Westside Needs More LAPD Officers Patrolling, Councilman Says

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Claiming emergency response times are getting worse and fewer cops are on the streets, Los Angeles City Councilman Mike Bonin Thursday announced several proposals aimed at increasing the number of LAPD officers out on regular patrol.

"Too often, I hear from constituents that they rarely see a patrol car in their neighborhood, or that it takes LAPD too long to respond to an emergency call. Our neighborhoods deserve better," Bonin said. "We need more patrol officers -- in Westside neighborhoods, and in neighborhoods around the city. My `Back to Basic Car' plan will make that happen."

Appearing at a rally at the LAPD Ahmanson Recruit Training Center, Bonin said he will introduce a motion at Friday's City Council meeting calling on the LAPD to look at increasing patrol cars in a number of ways, including dismantling some specialized units and hiring more civilians to move officers off desk duty.

The motion also would ask the department to review its "basic car" areas, which are geographic boundaries for patrol assignments.

According to Bonin's office, in 1969, when the city had about a million less residents, there were 6,194 sworn officers and an average 337 officers on patrol during the day shift.

Last month, with 9,885 sworn LAPD officers, an average of 311 were on patrol.

"The numbers paint a clear picture of where our priorities have been, and it unfortunately hasn't been in having patrol officers in our neighborhoods," said Bonin. "To have thousands more sworn officers in the LAPD, but fewer of them in our neighborhoods shows a problem that must be corrected."

Officer Sal Ramirez with the LAPD Media Relations Section said LAPD commanders were reviewing Bonin's statements but had no immediate response.

"Response times to emergency calls are getting longer due to our neighborhood policing staffing crisis," said Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League. "We've heard enough talk. We need action now. We're excited to see Councilmember Bonin take action and propose to put resources towards making our neighborhoods safer."

City News Service