LACP.org
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Picking up the Tab for MJ
by Sandra Nazemi
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Sandy Nazemi
   about Sandy Nazemi - co-host, "Community Matters"

EDITOR'S NOTE: Ms. Sandra (Sandy) Nazemi, MA in Justice and Security Administration, is a long-time friend of Los Angeles Community Policing founder, Bill Murray, and an active participant here at LACP.org, our non-profit LA Community Policing web site.

She's even responsible for having taught Bill how to use the Internet, and gave him his first web building experience !! In fact, the first web site he built on his own was this one .. LACP.org !!

Look for Sandy's LACP articles in the future, covering topics that are near and dear to her, and hear her regularly as a co-host on our radio show: "Community Matters"
 

Picking up the tab for MJ
Michael Jackson' Memorial Service cost a bundle - Who pays?

by Sandra Nazemi

OPINION

A recent article published in the LA Times indicated that the Mayor stated LA would pick up the tab for expenses related to the Michael Jackson Memorial service. In my opinion this is a correct call that will without a doubt lead to a heated debate regarding who should be responsible.

In deciding who is responsible for the costs of security for such a large unexpected event, take a good look at who would have been blamed if riots, disturbances or any other acts of violence or destruction had occurred as a result of large crowds attempting to attend the service without authorization. Though this did not occur with the security measures put into place by the LAPD, there was a large risk that the outcome might not have been the same if no security measures were in place.

Though LA citizens and visitors from elsewhere acted in a most respectful manner in regard to the events surrounding the Michael Jackson Memorial, there was a large police presence which often is a deterrent to undesired activity. Large crowds are often difficult to control in any circumstance and offer the opportunity for one small event to occur which make a large crowd completely uncontrollable.

When mayhem does occur, the first thought in most people's minds is "Where are the police? Why aren't they doing their job?" Society expects police to maintain law and order and we they can't, society blames the police for failing to maintain that order.

In recent years policing has moved to more preventative methods of maintaining order, particularly where crowd control is an issue. Events requiring additional security include riots, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, terrorist attacks, World Series Games, the Oscars, the Olympics and yes, Michael Jackson's Memorial Service. Michael Jackson's death was an unexpected and unfortunate event. The Memorial Service drew a tremendous crowd and to some extent, the whole world was waiting to see how out of control the event would get. Crowd control is often difficult to achieve since there are many variables which can occur. Congratulations to the LAPD! Even news reporters were calling it nothing short of a miracle that no major problems occurred.

Most of the time preventative measures are the best defense for crowd control and in this case preventative measures worked well. Whose responsibility is the tab? If an earthquake occurred, we would expect our police, fire and emergency response teams to be on site doing their job. We would not be concerned with who is going to pay the bill. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the citizens to pay the cost for maintaining law and order just as ultimately they would blame the police department if law and order had not been maintained.

Why do we blame law enforcement for failing to maintain law and order? The answer is simple--It's what we pay them to do, it's what we hire them and elect them to do. It's their job. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the citizens to pick up the tab for maintaining law and order.