• Police Chief William Bratton reported as a result of the economic downturn, the Department has been able to recruit a lot more candidates as one of the few law enforcement agencies in the nation still hiring. Chief Bratton added he, along with several other major city chiefs of police, would be meeting with the new Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, in Washington D.C. at the end of the month.
• The Office of the Mayor’s verbal presentation relative to Gang Strategy Initiatives for prevention, intervention, suppression, and re-entry as presented by Deputy Mayor of Homeland Security and Public Safety Arif Alikhan and the Director of Gang Reduction and Youth Development, Reverend Jeff Carr, was received. Deputy Mayor Khan stated the City’s collaborative efforts have had tremendous success. Suppression efforts have targeted areas of the City with the highest need and most at-risk youth. He added that the Community Law Enforcement and Recovery program has been expanded to Southeast, Southwest and Ramona Gardens. Reverend Carr spoke on the prevention and intervention aspects of the gang strategy initiatives. He stated the ages at which youth are most likely to be introduced to gang affiliation are between the ages of 10-15 years old. With that in mind, the Mayor’s office is working to develop an intervention and training academy to prevent the flow of children into gangs. Other programs include the expansion of the Summer Night Lights program and a gun buy-back campaign set for Mothers Day 2009.
• The Office of the City Attorney’s verbal presentation relative to gang prosecution as presented by Deputy City Attorney Bruce Riordan was received. Mr. Riordan informed the Commission the City has a gang removal petition in place and has received 20 applications thus far from individuals who wish to denounce their gang affiliation for this year.
• The Department’s verbal presentation and update, in response to Board query, relative to the status of DNA processing backlog as presented by Deputy Chief Charlie Beck was received. Deputy Chief Beck reported he assigned 50 detectives to sort through 55,000 items of evidence in order to develop a database with an accurate accounting of backlogged sexual assault kits. There are a total of 4,423 untested CODIS eligible cases remaining, all of which will be tested. Chief Beck added the public will be able to track the Department’s progress on processing of the backlog on the Department’s website in the near future.
• The Department’s verbal presentation and update, in response to Board query, relative to the status of the Latent Print Task Force as presented by Deputy Chief Charlie Beck and Police Administrator Yvette Sanchez-Owen was received. Deputy Chief Beck informed the Commission as a result of the Task Force, six print examiners have been relieved of their fingerprint duties and all cases which they originally examined are now being re-examined. The number of cases being re-examined is 1,139 and the Department is currently a third of the way through. No other discrepancies have been found. Deputy Chief Beck added the Unit is seeking a new facility and the section manual will be completed in the next few months.
• The Department’s report, dated January 30, 2009, relative to Ethics Enforcement Section Quarterly Report, Fourth Quarter, 2008, was received and the Office of the Inspector General was directed to submit an analysis of this report along with any appropriate recommendations to the Board.
• The Department’s report, dated February 4, 2009, relative to Hunter-La Ley 1st Quarter Report – Covering Deployment Periods 7-9, Fiscal Year 2008-09, was approved.
• The Department’s report, dated February 4, 2009, relative to Hunter-La Ley 2nd Quarter Report – Covering Deployment Periods 10-13, Fiscal Year 2008-09, was approved.
• The Department’s report, dated February 3, 2009, relative to Supervisory Performance evaluations Audit, Fourth Quarter, Fiscal Year 2007-08 (AD No. 07-023), was received and filed.
• The Department’s report, dated February 9, 2009, relative to the City Council Motion relative to Photo Red Light, Council file No. 07-1202-S4, was approved and transmitted to the Public Safety and Transportation Committees.
• The Inspector General’s report, dated February 5, 2009, relative to the Office of the Inspector General’s Complaint Investigations Audit – Fiscal Year 2008/2009, as presented by Inspector General André Birotte was approved. Inspector General Birotte stated he was pleased with the audit’s outcome and complimented the Department on a job well done in the investigation of complaints of misconduct.
• The Department’s report, dated November 3, 2008, and Inspector General’s report, dated February 5, 2009, relative to the Review of the Ethics Enforcement Section’s Quarterly Report, Third Quarter, 2008, was approved.
• The Department’s report, dated February 12, 2009, relative to Commission Request for Follow-up information regarding TDD Devices and Video Phones for Hearing Impaired, as presented by Captain Gregory Allen was approved. Captain Allen informed the Commission the Department is moving forward with its requisition and has ordered ten TDD devices. Four devices will be distributed to the four area traffic divisions, one to LAX, one to the new Olympic Station, one to the new Topanga Station, and the last three will serve as back-up if one of the existing devices were to malfunction. He added the Department has also ordered 25 video phone devices.
• The Department’s report, dated February 12, 2009, relative to the Cause and Correction Action Report: Release of Confidential Information, was approved and transmitted to the Public Safety Committee.
• The Executive Director’s report, dated February 12, 2009, relative to Review and Transmittal of the Proposed Request for Proposal for the West Bureau and South Bureau Heavy Duty Towing & Storage Services Official Police Garage Contract RFP 07-980-003, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor and City Council.
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