Through contacts at the US District Court we have some information for you to ponder.
This gang war is motivated by one gang wanting to take another gangs territory. With it comes the money they can made on crime in the area. One group is recently flush with members recently released from prision with some "marching orders" from Mexican Mafia members for retribution and possibly specific targets.
Let us go on record again, none of us contributing here believe for one second that MPD is not giving us more than 100%. They are doing more than 100% with the budget and marching orders they are given by those that they report to.
From the source who won't be given up he can give us this information on the condtion of the people that are here to protect us, putting their lives on the line every day.
We are down 6 officers from staff plan
We will likely lose 2 of our newer officers in the next few months as they have had the training here and can move freely. (We are a terrific department for training, just don't do what is needed to get them to stay).
At one point early in 2007 staffing problems the SET (Special Enforcement Team) had to be diverted to regular patrol for 6-7 months. The source is working on getting the specific numbers
Add in this bit of information to show that the working conditions have not changed that much since the last officer survey a couple of summers ago. We have had 2 officers bring claims against the city for harrassment and discrimination based on race or orientation. Their claims were settled. Another officer has a harrassment claim pending, litigation can ensue once his claim is denied. Another officer who has left the department is rapidly coming to his statute of limitations date for his claim and may well bring suit against the department for harrassment and discrimination also. That comes to 4 officers in less than 1 year.
There are significant problems in MPD that are NOT reflective of the department as a whole. It is however an indictment on those that control the department and the city Human Resources. This sort of activity is indicative of a problem not being addressed. It needs to be fixed as it is draining valuable resources that could be better spent on policing rather than litigating. Those that dictate policing, manage the human resources need to be evaluated and fixed if things are ever going to get better for our officers.
We as a community are very happy that the resources were called in and funds released to resolve the crisis. We do believe the problems would not have reached the crisis stage had our police department not been understaffed. Those funds being diverted to crisis management would have been ample to have MPD staffed with proactive policing taking place consistently.
The San Gabriel Tribune ran the best round up of the press conference yesterday late last night. You can find it HERE.
The best quote from our Mayor:"Together we can stop this violence. We must and we will." The WE is the most important part of that sentence. The police efforts need to end it, we as a community need to stand united to never let it happen again.
Community as in both sides of the jurisdiction. Holding the County accountable for their jurisdiction too.
I got this bit from a forwarded to me from a citizen here within our city limits :" went to the town meeting at annunciation andd i feel so sorry for the people in unincorporated area: they're on their own. it was pathetic.". Antonovich's office as pledged support, we need to make sure it happens for all our sakes.
You can read it in the larger more established media or on TV.
Short of it we had a tremendous show of force. Vagueness as to specific agencies brought in an plans. MPD get's the nod for the manpower they have enlisted to help, will trust the lack of details is not to put investigations at risk.
Once it is cleaned up the community can step in and make sure it never gets out of hand again. Most of it is partnering with local govt (county too as what happens there unfortunately doesn't stay there and we are the larger SGV community). The other bit is to keep tabs on city hall and never be complacent and not ask questions.
Thankfully last night was quiet. The copters in the SW part of town were NOT the vultures over another sociopath kill rather some sort of road rage according the rumor has it page.
Also...did you catch Dick Singer actually commented on the UndertheDome blog? That blog is meant to be Pasadena focused but it is showing interest in us and our horrendous situation. I wonder what it is about blogs that has him so worried? The near instantaneous sharing of news he didn't filter and produce? It is a media that is here to stay and efforts to quash have been quickly stifled.
Our officers are exhausted fighting this. When you see one thank them. Toss them a Starbucks card. It's all appreciated.
"Has this spate of violence not increased the Sherriff's Dept. patrols ? Are there no church, resident or other neighborhood groups in that area getting concerned and speaking up about this ? Are there no businesses or leaders in that area that feel inclined to contact the media about this, get it some press, maybe provide more of an incentive for local officials (LA County, Monrovia, SGV League of Cities, whoever) to take some actions ? Maybe that neighborhood along Peck needs yellow signs in all their yards, ala Primrose--- "Gangs, go away ! We see you, we report you." Maybe then someone (media ?) would publicize this problem and embarass people (residents and authorities) into taking some actions against it.
Once again, Monrovia and the SGV in general do NOT --- NOT NOT NOT--- need more new housing developments or more strip malls: We need better management of what is already here and better safety systems (including more sherriffs/police ?). If they can't keep the kids who are already in that south-of-freeway area safe, how dare they build for another several thousand families and their kids to move into an unsafe place ! Its immoral.
Another thought: If they want to put in "low-income housing" they can sponsor sites like Sierra Madre's, a new apt./condo complex for seniors that's partly low-income/subsidized. That way S.M. complied with "low-income" req'ts. for public funds, but they also took care of long-time residents already living in their community (since so many older retirees at some point become low-income) and essentially will keep the influx of new, uninvolved, uncommitted low-income folks (like the sort that spawn gang mambers) to a minimum. This doesn't seem like 'rocket-science', but I'm sure its not as lucrative financially for the realtors, developers and speculators (ala Bob the Builder) --- its just better for the community in the long run. "
I suspect that a lot of the crime questions will be dealt with in greater detail at the press conference later this morning. We all wait for the results in the established media and whomever else appears to ask questions.
BTW...if you haven't read the lastest "rumor control" entry it didn't start here at the "blog that never get's anything right". It would appear it was culled from a variety of sources. I however saw anywhere or any source claiming the "brown act" regarding public meeting notices was specifically alleged to have been violated. Paranoia in action?
The City of Los Angeles is boasting their safest year since 1956, which the city has attributed to more cops on the street.
"Cops count," said Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton. "It's not demographics. It's not the economy. It's not the weather." "Cops were up and crime was down," the mayor said.
45 NYPD veterans quit, in one month, for better pay!
"There seems to be a direct correlation between our salaries falling farther and farther behind other nearby police departments and the ever-increasing numbers of fully trained and experienced NYC police officers quitting before they are eligible to collect a pension,"
In case you were not aware the Monrovia Police Officer's association has a web site under construction. The link HERE.
In cruising through I spotted this bit- they donated 8 GRAND to MHS Wrestling to help get that sport up and running. In case you did not know MHS Wrestling team members need to get sponsors as they school can't support them. Community in action helping the kids is a good thing!
It's a good circle when the kids are helped by the police, we support the officers and we get back in return from the officers, attention more than job, but attention and loyalty to the community when they are on patrol.
