An Ongoing Affair With LAPD

February 4, 2010 at 5:51 pm | Posted in Bike News | 3 Comments
Tags: Bike Theft, lapd

Over the last few weeks the bicycle community has watched months of hard work on bike theft and proper law enforcement finally come to fruition. Bicyclists have initiated several efforts to work with the LAPD and to organize themselves to push back on what started to feel like an increasing climate of danger but quickly became one of increased visibility in the last half of 2009. So far, 2010 is looking to be the most productive year yet for bicyclists working to protect each other here in Los Angeles.

Putting A Stop to Bike Theft

In early November of last year, local bike shops began organizing meetings to stop the growing rash of bike thefts and robberies both inside their stores and in surrounding communities. Echo Park Cycles kicked off the discussion, organizing an open forum attended by both bicyclists and LAPD officers. Then in December, the LACBC took part in a meeting at Orange 20 in East Hollywood, with LAPD officers again in attendance.  Iris Santin, a cyclist and lead officer in the MacArthur Park area, and Senior Lead Officer Matt Ziegler of the Rampart office both listened and responded knowledgeably to bicyclists’ questions. A productive dialogue was initiated and these initial efforts raised the profile of bike thefts in both the community and the LAPD. But bicyclists had initial doubts about tangible gains from these meeting, especially when the first round of sting operations announced at these meetings turned up a homeless man in East Hollywood.

NYC's Hal Ruzal, of StreetsFilms fame, gives grades on how riders lock their bikes

Then, last weekend, the LAPD arrested two men in Santa Monica and Silver Lake alleged to have been involved in a bike theft ring working Downtown LA. The bust was this year’s first major indication that LAPD is taking bicyclist concerns seriously and acting on them in kind. Officers found a bicycle reported stolen in Downtown posted on Craigslist. They contacted and met up with the seller and made the arrest in Santa Monica. They were then lead to the Olive Hotel on Sunset in Silver Lake where another stolen bike sale was arranged, only this time police found a motel room full of bikes, bolt cutters, and a money counterfeiting operation that piqued the Secret Service’s interest.

It was easy to see how the innovative use of the internet had bicycle ingenuity all over it, and there’s no doubt that this awareness came from a tip given to police by the bicycle community. Hopefully word gets out to bike thieves that the police are working with some of the smartest, most determined individuals in the city.

Bicycle Enforcement Education

But while the LAPD is beginning to make major moves on the issue of bike thefts, the proper enforcement of bicyclists’ rights has continued to trail behind.  In mid-January an initial meeting was set up by  a collective group of advocates including the Bike Writers Collective and the Voice Newspaper.  LACBC held a separate meeting a few days later where we talked with LAPD’s Sgt. David Krumer and Commander Doan about  an effort we’ve been working on for close to six months now—a bicycle education piece intended for both the general public and LAPD officers. We originally had a conversation on this in August 2009, talking about improving LAPD’s record with the bike community after a long hot summer of conflicts. But after what seemed like a productive first meeting, the issue then flat-lined somewhere in the LAPD as a new Chief was appointed at the end of last year.

It wasn’t until December’s bike themed Transportation Committee meeting that we got word about the LAPD working with the LACBC on a bike-education video. The only catch was that we hadn’t heard anything about it. LACBC pointed out LAPD’s mistake and required that the department show more accountability in creating this hypothetical video and all other efforts to work with cyclists.

The Chicago Bicycle Program, run out of their DOT, was responsible for an amazing video aimed at educating Chicago PD

While we’ll be sure to hold the LAPD to their statement (we’re aiming for something along the lines of Chicago’s superb video), it was Stephen Box’s efforts in tracking down the current LAPD officers assigned to work on bike issues that finally brought the educational piece to the surface. But what has emerged so far from the department is an elementary document, aimed primarily at motorists and everyday bicyclists, educating them on how to safely share the road.

While there have no doubt been numerous incidents as a result of riders who are unaware of how to ride effectively in the streets, the most important way that LAPD interacts with the general public to promote positive behavior is still through the proper and effective enforcement of the law. This would require the education of LAPD officers on laws pertaining to bicyclists and the alteration of internal procedures to reflect a commitment to bicyclist safety, which is exactly what we’re asking of the LAPD from high up officials.

We’re holding the LAPD accountable to fulfill the commitments they’ve made publicly to produce internal enforcement documents and educational PSAs. Thev’ve also made a commitment to monthly meetings between bicyclists and the LAPD to keep on top of progress and began taking bicyclists’ input, as well as a promise to put together an interactive website where cyclists can report harassment by motorists, bike thefts and hit- and-runs.

The initial effort is a commendable beginning and we’re encouraged by the collaborative efforts between cyclists and LAPD. But we’ll be keeping on these issues leading up to the February 24th Transportation Committee meeting, when the public will have a chance to hear Chief Beck speak to bicyclists’ concerns.