Mercury Insurance Group Donates $1 Million Toward Recruitment Efforts

Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and Chief William J. Bratton gratefully accepted a $1 million donation from Mercury Insurance Group to aid the Los Angeles Police Department in its recruitment efforts at a news conference held this morning at the Los Angeles Police Academy.  Councilmember Jack Weiss, Councilmember Wendy Greuel and Personnel Department General Manager Margaret Whelan also thanked Mercury Insurance Chief Claims Officer Joanna Moore for the company’s generous contribution.

The donation will be used to fund the Police Signing Bonus (PSB), an enticement used by the Department and City to compete against other law enforcement agencies in drawing new police officers.  Chief Bratton stated the PSB is a “significant incentive to attract not only new members to the Los Angeles Police Department, but those who work for other agencies and decide that they want to come to the LAPD because of its increased opportunities.”

Mercury’s gift represents the largest monetary donation in the Department’s history and will greatly aid the City in achieving the Mayor’s goal of increasing the Department’s workforce to 10,300 officers by the year 2010.

Councilmember Greuel challenged other corporations to join Mercury Insurance Group in giving back to the community and contributing to the LAPD.  Commenting on the Department’s success in the reduction of crime, Chief Bratton noted, “We cannot do it without officers.  We cannot do it without the partnership of the private sector.”

Comments

[Legal Eagle]

Let's see now...taking money from corporations and individuals to fund city mandates? First there was Sheriff Mike Corona and then NYPD Chief Bernard Kerick...Could our beloved Bill Bratton be next on the Fed's hitlist of police officers taking cash and perks on the side. Stay tuned!

[Janet]

The difference between those other law enforcement guys and Bratton is the money went into their pockets. Bratton is one of the most honest Chief's in the nation. The city politicans should be ashamed of themselves because private companies donate to help their law enforcement agency out yet they build gorilla and elephant exhibits worth millions at the zoo.

[SLF]

No company gives away a mil for the hell of it.

Backroom deals are being done, if they haven't already.

The irony in this story is that PSB can also stand for 'Professional Standards Bureau'.

They are the entity that is charged with investigating cops, i.e. Internal Affairs.

I know a place they can start, right at the top!

[pdhog]

It is like the financial disclosure issue against gang-narco coppers. The reason behind it is when Deputy Chief Maurice Moore (allegedly) was laundering money for his doper son. Funny thing is that no command staff officers have to submit to the disclosure which requires officers to submit their income/personal credit info as well as their spouse/significant other, adult children, renters living in the home, parents and siblings. Also, the City want the info for up to three years after you retire.

[Bob Davis]

This gift, though generous, is an interesting example of ambiguous values. LAPD does not want officers taking that free cup of coffee or the discounted meal from the generous restaurant owner, yet there are a million reasons to take this donation. It is not unusual for the organizational leadership to expect one type of behavior, NO GRATUITIES, yet condone the opposite. Then the rationalization starts on why this is a different situation.

I am far more concerned when a Department head accepts this type of money, than when an officer gets a few dollars off his meal.

I wonder why these funds could not have been donated to existing non profit foundations that already exist, such as the Parker Foundation, which is used to help support training needs.

For you old timers: remember, it started with a stick of gum.