Commission President Steve Soboroff opened the meeting and a quorum was established. During commission comments, Commissioner Robert Saltzman mentioned his appreciation for Commissioner Soboroff’s generosity in taking the Department’s Transgender Working Group to lunch recently and the “extraordinary progress” that’s been made with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (LGBTQ) community in a short period of time.
For the Report of the Chief of Police, Chief Charlie Beck began by mentioning his attendance on Saturday, March 7, at the Mayor’s Annual Prayer Breakfast and his planned attendance at the Department-hosted Cesar Chavez Breakfast this coming Saturday, March 15. Chief Beck continued with his customary crime report overview, including traffic statistics and data on the number of personnel in the Department.
For the Report of the Executive Director, Executive Director Richard Tefank noted Item 8E in the Regular Agenda Items would be removed at the Department’s request and rescheduled for a later date.
For the Report of the Inspector General, Inspector General Alexander Bustamante provided an update on the officer-involved shooting of a homeless man known as “Africa” in Central Division on March 1, 2015. Inspector General Bustamante emphasized that footage from officer on-body cameras was being carefully scrutinized from all perspectives. He also mentioned individuals from his office interviewing approximately 100 people at the scene of the incident and finding 18 people who claimed to have seen some or all of the shooting as it happened.
Consent Agenda Items proceeded with approval of all items.
Regular Agenda Items proceeded with 10 items. Items 8A and 8B were verbal presentations. Commissioner Saltzman pulled Item 8I for discussion, and because there was a public comment card on Item 8C, it also had to be pulled. Commissioner Saltzman then successfully moved to approve the following items:
• Item 8D, the Department’s Report, dated February 26, 2015, relative to the Approval to Program Interest Accrued to the LAPD Trust Fund, as set forth, was approved.
• Item 8F, the Department’s Report, dated February 27, 2015, relative to the request for proposals for inmate telephone services and a video visitation system, as set forth, was approved.
• Item 8G, the Department’s Report, dated March 6, 2015, relative to the Second Amendment to Personal Services Agreement with Gartner, Inc. for mainframe modernization and a records management System requirements study, as set forth, was approved.
• Item 8H, the Department’s Report, dated March 4, 2015, relative to the Department’s Quarterly Discipline Report, Third Quarter 2014, as set forth, was approved.
• Item 8J, the Department’s Report, dated February 24, 2015, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for Mission Area, as set forth, was approved.
• Item 8K, the Department’s Report, dated February 24, 2015, relative to the destruction of obsolete duplicate records for Devonshire Area, as set forth, was approved.
The meeting proceeded with Item 8A, a verbal presentation about community initiated problem solving, crime strategies, and other programs and goals within LAPD’s Hollywood Area. Representing the Department before the commission was Captain III Peter Zarcone, Commanding Officer of the Hollywood Area, along with Community Police Advisory Board Co-Chair Gary Minzer.
The meeting continued with Item 8B, a verbal presentation from the Department relative to the current policy for Department employee’s participation in the Annual Gay Pride Parade and the feasibility of a commission-sponsored reception prior to Chief Beck’s upcoming LGBTQ Forum. Assistant Chief of Special Projects, Sandy Jo MacArthur, and West Bureau Acting Deputy Chief Beatrice Girmala represented the Department before the commission. Assistant Chief MacArthur provided the commissioners with some background/historical information relative to LGBTQ issues and the Department’s participation in the parade, including encouragement for LGBTQ employees to get involved. The commissioners were in favor of the proposal for a commission-sponsored reception and Executive Director Tefank confirmed the commission would facilitate it.
Item 8C, which had been pulled for discussion, was next on the agenda. It concerned the Executive Director’s Report, dated March 3, 2015, relative to the issue of residential valet parking (Council File #14-0020). Executive Director Tefank recommended approval of option one in the report. He explained the contents of option one and why he supported it. Consequently, after public comment from a representative of the Holmby Westwood Property Association, the commissioners approved the report, as set forth, with option one.
The final item was Item 8I, the Department’s Report, dated March 6, 2015, relative to the Confidential Disclosure Report (IAID #14-072). Two employees from the Department’s Internal Audits and Inspection Division addressed the commission about the report. Commissioner Robert Saltzman pointed out there had initially been opposition within LAPD to employee financial disclosure requirements, and he commended the Department on the audit’s 100 percent results. Chief Beck also acknowledged the diligent work of inspectors and the success of total compliance for those who were audited. The report, as set forth, was then approved by the commission.
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