Public Safety
Everyone deserves to feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. Unfortunately, in too many communities of CD12, that is not the case. In my neighborhood, for example, LAPD’s Devonshire Division is reporting that incidents of robbery, rape, homicide, and burglary are all on the rise. There are a myriad of reasons why that may be the case, but it’s clear that we need to invest more in public safety, including putting resources that can actually help sustain its long term vision of safer communities back into the Department.
Here are my top 5 priorities:
Enhance our recruitment and retention strategies through programs like the Police Academy Magnet School Program to ensure that LAPD have the staff and resources they need to be able to do their jobs effectively;
There are certain areas of LAPD I believe that can be expanded to help protect the community such as strengthening the Community Safety Partnership (CSP) Bureau so it exists in every division and community, in addition to the 10 communities in which it currently exists. It currently does not exist in our community. The CSP approach has to be more all hands on deck and not just a reactive approach to headlines. We also need to fund the expansion of unarmed crisis responders during mental and behavioral health crises in the community. We need to work collaboratively with county and state partners to secure direct funding and resources for mental health services and personnel in CD12. I will also advocate for stronger public health infrastructure in CD12 so that community members have wraparound services that include mental health, substance abuse treatment, and permanent supportive housing;
Trained intervention workers from my office will be out each day - not behind a desk - with LAPD & social service agencies on speed dial to proactively help those in need in partnership with our small businesses and community;
Policing is one aspect of keeping communities safe, but our City also needs to do a better job of preparing for large scale disasters, enviromental, natural and otherwise. Right now, when there’s a major emergency, the Mayor can work with the Emergency Management Department to open up the Emergency Operations Center, where representatives from many departments work on their specific issues to address legal, financial, building, and safety or other issues. A City Council representative for the area where the disaster may occur doesn’t have a chair there and should. If there’s a major emergency in a district, that councilmember should be present to help coordinate the efforts in response - as well as with LAPD, LAFD, and with organizations like the Red Cross - to make sure help is getting where it needs to be.;
We also must better prepare for wildfires in our hillside communities by being even more proactive about brush abatement and making sure that neighborhoods know the City will work with them on protecting homes should evacuations be necessary.
