication of the Valley Bomb Squad facility. As a new
Commissioner, he has become quite aware of the poor condition of many of
the police facilities, and was pleased to see the opening of a new state
of the art building. He also attended and spoke at the citywide
Community Relations Officers quarterly meeting. Commissioner Alan
Skobin, along with Commissioner Saltzman, met with staff from Personnel
Group to discuss the Essential Duty Functions. He also met with staff
to discuss the Adjudication of Categorical Use of Force incidents. It
is Commissioner Skobin's desire to take away the stigma of training
related to these incidents. This item will be presented to the full
Commission in the near future. Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin
participated in several meetings with staff on various issues. She also
attended the reception for outgoing Mexican Consul General in Los
Angeles, Roberto Beltran. Commissioner John Mack attended and spoke at
the press conference announcing the drop in gang-related crime during
the year of 2007. He also outlined the Police Commission's objectives
for the coming year to a Xi Boule gathering, and he met with Assistant
Chief Sharon Papa to discuss the Department's Proposed Budget.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton reported on the crime
statistics, which reflect a 20% drop in Part One crimes compared to the
same time last year. He also stated that the Department is on track for
meeting hiring goals thus far.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video contract is currently with the Mayor's Office. This item will
be updated weekly in the Commission meetings.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. stated that he has
been working with Deputy Chief Garner and Lt. Fred Booker on community
outreach issues and the outcome will be an “Office of the Inspector
General Day.” This day will be announced soon and it will serve as an
opportunity for the community to learn of the functions of the Inspector
General.
Council Member Janice Hahn described the creation and accomplishments
of the
Watts Gang Task Force. Since its inception in 2006, this Task Force
has become an influential voice throughout the City and has encouraged
entities to work together to create solutions to the gang violence in
South Los Angeles. The Task Force has met every Monday, and often with
very distinguished guests. The Task Force has proven that pulling
numerous resources together to work for a common goal works. Gang
murders have dropped by 50% in this area.
Co-Chairs Captain Steve Zipperman and Jeanette Capaldi presented the
Annual West Valley Community Police Advisory Board Report. Captain
Zipperman described the West Valley in terms of geographic size, number
of sworn and civilian employees, and recent crime statistics for the
Area. West Valley has many active programs including Boosters, Police
Activities League (PALs), Jeopardy, Explorers, a Volunteer Mounted
Patrol, a Volunteer Surveillance Team, and an e-policing registration of
more than 3,000. Ms. Capaldi described some of the CPAB successes of
2007, including a National Night Out with 3,000 participants, the PALs
Golf Tournament, the West Valley 50th Reunion, and an Open House with
3,000 people visiting the station. This year's toy drive at West
Valley was so successful, that there were more toys than requests. The
additional toys were given to other organizations for distribution. All
Commissioners praised Captain Zipperman and Ms. Capaldi for their
outstanding work. Commissioner Ordin captured their presentation by
saying, “These reports and stories are the best things we hear, and we
thank you.”
Commander Kirk Albanese presented the Department's report on the“suicide by cop” phenomenon. He stated that of the 90 Officer
Involved Shootings during the period studied (January , 2006 to January,
2007), 11% fell into this category. Some of these cases involve
individuals with mental issues that place them in situations allowing
the involved officers no other option but to use their firearm.
Additional training is being offered for officers to better understand
individuals with mental disorders. The Crisis Intervention training is
given on a voluntary basis to officers who want to better prepare
themselves for these encounters. Commissioner Skobin asked that the
Department also analyze the suicide of officers phenomenon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the Police Commission Meeting on January 8, 2008
Vice President John Mack began the meeting by announcing that President
Anthony Pacheco will be away from Commission service for two months as
he is in trial. Commissioner Mack will be presiding over the meetings
until Commissioner Pacheco's return.
Commission Business - Commissioner Andrea Sheridan Ordin spent much of
her break during the holidays with family and friends but spent time on
Christmas Eve at Central Area observing interviews with Skid Row
residents. She also attended the recent Recruit Graduation along with
1,000 other family and friends of the recruits, participated in
discussions with the Police Protective League, and worked on the
Abridged Summaries of Categorical Uses of Force. In addition, she
continued her efforts on the homeless issue in the downtown area.
Commissioner Alan Skobin met with representatives from the Official
Police Garage Association and discussed the boundaries of the new
stations, met with Deputy Chief Diaz and Commander Cansler regarding
various issues. Commissioner Skobin noted that police officers are
often the first emergency personnel at dangerous building and vehicle
fires, and in many cases have performed heroic actions by entering a
burning dwelling or vehicle to save the lives of the public. He also
noted that many awards that have been received by Department personnel,
including numerous Medals of Valor awards, have been for acts of bravery
involving fires. However, he indicated that the Department provides no
training in basic fire science beyond brush fires. Commissioner Skobin
requested that the Department to look into the possibility of basic fire
science training for officers, to include such things as back draft,
flashovers, and other basic areas. He suggested that the Department look
at areas including, but not limited to, e-learning and roll call
training. Commissioner
Robert Saltzman welcomed the opportunity to work with Commissioner Mack
as President. Commissioner Saltzman continued his orientation to LAPD
with a meeting with Captains Rob Hauck and Jeff Greer regarding the
Metropolitan Division. He also met with Deputy City Attorney Julie
Raffish and Commander Stuart Maislin regarding litigation issues. He
has been contacted by several community leaders regarding the Explorer
issue and he is looking forward to working on this issue with
Commissioner Mack. Commissioner John Mack attended the retirement
luncheon for Wilshire Captain Rich Wemmer. He asked that a recognition
be arranged for Captain Wemmer at an upcoming Police Commission
meeting.
Chief's Report - Chief William Bratton reported on the crime
statistics, which are somewhat misleading as they represent only the
first few days of the new year, however all categories of crime were
drastically decreased, with an overall 28.5% drop in Part One crimes.
The overall 2007 crime statistics reflected expected decreases, yet
Chief Bratton was hesitant to set crime reduction goals for 2008 until
budget issues are known, specifically the outcome of the vote for City
Proposition S, the proposed communication users tax. Commissioner Ordin
added that the main factor in the crime reduction effort is the men and
women of the LAPD.
Executive Director's Report - Richard Tefank reported that the In-Car
Video contract is currently with the City Legislative Analyst and the
City Administrative Office for processing. Commissioner Mack asked that
the Commission be updated weekly on this topic. Mr. Tefank also met
with Captain Dave Baca and staff regarding the Photo Red Light project.
He announced that Commission Executive Assistant II Julie Walters has
accepted a Management Analyst II position in Civil Rights Integrity
Division, however she will be on loan to the Commission for some
additional time. The Commissioners expressed their appreciation to
Julie for her outstanding work and dedication.
Inspector General's Report - André Birotte, Jr. stated that he is in
the process of filling two vacancies in his office.
Deputy Chief Mark Perez provided the current status of the personnel
complaint investigations relative to the MacArthur Park incid |
