What Skid Row Offensive?

As I read the news on August 17, I was pleased to see that the Los Angeles Times is drawing much-needed attention to City homelessness.

In an article titled, LAPD’s Crime Offensive on Skid Row is Slipping, the Times raised several valid points. Regrettably, the newspaper incorrectly reported on the LAPD’s skid row offensive.

Allow me to clarify—the LAPD’s skid row offensive has not faltered because there is no such thing. The so-called offensive is instead part of a larger strategy to prevent and reduce crime called the Safer Cities Initiative, a strategic plan endorsed by Mayor Villaraigosa to address social conditions that contribute to crime.

The Safer Cities strategy seeks to build partnerships and collaborations—among businesses, criminal justice agencies, community groups, private organizations and City Departments—using the broken windows approach to develop creative solutions.

As part of Safer Cities, additional LAPD officers will be assigned to Central Division beginning in September to abate criminal activity. Additionally, the Department is working closely with the American Civil Liberties Union to reach reasonable working solutions to address an unresolved lawsuit that limits police officers’ ability to arrest people for sleeping on the street.

The LAPD remains committed to achieving its public safety goals in the skid row area. Increased LAPD presence, however, is only part of the solution.

Torie Osborn, who focuses on homelessness solutions for Mayor Villaraigosa, said it best.

"I think there are people who think that public safety is the answer to poverty and homelessness," Ms. Osborn is quoted as saying in the Times. "I don't think it is, and the mayor doesn't think it is."

"You can't ask the police to transform an entrenched community of homelessness and alienation," she went on to say. "You need medical treatment, addiction treatment, recovery beds and, most of all, supportive housing."

What Ms. Osborn proposes is the true, long-term solution to combating homelessness in Los Angeles and throughout the county. Homelessness is a social ill that we cannot arrest our way out of.

William J. Bratton

Chief of Police, Los Angeles Police Department

Comments

[Jennie]

The problems on skid row have obviously been around for a long time. I don't understand why there is some sort of expectation for the L.A.P.D. to quickly clean it up and make it safe. It definitely will take a group effort and an understanding of homeless issues by all the parties involved in order for any significant changes to occur. I do not believe that any one individual or one agency has all the answers. There is no "easy button" that can be pushed to make all the problems go away.

As a frequent visitor to the downtown area, I think that all the men and women who work on skid row trying to do something to help the area should be commended. I have had the opportunity to speak to emergency personnel who work the area and the stories they tell of what they see are almost too much to even imagine. In addition, those who work in the homeless shelters or on the streets trying not to give up on individuals that have often given up on themselves are truly special people.

In the meantime, Central Division is still responsible for other areas not just skid row. As L.A. experiences so much growth, new residents and visitors like me expect to be safe when we move to or visit downtown. That is a lot of responsibility for the men and women of Central Divison, in terms of the sheer amount of area to cover and in the diversity of the area being covered. I think all in all, for what the needs are and what is expected from the Cental Division, the L.A.P.D. is doing a pretty good job of juggling all the different reponsibilities. I also remain optimistic that with time and support from all members of the local community, a positive change will occur on skid row.

[Steve]

Much of the problem on skid row is the direct result of the Sundance Decision which eliminated the ability of law enforcement to remove chronic alcoholic and drug users from the streets.

It was politically popular to blame the homeless problem on the Reagan administration. However, as study after study has shown substance abuse is the primary pipeline to skid row. The next largest group are those with mental problems who should be offered medical care.

I am not sure what Mz Osborne is really proposing. Putting true drug addicts in housing only results in the destruction of the housing. Even where families or others are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars on individual addicts from the sports, entertainment or business world the success rate is low. We simply do not have consistently effective methods of curing addiction.

Given the very high cost and limited effectiveness of treatment programs addiction should be treated as a contageous, deadly disease for which no reliable cure exists and thus the community and law enforcement united in efforts to prevent its spread.

[WickedWarrior]

What a surprise, the Mayor is backing his old cronies in the ACLU (All Criminals Love Us).

It looks like Bratton and Rocky D. are going at this by themselves.

Mayor Villar should be ashamed of himself. Good going Tony, I can't wait till them homeless set up shop outside of your taxpayer paid mansion.

We'll see how fast your Metro Detail moves to remove them.

What a joke.