Statement from Los Angeles Police Department

Los Angeles:  Immediately following the shooting incident that occurred in Aurora Colorado, the Los Angeles Police Department dispatched officers to major venues where the movie “The Dark Night” was playing.  No incidents occurred in the City of Los Angeles.  

Today, and in the immediate future, the LAPD will be providing hi-visibility patrol to major theaters in Los Angeles, as well as other sporting events, concerts and crowded venues.  Our presence will be both uniformed officers as well as undercover officers.

 “I am outraged by the cowardly attack on innocent movie patrons in Colorado last night" said LAPD Chief Charlie Beck."  Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those innocent victims.  Since Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the world, it is important that we all remain vigilant and do everything we can to prevent incidents like this from occurring in our Communities.  Remember, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.”

Even though there is no apparent connection between Los Angeles and the incident in Aurora, we will be increasing both uniformed presence and undercover surveillance at Movie Theaters and other venues where large crowds gather.  Crime prevention and Homeland security is everybody’s responsibility, if you see something say something, let’s keep our Community safe.

To report any suspicious activity you call 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crime Stoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts  Also you can report to www.iWATCHLA.org.

If you have an EMERGENCY, always call “911”

Comments

[salis shrestha]

Me and my wife went to foothill station on 7/30/12 evening to report and get advise an incident occurred that afternoon when my male neighbor ring the bell multiple time in my condo since about 9 am and my wife open the door after 4-5 ringing. At that time he ask my wife to borrow screw driver and when my wife gave him screw driver he pass note to my wife and told her to read. Notes wrote as "can i make love with you". My wife got scarred and gave note back and closed the door. she felt she was insulted, offended, scared and sexually harassed. She caledl her friend and she(friend) came to my place and went to her place. When I came back from work that evening we went to police station but police officer was not able to take any report or action because he(officer) and other prosecutor he talked felt that there was no crime committed and they can not prosecute the person. We felt very helpless and beaten that there is nothing police department can do to help us except file restrain order in court even though their motto is "to protect and to serve".

I can see there is no obvious crime was committed here but can u imagine a guy who is willing to come to neighbors door, that we recognise each other, and pass note for sex. What he can do if he will see your daughter or granddaughter or sister alone at park or lonely street?... How can police department ignore this because there no crime committed here?.... don"t we have to whistle blower?... isn't the crime starts like this?... I am not asking police department to arrest the guy and prosecute but dont we deserve better than doing nothing...How about just sending letter from department to this guy saying somebody came and try to make complaints of harrasement?... As of now probabaly this guy think we haven't done anything to his action and we tolerate his shameless behavior...Now our option is only to live with this shameless event or file for restraining order to guy who lives 5 feet from us or i go and confront the guy...Is this how we supposed to act in this society???

[Ed O'Shea]

Salis Shrestha......As an LAPD Officer, I'm embarrassed that the Officers at Foothill Division did nothing to help you!I'm sorry that your wife had to endure such harassment. What they should have done is take the note and physically go have a word with this cretin. I'm very sorry that you had that encounter with YOUR Police Department. Its good people like you that we NEED to be out there helping.
I will also say, that the LAPD as a whole to work for, from the working Officers perspective, is getting worse and worse every day. Chief Beck is a nice guy, but he doesn't care enough about us, and P2 and P3 positions around the department that are open, will not be filled, because the Captains rarely submit the requests to OO (Office of Operations) for the positions to be filled. This is so they may give the appearance that they can do more with less, even when it's ineffectual, mind numbingly unsafe and counter productive. Who knows if Chief Beck or Assistant Chief Passinger would really allow for them to advertise these positions. The word is that they would not. See these people have gotten to a place in their career where they are merely looking to promote to the next shinny rank insignia on their lapels. Or in Chief Becks case retire, so us little guys and our plotted path in the department means zero to them. Most hard working Officers like me, are very bitter that we made such a pour choice in picking what we thought was a premiere department in the LAPD to work for. I should have reenlisted in the Military or joined another, more merit based police department. We, as a department promote do-nothing people that have little business being in law enforcement, let alone become decision makers. Also we put demonstrably incompetent, just plain lazy people and demographic imperatives in vitally important operational units that are tasked with serious criminal investigation. We also promote these people to positions where their bloated egos negatively infect their captured audience that their rank affords them. And that's quite damaging to morale and crime fighting. The movement within the department is almost nil, with respect to operational specialized units, so good officers that have skills applicable to those units get passed over so that the weak status quo is kept. Self motivated, professional and capable officers scare weak clock watchers. A hard work ethic, intimidates insecure officers that know they got the position they're in, due to some loophole, or they were an inside billet for some Captain or above, and the necessity a demographic imperative position. Don't get me wrong, it's not only demographic imperatives that are destroying the morale and this departments operational effectiveness, overall. We have just as many lazy do-nothing people from all walks of life "working" in these units. It disgusts me. If we as a department are not going to provide movement for our officers, then PLEASE move these Captains around, the safety of this city demands it in a bad way! I became a law enforcement officer to continue my service to our great country, and it's my own department that is dropping the ball in protecting the citizens we are supposed to be protecting.
This city is unreasonably LESS safe, and it's to bad it's on Chief Becks watch, because I think he's a good man who is fed up, and as a result he's unknowingly allowing his command staff to tarnish his reputation.
I don't have to much longer to go....20 and OUT! And under the status quo operations of the LAPD, it cannot come soon enough. I hate that they have twisted my outlook so negatively, but that's where quite a few of us are at this point. I feel for the people of this city, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

[citizen]

Hey Ed, good thing for this idiot that you were not on this call. You would have said something to hurt his poor little feeling. Then you would be the one in trouble. The guy should be taken out and well you all know what I mean.

[FTO]

Ed,
Why all of the bitterness? Some of what you say about the leadership in the department is true, however, it has always been that way. As far as promotions go, the budget and current economic situation is out of the department's hands. Be thankful that you have a job.

I'm a P-3 and have been working in the field for 13 years. I give 100% every single day that I work. I absolutely love my job and look forward to coming to work everyday.Like I tell all of my P-1s. Give 100% everyday and don't do it for the Chief. Don't do it for the Captains or the Watch Commander. Do it for yourself so that when you go home and look in the mirror you are proud of the person looking back.

Remember Ed, if you don't like your job or where you work nobody is forcing you to stay with the LAPD. If you are unhappy don't blame the leadership and everybody around you. It's up to you to find happiness and job satisfaction. Like I said before, thank God that you have a job to complain about.

[Curtis Lemanski]

I don't want to air our internal dirty laundry on this site so I'll keep it someone generic. I too am an LAPD officer, but I am also citizen of Los Angeles (unlike most of my co-workers). I want to see the best qualified people in patrol cars and promoted. When I'm at work I want to know that I have motivated, proficient and mature officers and supervisors protecting my home.

The neighbor passing a note is not a crime. Is he a jerk? Yes. Are you unfortunate for living next to him? Yes. But to send an officer there to tell him he's a jerk...I don't see it. I suggest you contact your apartment manager, or if you choose to confront him and want an officer there to "keep the peace" by all means call. But to use us as a messenger service? As a citizen of the city, I'm not sure I want my officers delivering messages for you.

As far as promotions: Ed, have you ever tried to promote? If not, I'd like to see you do so. You seem like you care and have a work ethic. Maybe you can be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

[Ed O'Shea]

@ FTO...Got you by a couple years plus....And I always give 100%...Your response is typical for an Officers who has been in the field their entire career, hasn't gone inside, which is commendable (I guess) but plays hide and seek out in the field. I bet you get the prescribed amount of tickets and that's it. Ticketing Grand mothers while gang member drive by laughing. You're a dime a dozen. My 100% trumps your ticket quota every time, with respect to crime fighting. So sell your sanctimonious drivel elsewhere, my BS filter is full.

Curtis, you're correct, my proactive angle, maybe not the best, but my take is to take the 20 minutes and advise the neighbor that his disrespectful advances were construed as threatening. In our burn happy (not as bad as before) department, it's better to be safe than sorry, if time permits.

[Ed O'Shea]

Oh....and as for your last pathetic dig.... The Department and city is lucky to have me. It's not so lucky in your case.

[Jenny Kluphe]

I am so glad to hear police officer like Ed are still out there. It's the questionable ones like FTO who concern me. Upset at the opinion and work ethic of a police officer who cares and thinks more of being a police officer than "just be glad you have a job". FTO doesn't sound like the kind of officer I want looking out for my city. Sounds like a clock watcher.
Ed sounds frustrated with the current status quo. In the age of social media, you better learn to like these types of forums FTO. I for one am glad the LAPD has a forum like this. If your opining on a blog, it seems as if your a bit of a hypocrite, FTO. Sounds like it's you who's lucky to have a job. Perhaps we, the citizens, are not so lucky you have said job. As a woman that situation sounds very disturbing, and that FTO doesn't see where this has serious potential for a horrible outcome. I guess when the woman gets raped or worse, FTO would then take his/her precious time to respond to the crime, instead of a proactive posture.
Thank you Ed and Curtis for your service, we appreciate it.

Jenny Kluphe

PS what is a P1?...forgive my ignorance.

[citizen]

Ed is the type of cop I want to come to my house if I have a problem neighbor. You people don't understand him or his passion and you should back the hell up off of him until you do. Ed is one of old school type cops. Some FNG could learn a lot form him.

[FTO]

First off, no need for a personal attack. I never made an attack on Ed. One thing that I can assure both Ed and Jenny of is that they are entirely wrong about me. But that is not important. I know that Ed is a good hardworking officer that cares.

The point that I was trying to make to Ed was to not stress over things that he can not change. I agree with him 100% that many of our Captains should not be in the positions that they are. I also understand how frustrating the current rate of promotions is. However, since we can not change those things don't let it eat you up inside. It'll just effect your health. Instead focus on the the positive things about the job and the positive impact you make on your coworkers and the citizens everyday.

Also, when I told Ed that he was lucky to have a job i did not mean just him. I meant that we are ALL lucky to have a job with the LAPD. Hundreds of officers across the country have lost their jobs due to budget cuts. Us officers in the LAPD are so fortunate that officers have not been cut due to the budget. Every day when I pray I thank God for my wonderful career with the LAPD. I feel very blessed to be here and I hope that all officers feel the same way.

So remember, focus on the positive and be proud of the work you do and the heck with the Captains and the command staff.

[Ed O'Shea]

FTO....It's impossible to tell inflection in the typed word. I'll take you at your word. Stay Safe.

@ Citizen and Jenny, thank you very much for your kind words and thoughts. I hope you both are safe as well.

[Reserve Copper]

Been quite a while since I checked out the blog or posted. I remember Ed O'Shea well from back when I used to come around. I'm with another Department here in the Southland and we do things a little differently. We would have rolled and had a little conversation with this pervert. Perception is reality and you have to show the citizens that we care and are on their side. I realize that the individual LAPD Coppers are cut from the same mold that all Cops are cut from. Most of us are former Military and have similar backgrounds. However the LAPD because of the consent decree (which was total BS and a waste of taxpayer dollars) has changed the culture in the LAPD and it's not the fault of the Department. Chief Beck has to straddle the tightrope between the uber liberal Mayor and City Council, not to mention the citizens and the rank and file. It's a tough job, wouldn't want it, whereas someone like Sheriff Baca, who is elected just like the Mayor, doesn't have a Mayor or City Council to please. It's his Department to run the way he wants. Ed, try to relax a little. You are obviously a great Cop who came on the job for the right reasons and I am sure everyone you've come in contact with would agree. You know who you are and the job you do every day, but I get where you are coming from 110%. You and I are very alike in the views we have of our job and the perception we want the citizens to have of us but I didn't take offense to FTO's comments and I don't think he was trying to insult you. He simply was saying that having a job that pays well and offers benefits in this day and age is something to be grateful for. Be safe and stay positive!

[citizen]

ED, doing just fine. thank you

[Donna Martin]

I am shocked and angered by the You Tube video of a young male skateboarder being repeatedly punched in the face by an LAPD officer in Venice, California. The video shows an officer viciously punching the boy while he is lying helpless on the ground screaming for help; already pinned down by three
other LAPD officers.

Police officers deserve our respect and highest regards for what they go through on a day-to-day basis. But, when a young boy is lying helpless on the ground and an officer over and over again punches him in the face; I don’t care what the boy did prior to that; the officers’ actions were excessive and brutal.

Venice, California was my home for most of my life. I raised two kids that went to Venice High School. My son was taught how to skateboard by the Z boys in the 70’s. My grandson is a skateboarder today. I have shuffled kids to skate parks for years. I know well how teenage boys can be unruly and obnoxious. I know that police officers have to be tough to keep control. But, that officer was entirely out of line. The officers’ behavior was not only objectionable; he should have assault charges brought against him.