LAPD HANGS IT UP

By Bob Walsh

Until recently (pretty much right now actually) the LAPD has maintained a 170 man unit that did nothing but keep an eye on “non-violent non-serious” offenders who were out on community supervision rather than state parole due to AB109, Gov. Moonbeam’s prison realignment program. These were often serious violent criminals whose most recent conviction happened to be what is now considered to be non-serious and non-violent, like resisting arrest resulting in injury to the officer.

Anyway, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has decided that these Parole Compliance Unit officers’ time can better be spend on street patrol, so that’s where they are going.

Chief Beck has also expressed interest in hiring an additional 70 officers for the Community Relations Division.

This PCU was originally established after the LAPD came to the realization that a LOT of these guys were being arrested for violent, dangerous offenses while on AB109 release. Theoretically they are being supervised by the county probation department. In actuality they will now be supervised by pretty much nobody.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Beck’s request for additional community relations officers appears to be another example of the Ferguson Effect. Community relations units have had little discernible effect on bettering the poor relationship between the police and the black community. Beck’s request is a big waste of taxpayer money and police resources. The PCU was a much better idea.