LAPD: March 2008 Archives

It's called Rate My Cop and essentially it allows users to rate their interaction with the cops on the beat or at the station.

Seems to have a lot of potential, but it's not really being hit -- yet.

I attempted to look up officers from Covina, Alhambra and the LAPD without much success. I'm sure the size of the database will grow as it gets more use.

The site is here.

*After a little more searching of the site I came across some ratings for El Monte Police officers. Of the 148 listed officers, four have been rated, including Chief Weldon. There's also this gem from user "flores666":

"This officer helped me with my problems even though he has arrested me in the past. He is fair."

This photo, from the LA Daily News, came with this caption:

 Gino Sesto operates his RateMyCop.com website out of his Culver City  

Eric Leonard, one of the better cop reporters in the county, got his hands on a copy of the Board of Inquiry investigation into the LAPD's SWAT unit. Here's a link to the pdf. LA Observed has some other links.

Among those on the board was Pasadena police Chief Barney Melekian, noted for his opposition to gang injunctions, and this blog. Included in the recomendations are proposals to bring more women and minorities onto the team; go to 24-hour 7-days a week scheduling; and rotation of members out of SWAT and into other assignments.

The board implies that SWAT has become an anachronistic arm of LAPD and change is necessary.

Besides Melekian, Merrick Bobb and several prominent members of the local community participated in the board.

Here's an excerpt from an LADN story on the panel's formation in 2005:

``Almost as important as the review is that we are looking at a cultural change in the process,'' Villaraigosa said. ``Chief Bratton and I are committed to changing the department from its days of a closed-door attitude. The LAPD is opening itself up for an outside review. This is the kind of opening that I as mayor want to see continue.''

Among the members of the Board of Inquiry is Merrick Bobb, an attorney who oversaw an inquiry into the Sheriff Department's use of force policy and is a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Other members include attorney Richard Aborn, who investigated misconduct inside the New York Police Department; William Geller, a consultant on police use of force policies; Lt. Phil Hanson of the Sheriff's Department; attorney Greg Longworth, a retired NYPD officer considered an expert in deadly force cases; Pasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian; LAPD Assistant Chief Linda Pierce, who oversees the LAPD Criminal Investigations Bureau; and attorney Eugene Ramirez, a former Deputy District Attorney who has worked with SWAT teams.

Bobb said he was pleased to be part of the group and welcomed the chance to look at SWAT.

``As far as I know, this is the first time a police department has voluntarily opened itself up for this kind of review,'' Bobb said.

The panel was formed after the death of Susie Pena, a 19-month-old killed in a standoff between LAPD officers and her father Jose Pena.

BTW, blogger Miss Havisham has posted the contents of an email interview she did with Melekian, now the interim City Manager of Pasadena. Here's a link.

 *It's only right to point out that the story was broken originally by Monrovia resident Robert CJ Parry in an opinoin piece that ran in last Sunday's LA Times. We blogged it last week. In case you missed it here's a link.

Monrovia resident, blogger and commentator Robert CJ Parry wrote quite an interesting opinion piece Sunday on LAPD's plans for the future of its SWAT team.

The column created enough buzz that the Times followed it an A-1 piece today.

Interestingly enough a group of former and current U.S. Marines that I know are keeping an eye on the situation. There is a chain mail with Parry's entire column circulating in Armed Forces circles. I've always believed that if you write something powerful enough to make a chain mail, you are having an impact. Here's the header:

Date: Mon, 17 Mar 2008 17:12:51 -0700
Subject: Fw: LAPD SWAT

Another taste of " Political Correctness" coming soon....
 
So much for Chiefs being hired from "out of state"
 
Lets all hold hands and sing koumbaya......B.S !!
 

This letter comes from Brent Hopkins, who left the Los Angeles Daily News (with several other editorial employees last week).

Brent will be moving on to a career in law enforcement. Here's (most of) his letter to friends and colleagues:

Hi folks,

As many of you have heard, we've had a hard round of layoffs at the
Daily News today. I took a voluntary buyout and will be moving on,
leaving fond memories and many good friends, both at the paper and in
the community. It's been a pleasure getting to know many of you and
working with you over the years and I hope you'll keep in touch.

If you need to get ahold of the Daily News, try my editor, Aron
Miller, (snip) or the (snip) general city desk at 818-713-3707.

(snip).

I'll be leaving the industry for an entirely new career with the LAPD.
While I'll miss my colleagues and my work here, I'm excited to be
starting something new with an equally dedicated bunch of people.

Thanks a bunch and stay in touch,
Brent

Brent Hopkins
(former) reporter, LA Daily News