Funds Allotted to Pay for Summer Police Party-Patrol Car

Advisory: 7th Council Dist funds allotted to pay for summer police party-patrol car to limit shootings and assaults #LAPD

7^th District Council Funds Allotted for Party Car in Northeast SF Valley

Los Angeles.  The Los Angeles Police Department joined City Councilmember Richard Alarcon, 7^th District, at a news conference this morning, to announce a second allotment of money for a dedicated police party patrol car for the month of June through September.

“I want to thank Councilman Alarcon personally and on behalf of the public in the Northeast Valley for his support,” said Captain Todd Chamberlain, commanding officer of the Mission Community Police Station.  “This time of year is rife for problem parties with the start of summer.  Monitoring the parties is critical in keeping violent crime down.”

“The Party Car might sound like a bit of a misnomer,” said Captain Todd Chamberlain.  “It’s no party for the officers assigned as they patrol through neighborhoods where loud, raucous parties often hold neighborhoods hostage.”

The Party Car was instituted earlier this year as a way to free up regular patrol cars for other, more pressing cases.  “We’re not talking about kids’ birthday parties or baptisms,” Captain Chamberlain explained.  “These are loud, raucous parties that often involve drug use, fights, under-age drinking, and gangs.”

Nearly 5,000 party disturbance calls after 10 PM are logged with 9-1-1 annually in the Northeast Valley; that amounts to about 100 parties per week.  The last allotment from Councilman Alarcon’s office funded a car from November through December, where police answered over 700 loud-party calls.  One party-goer was shot and killed at a party last October, despite the added patrols.

However, in that same period, aggravated assaults dropped 24% compared to the same time in 2011.  “The party patrol played a critical part in reducing those assaults.”  Violent crime is down 21% in the Mission Area for 2013.

“We’ll be tasking the officers on the party patrols to cite minors who are violating curfew,” Captain Chamberlain stressed.  “Too many of our victims and suspects are underage party-goers where the combination of alcohol, immaturity, no supervision, and bravado result in deadly consequences.”

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