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District Policing Pilot Program
Making Los Angeles the Safest Big City in America
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District Policing Pilot Program
Making Los Angeles the Safest Big City in America

November 7, 2003

Assistant Chief George Gason recently made an excellent Power Point presentation to the Board of Police Commissioners. It outlined the Department's new plan for District Policing, and will be implemented as a pilot program in three LAPD Divisions, Hollywood, Rampart and Harbor.

At present the Department geographically divides the city into four large Bureaus, and each of them has 4 or 5 smaller Divisions (also known as Areas). In turn, each Division is composed of multiple Basic Car Areas, where a unique patrol car is assigned 24 hours a day. The new Districts will be small groups of Basic Car and other officers, several within a Division.

The Chief said the hope is that this will allow more local flexibility, autonomy and accountability.

There's no cookie-cutter approach to this, either. For example, the Department recognizes that Hollywood Blvd. has a more significant problem with prostitution than most other areas, so might make sure extra vice officers are deployed there.

In fact, this is all about deploying the optimal number of appropriate available officers directly into the neighborhoods they're needed.

Chief Gascon's presentation, which he said might still have slight modifications, went into the new method of supervision in the District structure. He offered the group a look at sample flow charts, delineating how forces would be deployed and the chain of command.

In some cases, officers in the field will be given a bit more liberty to make decisions. For example, patrol officers will be allowed to upgrade a call from a Code 2 to a Code 3 call, which means they can respond with lights and sirens.

The plan was enthusiastically endorsed by the three members of the Commission present, Board President David Cunningham, Vice President Alan Skobin and Commissioner Rose Ochi. They had very few questions.

Below you'll find a version of Assistant Chief George Gason's presentation:

District Policing
Pilot Program

Making Los Angeles the
Safest Big City in America

District Concept - Basic Guiding Principles

Territorial Imperative - Create a working environment where COPS develop clear accountability for what happens in their district by creating natural work groups responsible for sections large enough to provide for realistic resource allocation, yet small enough to allow for ownership development.
Focus Policing - Under this concept natural work groups would be directed to concentrate their efforts on the root causes of criminal behavior. THE 10% Factor.

High Risk People/ 10%
..... suspects = 50%crimes;

..... victims = 40%victimization

High Risk Places/ 10%

..... places = 60% crimes
COMPSTAT - The continuous evolution of COMPSTAT (Smart Crime Analysis). Through the relentless use of COMPSTAT, the pilot areas will work to take Crime Analysis functions from a purely reactive reporting mechanism to a proactive process using basic statistical analysis to predict criminal behavior and direct resources.
De-bureaucratizing the LAPD - Excessive bureaucratic systems impede the ability of high performance individuals from focusing on the organization’s core mission- FIGHTING CRIME. Under this pilot program, significant steps will be taken in the exploration of eliminating activities that do not add value to our core mission.
Value Added Only - Under the Value Added Only principle, all activities undertaken by these pilot Areas would have to support the Department’s core mission of dealing with crime by either showing a direct impact on mission accomplishment, or addressing a mandatory support function required of the Department.
Pilot Structure - Patrol

Patrol - Patrol personnel would be assigned to individual districts (Hollywood would have 4 districts, Rampart and Harbor 3).

District Components

..... 2 or 3 Basic “A” Cars

..... Senior Leads

..... X” Cars where available

..... Supervision/ Lieutenants - Each district would be supervised by a district lieutenant

..... Supervision/ Sergeants - Sergeants would be assigned to Districts based on the Department’s established deployment criteria- generally a ratio of 1:8.
Pilot Structure - Detective

Detective - Generally, detective personnel would be assigned as follows:

Detective Components

..... Crime Against Persons - This section would be composed of homicide, sex crimes, robbery, major assaults, juveniles, and other violent crimes. A combination of specialist detectives would be deployed according to needs.

..... Crime Against Property - This section would be composed of auto, burglary and other property crimes. A combination of specialist detectives would be deployed according to needs. Filing Team- The filing team would continue to operate. Night Detectives- Night detectives would continue to operate.

..... Supervision/ Lieutenant - Each detective division would be supervised by a Detective Lieutenant II

..... Supervision/ Detective IIIs and IIs - Detective supervisors would be assigned to the sections based on the Department’s established deployment criteria.
Pilot Structure - Suppression

Suppression Detail - Generally, suppression personnel would be assigned as follows:

Suppression Components

..... Gang Detail - Gang personnel would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Narcotics - Narcotics personnel would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Gang Detectives - Gang detectives would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Any other - Each Area would have the flexibility to deploy other units such as Vice, Career Criminal Units, Receiving Teams, etc., according to local needs.

..... Supervision/ Lieutenant - Each Suppression Section would be supervised by a Detective Lieutenant II

..... Supervision/ Sergeants, Detective IIIs and IIs - Sergeants and detective supervisors would be assigned based on the Department’s established deployment criteria.
Pilot Structure - Headquarters Team

Generally, headquarters team personnel would be assigned as follows:
Headquarters Team Components

..... Watch Commanders would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Desk and other fixed post personnel - These employees would continue to operate as currently established.
Pilot Structure - Crime Support Section

Crime Support Section - Generally, Crime Support Section personnel would be assigned as follows:

Crime Support Section Components

..... Investigative Control Unit - This unit would continue to operate as currently established.

..... CAD/COMPSTAT - Emphasis on forecasting crime before it occurs

..... Records/ICARDs - This unit would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Property Dispo - This unit would continue to operate as currently established.

..... Any other - Each Area would have the flexibility to deploy other units according to local needs.

..... Supervision - The actual supervisory structure to be determined. Possibly a Detective III or II to improve crime fighting capabilities

..... Other Supervisory Responsibilities - Other supervisory responsibilities such as Records would be handled according to established personnel practices.
Pilot Structure - Administrative Section

Administrative Section - Generally, Administrative Section personnel would be assigned as follows:

Administrative Section Components

..... Time Keeping - Time keeping would be handled according to established personnel practices.

..... Other Administrative Responsibilities - Other administrative responsibilities such as Area clerical would be handled according to established personnel practices.

The New LAPD Area Structure

*Consists of 1 Lt. 1, Sergeants, P3+1s and Officers based on Department established criteria

**Footbeat and Bike details could be assigned to Suppression

..........EDITOR'S NOTE: It was explained that this chart will change slightly.
The New LAPD Area Structure
Administrative Functions
Expectations

Goal is to reduce crime, but not at the expense of individual rights. Officers must act professionally and follow all constitutional laws (4th Amendment etc.)

Continued emphasis on meeting Consent Decree mandates. Need the support of all officers to achieve this.
Reduction in Administrative Functions

Separate committee established to significantly reduce paperwork

Transfer all 1.28 investigations to PSB allowing field supervisors to work on crime reduction

New Non-Categorical UOF reporting procedures - dramatic reduction paperwork

New case screening procedures - won’t waste time/resources on unsolvable cases
Code 3 Discretionary Pilot Program

Officers will be given ability to upgrade any Code 2 High call to Code 3

Separate training program will commence DP No. 13 explaining procedures

Anticipated launch DP No. 1

Goal is reduction in response time while teaching officers to drive Code 3 safely
Phases of Implementation

Phase I

Selection of supervisors and officers to districts

Providing training to Areas on District Policing

Enhancing CAD functions at Areas

Reduction in administrative reports

Negotiations with LAPPL on meet and confer issues
Phase II

Implement new deployment schedules to improve crime fighting capabilities (contingent upon successful LAPPL negotiations).

Conduct assessment of measures of effectiveness
Phase III

If program is successful and with COP & Police Commission approval, develop plan to roll out program to all geographic Areas