More than 70 residents attended the “Coffee with the Captain” event, held in the auditorium of the Korea Daily on the evening of November 9, organized by the Olympic Police Department of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
In the presence of Olympic Police Chief Aaron Ponce and six senior lead officers, residents were invited to make suggestions and ask questions about policing in LA Koreatown, over which the Olympic Police Department has jurisdiction.
Residents were encouraged to bring issues they have reported to the police, or have reported with no change, such as homeless tents near homes and businesses, street crime, gang graffiti on walls, and noise conflicts between apartments and businesses. They were promised follow-up.
“As one of 21 police departments in the City of Los Angeles, the Olympic Police Department, established in 2009, is responsible for policing the economic engine of LA Koreatown,” Chief Ponce told the gathering. “We currently cover the area from the 10 Freeway to Melrose Avenue from north to south and from Hoover to Crenshaw from east to west and are home to 19,000 residents from diverse communities. We currently have a total of 235 officers.”
“Burglary, which is the break-in burglary of homes and businesses, is the most serious,” he said of recent crime trends. “However, the Olympic Police Department is doing a remarkable job of reducing crime, ranking fifth in the city out of 21 police departments, thanks to the dedication of our officers.”
During the question and answer session, many residents asked about the homeless situation in Koreatown.
In response to the recent controversy over a large homeless encampment near Virgil Middle School, Chief Ponce said, “We took immediate action and the street is now clean.” He added, “We moved all 100 homeless people into shelters.”
“Most of the homeless have mental health issues, alcoholism issues, or both,” Chief Ponce said. “It may seem like a simple task to move them to a shelter, but it’s easier said than done to ask them to leave a place they consider home when they’re not in their right mind,” he explained. “You have to build trust with them, and that’s hard to do as a police officer.”
Ponce also emphasized that it’s important for residents to know who to call and how to file homeless complaints. “Crimes stemming from homelessness should be addressed with the police, but demolition and relocation issues are the purview of the councilmember’s office,” he said. “In particular, the Olympic Police Department’s jurisdiction is primarily the 10th District, with overlaps in the 13th, 5th, and 1st Districts, so it’s important to know which councilmember’s office to call.”
Some residents are also concerned about the impact of years of police budget cuts and understaffing on public safety.
“The LAPD has received tremendous support from Mayor Karen Bass,” said Chief Ponce. “And this year’s budget is sufficient to hire more than 700 officers and over 200 retired officers. Of course, replacing hundreds of aging police cars and motorcycles will require more than $38 million, which is beyond the current budget, but the LAPD is certainly supported.”
Also on the agenda was a complaint about the noise battle between the Barcelona Towers apartment building at 6th and Berendo and a business across the street.
On a personal note, Chief Ponce assured the residents that he would help them, saying, “First of all, we need to determine if the business is illegal, and it is important to work with other agencies such as the Department of Building and Safety.”
When asked about vandalism, gang activity, etc., in Koreatown, a senior lead officer said, “It’s very dangerous to take pictures of graffiti, which is a gang sign, when you’re alone, or to remove it yourself. If you report it to MyLA311, a graffiti removal team will travel with the police.”
BY SUAH JANG [jang.suah@koreadaily.com]
