MISSION Statement It is the mission of the Los Angeles Police Department to safeguard the lives and property of the people we serve, to reduce the incidence and fear of crime, and to enhance public safety while working with the diverse communities to improve their quality of life. Our mandate is to do so with honor and integrity, while at all times conducting ourselves with the highest ethical standards to maintain public confidence. 1 City Council Back Row: (left to right) Nate Holden, 10th District; Michael Feuer, 5th District; Mark Ridley-Thomas, 8th District; Cindy Miscikowski, 11th District; Nick Pacheco, 14th District; Mike Hernandez, 1st District; Alex Padilla, 7th District Front Row: (left to right) Jackie Goldberg, 13th District; Laura Chick, 3rd District; Hal Bernson, 12th District; John Ferraro, President, 4th District; Ruth Galanter, 6th District; Rudy Svorinich Jr., 15th District; Rita Walters, 9th 2 2 District; Joel Wachs, 2nd District Los Angeles Police Commission Gerald Chaleff, President T. Warren Jackson, Vice President Dean Hansell, Commissioner Raquelle De La Rocha, Commissioner Herbert F. Boeckmann II, Commissioner 3 Chief s Message By Bernard C. Parks As the last year of the century, 1999 was marked with many notable accomplishments. None of these achievements would have been possible without the dedication, commitment and outstanding performance of the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department. I am proud to stand among them as we enter the new millennium. In 1999, the world saw us at our best during the response to an act of domestic terrorism by a heavily armed suspect at the North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills. The quick, efficient and coordinated response by the officers of this Department brought worldwide praise and support. Because of the performance of the responding officers, there was no loss of life at the childcare facility on that warm day in August. The safety of communities increased as crime continued to drop. The decline in violent crimes that began in 1993 continued and the number of Part I crimes decreased by 9%, compared to 1998. Burglaries decreased by 17%, vehicle thefts decreased by 13% and robberies decreased by 9%. The year 1999 was also a safer year to be a Los Angeles police officer. For the first time in more than 20 years, the Department did not lose a single officer in the line of duty. As we celebrate this accomplishment, we should continue to remember the sacrifice that past fallen officers have made. Utilizing new advancements in crime reduction and emergency response technologies, the Department maintained its position as a worldwide leader among law enforcement agencies. Construction began in 1999, on the two new communications centers that will house state-of-the-art technology, providing faster and better quality 9-1-1 emergency service for the 21st century. New mobile data communications equipment was installed in more than 1,300 vehicles, replacing the old system and enabling our officers to better serve the community. We also established a world-class computer training technology center, highlighting the Department’s training equipment and programs. It is located at the Ahmanson Recruit Training Center in Westchester. Additionally, the official Web site of the Los Angeles Police Department - www.lapdonline.org - added thousands of pages of information and continues to be the largest and most comprehensive law enforcement Web site in the world. We continued to expand FASTRAC – Focus, Accountability, Strategy, Teamwork, Response and Coordination – our unique accountability process. Communities benefited from the implementation of the “Ideal Basic Car,” which established every officer, not only Senior Lead Officers, as liaisons to the community. This new strategy further promotes our Community Policing philosophy. Our men and women took extraordinary steps to show their commitment to the people of Los Angeles in 1999. Continuing the tradition, we honored 18 officers for bravery and heroic acts with the Medal of Valor Awards and recognized 73 sworn and civilian employees for outstanding bravery and service during the annual Recognition Day ceremony. Upon initiating an investigation that ultimately uncovered police corruption at the Rampart Area Station, we reported our findings to our constituents and immediately began corrective actions reflecting our courage and resolve, through our Board of Inquiry process. Despite being viewed under a microscope from the fallout of the corruption investigation, Department personnel continued to serve the City with unflinching tenacity, vigilance and with the same superior standards of service. Although much work is still ahead of us, I am confident that the Los Angeles Police Department will come out of this tribulation stronger and with a new sense of purpose. I see this challenge bringing out the best in everyone as we tackle progress and transformations with honor and integrity. 4 4 Front Row from left to right: Rex Yap, James Edwards, David Rodriguez, Ossie Crenshaw, Ezunial Burts, Actor Tony Danza, Chief Bernard C. Parks, Louis Villalobos, Bruce Hunt, James Veenstra, Andrew Azodi, United States Army Specialist Ryan Clark Back Row from left to right: Jude Bella, Kevin Foster, John Constable, Craig Hewitt, Chris Yzaguirre, Joseph Kalyn, Chris Dunn, Reserve Officer Debra Fairchild, Jack Parker Medal of Valor On September 15, 1999, 18 officers were recognized as Medal of Valor Award recipients at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. The Medal of Valor Award honors the men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and bravery above and beyond the normal demands of police service. It is the highest award the LAPD bestows upon its officers. Since 1925, 486 Los Angeles Police Officers have received the distinction. Sponsored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the 40th Annual Medal of Valor Award Ceremony and Luncheon was graced by community leaders, families, friends and coworkers of the recipients. Chief Bernard C. Parks presented the medals to the awardees as actor Tony Danza narrated accounts of their courageous acts. 5 5 Recognition Day For Bravery and Outstanding Service The Department honored 73 Department employees, both active and retired, at the 20th Annual Recognition Day ceremony on November 10, 1999, at the Police Academy Gymnasium in Elysian Park. Officer Ellen Gable received the Police Medal for her teamwork and bravery during a shooting Chief Bernard C. Parks presented the in the San Fernando Valley. awards to the recipients for their acts of bravery and dedicated service. Deputy Chief David J. Gascon and Deputy Chief Carlo S. Cudio assisted with the narrative addresses and awards presentations. Ten Police Medals (the highest award after the Medal of Valor) were awarded this year along with three Police Stars, four Lifesaving Medals, 14 Community Policing Medals, three Police Meritorious Service Medals and 39 Police Meritorious Unit Citations. City leaders and community members joined the Department command staff, family, friends and coworkers during the event to honor these outstanding Officer Christine Perkins received the Community Policing Medal for successfully individuals. applying community policing techniques. 6 Year in Review In Anticipation of the New Millennium In 1999, the Los Angeles Police Department replaced the old radio communications system, which has accomplished monumental tasks and began new projects been in operation since 1983, with 1,400 new MDTs, in anticipation of the new millennium. Worth mentioning giving police officers the ability to better serve the are the leaps made in improving the technology and the community. No longer do police officers have to successful expansion of Community-Based Policing remember DOS-based commands, which create delays in efforts. processing requests for critical information such as a suspect’s vehicle information. Now, officers have the TECHNOLOGY AND FACILITIES ability to obtain information quickly with a click of a button. Faster and more efficient, the $21 million system IMPROVEMENT also has the potential to process crime reports. New 911 Centers Groundbreaking ceremonies were New System Old System held in fall 1999 for the construction of two new Type Motorola MW-520 ElectroCom communication System Windows-based DOS-based dispatch centers. Funded by Efficiency 240K messages/hour 20K messages/hour Proposition M, the $37 million Frequencies 10 5 construction project will Cover area Citywide Bureau only house state- of-the-art 911 technology to deliver faster and better dispatch service. The identical centers, one in the San Fernando Valley and one in the Los Angeles downtown area, will allow sufficient support for each center in case of a breakdown at either one. New Vehicle Terminals The installation of the new Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) equipment in police vehicles was completed at the end of Technology Training Center December, Ushering in the 21st Century, Chief Bernard C. Parks creating a directed the Information Technology Division to establish milestone the Technology Training Center. Completed in October in the 1999, the Center displays new systems reflecting the Department’s Department’s technology, which continues to expand to history. Motor increase public safety, officer safety and improve Transport Division 7 7 performance and efficiency. The Center showcases law streets of Los Angeles. Communities continued to reap enforcement technology for the