June 24, 2025 #1 Local News, Information and Event Source for the Century City/Westwood areas.

City Council Committee to Determine if LAPD Needs to Increase Patrols

Amid a rising crime rate and officer complaints that response times are slower, a City Council committee will begin examining Tuesday if the Los Angeles Police Department needs to increase its regular patrols.

A motion submitted in January by council members Mike Bonin and Joe Buscaino and seconded by Councilman Mitchell Englander calls on the LAPD to look at increasing patrols, including dismantling some specialized units and hiring more civilians to move officers off desk duty.

According to the motion, when the city had about a million less residents in 1969, there were 6,194 sworn Los Angeles Police Department officers and an average 337 officers on patrol during the day shift. In December, with 9,885 sworn LAPD officers, an average of 311 were on 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 on Jan. 19 when he previewed his motion.

The motion said that some LAPD officers contend the department’s Patrol Plan is not consistently followed and the 7/40 Mandate — which requires officers to respond to all emergency calls within seven minutes and to devote 40 percent of their time to proactive policing activities — is not being met.

A recent survey conducted by the L.A. Police Protective League — the union representing the LAPD rank-and-file, which supports the motion — indicated that 87 percent of the 1,200 officers responding to the survey did not believe divisional deployment was sufficient to respond to 911 calls in a timely manner, and 89 percent did not believe deployment was sufficient to conduct community policing.

The motion, being considered after Los Angeles in 2016 experienced its third consecutive year of rising crime, would also ask the department to review its “basic car” areas, which are geographic boundaries for patrol assignments that have not been reviewed in decades.

The motion also would instruct the LAPD to report back with an explanation of how daily police deployment and patrol strafing levels are determined.

Englander, Buscaino and Bonin are all on the Public Safety Committee, which will be voting on the motion Tuesday. Buscaino and Englander are also both reserve LAPD officers.

“The LAPD closely monitors our service to the community through its patrol, detective and other specialized units to ensure that taxpayer funds are used in the most effective manner possible,” Josh Rubenstein, an LAPD spokesman, said in a statement on Jan. 19.

“We are now rebuilding our civilian workforce as it is a critical component to leveraging those limited resources. The LAPD will continue to work closely with our community partners and city leaders to use our precious police resources to reduce crime and victimization for all Angelenos.”

ThinkstockPhotos-459908461

Related Posts

Recent Homebuyer Down Payments Slip for First Time in Nearly Two Years

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

April’s Median Down Payment Fell as Buyers Lean Toward Lower-Cost Homes The median down payment made by U.S. homebuyers dropped...

Del Rey Affordable Housing Project to Rise on Former Charter School Site

June 23, 2025

June 23, 2025

Community Corp., Local Faith Group Team Up to Build 122 New Apartments Plans are moving forward for a new residential...

Paris Hilton Buys Mark Wahlberg’s Beverly Park Mansion for $63.1M

June 22, 2025

June 22, 2025

The Heiress and Media Mogul Joins a Star-Studded Neighborhood Paris Hilton and husband Carter Reum have purchased a high-profile estate...

A.O.C. Brentwood to Close After 16 Years on San Vicente Boulevard

June 22, 2025

June 22, 2025

Chef Goin and Styne Cite Unsustainably High Rent in Decision to Close  A.O.C. Brentwood, the acclaimed Westside outpost from James...

Weekend Lane Closures on PCH in Malibu Could Snarl Summer Beach Traffic

June 21, 2025

June 21, 2025

Army Corps Work Triggers Weekend Closure on Pacific Coast Highway Motorists traveling along Pacific Coast Highway this weekend should prepare...

LA City Councilwomen Yaroslavsky and Jurado Call for Legal Action Against Federal Immigration Raids

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

City Motion Targets Alleged Unconstitutional Tactics, End Qualified Immunity for Fed Officers  City Councilmembers Katy Yaroslavsky and Ysabel Jurado introduced...

All Aboard to LAX: Metro Opens Game-Changing Transit Hub Ahead of Global Events

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

 New LAX/Metro Transit Center Comes Closer to Connecting Metro Directly to LAX The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro)...

Princess Diana’s Largest Wardrobe Auction Set for Beverly Hills

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Over 200 Royal Garments to Hit the Auction Block for Charity More than 200 garments and royal artifacts, including the...

Queer Beauty Through the Ages: Getty Hosts Lecture on Greek Art’s Influence on LGBTQ Aesthetics

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Art Historian to Trace Homoerotic Imagery From Ancient Greece to Modern Queer Identity As part of its ongoing Pride Month...

Food Fight on the Venice Boardwalk: Chefs Stand Up for Immigrants with Food

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

Turk’s Pizza Party Rallies Top Local Eateries for an Immigrant Rights Fundraiser In a bold display of culinary activism, Turk’s...

Navy Vietnam Vet Finally Gets His UCLA Commencement Moment

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

John Fong, 80, Missed His Graduation in 1968 While in Vietnam  Nearly six decades after completing his studies, U.S. Navy...

Films, Flair, and Panoramas: Free Cultural Events Light Up The Ebell This Week

June 20, 2025

June 20, 2025

The Ebell Theatre Hosts a Double Feature of Films, Plus a Coffee Talk A pair of free public events this...

Robeks Opens in Westwood with Free Smoothies and 15% Off Bowls & Toasts

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

New Location Celebrates Grand Opening on June 21 With Daylong Giveaways Robeks is launching its newest storefront in Westwood with...

9th Circuit Court Backs Trump in Battle Over California National Guard Control

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Federal Judges Allow Trump to Retain Command of Troops in Los Angeles Federal judges on Thursday cleared the way for...

Nightly I-405 Lane Closures Begin June 23 for Sepulveda Pass Rehab

June 19, 2025

June 19, 2025

Caltrans Will Shut Down Select Lanes Nightly Through June 28 The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced overnight lane...