tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-119305962024-03-07T15:45:25.896-08:00Code 6 CharlesScattered thoughts and musings on Public Safety in Los AngelesCode6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.comBlogger166125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-52928011657072541032010-03-30T12:53:00.000-07:002010-03-30T13:00:46.327-07:00Rattler Season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.ktla.com/.a/6a00d8341c0d2753ef01310ff4f502970c-500wi"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 401px; height: 301px;" src="http://blogs.ktla.com/.a/6a00d8341c0d2753ef01310ff4f502970c-500wi" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://ktla.com/">KTLA</a> reporter Eric Spillman had a <a href="http://blogs.ktla.com/news_custom_eric/2010/03/my-encounter-with-a-rattlesnake.html">close encounter</a> with a sun-tanning rattlesnake over the weekend. Temps have warmed into the mid-80s a few times in the past week, which means rattlers (and their non-venomous cousins) have emerged from their winter slumbers.<br /><br />It's always amusing to hear fire crews heading out on early-season brushers reminded on the radio to watch out for the creatures. Probably not as amusing to get bitten by one, which is why the guys wear boots.<br /><br />H/T to Kevin at <a href="http://laobserved.com/">LAObserved</a> for the item.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-36491704069814557212010-03-30T12:46:00.001-07:002010-03-30T13:01:58.102-07:00Speed Trap<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnxydoIrJ4OWUJyaXgIhN6UX7qnkMBgQpnuog2Sn5Owyx_IyFdkmwqYpwE58IKSbI-ANisZC6EuYOvAjwdkouwEng61WUJGaSR6_8yhPtdTYQ-CwWj6e4wvH4_SAg10AdaRmnqQ/s320/340x.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 291px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnxydoIrJ4OWUJyaXgIhN6UX7qnkMBgQpnuog2Sn5Owyx_IyFdkmwqYpwE58IKSbI-ANisZC6EuYOvAjwdkouwEng61WUJGaSR6_8yhPtdTYQ-CwWj6e4wvH4_SAg10AdaRmnqQ/s320/340x.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I like that the LAPD has chosen to run speed enforcement two blocks from my house on a busy stretch of San Vicente Boulevard. Especially when I know it's happening and don't get caught by the Man. But I'd like it even better when the motor officer gets issued his new BMW bike and ditches the ugly-ass Harley that makes the LAPD motor corps look like they're riding up PCH on the weekend for a bite at <a href="http://www.neptunesnet.com/">Neptune's Net</a>.<br /><br />Here's a <a href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnxydoIrJ4OWUJyaXgIhN6UX7qnkMBgQpnuog2Sn5Owyx_IyFdkmwqYpwE58IKSbI-ANisZC6EuYOvAjwdkouwEng61WUJGaSR6_8yhPtdTYQ-CwWj6e4wvH4_SAg10AdaRmnqQ/s320/340x.jpg&imgrefurl=http://mayorsam.blogspot.com/2008/03/lapd-report-calls-harley-davidsons.html&usg=__DFm_ts10CYOr2HXglQwyLTiZyTg=&h=320&w=291&sz=21&hl=en&start=6&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=ElsaXQqx_-b8UM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=107&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlapd%2Bharley%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26tbs%3Disch:1">great blog post</a> from 2008 detailing various issues with the LAPD's Harley purchase.<br /><br />But if you're a Harley fan, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSmu79NxyFY">this video</a> might be worth your while.<br /><br />In the photo above, the Harley's in the back, the sleek Beemer is up front.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">photo: Mayor Sam's Sister City Blog</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-20116753441729870972010-03-26T12:12:00.000-07:002010-03-26T12:46:42.528-07:00End of Watch: Robert "RJ" Cottle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyBVLB5SKm1DF1WpM5TS2vpe_wSEQ-pnvECrnGx_3RVrkKSB0qemQ0G6RjCDEGaYM-zXNEVbMqTyC6dl5cnslSE7zvz6rQfYt4O9_30EzmNdd7iPAi5b4zpiWSeFgLfa91g5O/s1600/COTTLE+27922+Face.png"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 171px; height: 229px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOyBVLB5SKm1DF1WpM5TS2vpe_wSEQ-pnvECrnGx_3RVrkKSB0qemQ0G6RjCDEGaYM-zXNEVbMqTyC6dl5cnslSE7zvz6rQfYt4O9_30EzmNdd7iPAi5b4zpiWSeFgLfa91g5O/s320/COTTLE+27922+Face.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453022984685777554" border="0" /></a><br />Veteran LAPD officer and United States Marine Corps Reservist Robert Cottle was killed by an improvised explosive device while on patrol in Southern Afghanistan on Wednesday. Sgt. Major Cottle, 45 years old, joined the Marines at 18 and and the LAPD in 1993. His various LAPD assignments included Hollywood Vice, Southeast Area, LAPD Dive Team and, most recently, SWAT.<br /><br />Officer Cottle was the first LAPD officer killed in action while serving as a reservist in the military since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began. The <a href="http://latimes.com/">LA Times</a> has a decent story <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-officer-killed26-2010mar26,0,6401939.story">here </a>and <a href="http://www.lapdonline.org/home/news_view/44493">this is the press release</a> from the LAPD.<br /><br />RIP and <span style="font-style: italic;">Semper Fi</span>, Officer Cottle.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br /><br />photo: LAPD</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-1498023764940755942010-03-12T13:54:00.001-08:002010-03-12T14:20:31.745-08:00Taurus Rising<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwqjvEVI1xvMNACaf5eZENtMgbqGVyx9N5IOpH8TN0916HjQGWcJKjE7GeoOxRdUE_O-rdKWxnpvuAVGnlMsDaMURLJOAnm6R3DdZxLXtU9iAgaktVAW_efHX7hamvtTw0Dk_/s1600-h/Taurus.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilwqjvEVI1xvMNACaf5eZENtMgbqGVyx9N5IOpH8TN0916HjQGWcJKjE7GeoOxRdUE_O-rdKWxnpvuAVGnlMsDaMURLJOAnm6R3DdZxLXtU9iAgaktVAW_efHX7hamvtTw0Dk_/s320/Taurus.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5447875732486562754" border="0" /></a><br />It seems that the long, storied run of Ford's Crown Victoria police car is on the wane. The gearheads over at <a href="http://jalopnik.com/">Jalopnik</a> did a nice <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5491850/2012-ford-police-interceptor-the-crown-vics-robocop-replacement?skyline=true&s=i">Friday Feature</a> on police vehicles, leading with <a href="http://jalopnik.com/5491850/2012-ford-police-interceptor-the-crown-vics-robocop-replacement?skyline=true&s=i">this post</a> on the debut of the new Ford Police Interceptor. End of the day, it's a <a href="http://forum.avtoindex.com/foto/data/media/37/Ford_Taurus_1992-95_30.jpg">Taurus</a>.<br /><br />I'm not a car guy, so I won't go into the technicals on this one or the merits vs. any other vehicle. I'll be interested, however, to see which local agencies take delivery of these cars. I assume most PD's who have fleet contracts with Ford will choose to take the new Taurus. Though it definitely provides a good opening for Dodge to increase market share of its Charger squad car.<br /><br />My thoughts on the Charger have been <a href="http://code6charles.blogspot.com/2009/03/dodge-invasion.html">previously expressed</a>. And they haven't changed. It'll be interesting to see what the LAPD does with its fleet. I've seen less than five marked LAPD Chargers on the road in the past year and tons of new Crown Vics. My guess is that the Taurus will be entering the fleet soon.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />photo: Ford</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-43893067626169827652010-02-25T13:44:00.000-08:002010-02-25T14:32:40.111-08:00Missing the "Big" Ones<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcgtEODssQc7kPaQhnnKHl_mXTboLhkZlfE2B2KPpWq_GNR5yJtgGxuk6NefcwCP1fWA2kK7_Fi1kqi1kbVdPAwkGmg8UA-aO6UwoWS1D3Ly4Um0P2iLICBb1hgOvBtRnx0px/s1600-h/MajorE.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcgtEODssQc7kPaQhnnKHl_mXTboLhkZlfE2B2KPpWq_GNR5yJtgGxuk6NefcwCP1fWA2kK7_Fi1kqi1kbVdPAwkGmg8UA-aO6UwoWS1D3Ly4Um0P2iLICBb1hgOvBtRnx0px/s320/MajorE.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5442311965627020546" border="0" /></a><br />Once again, my travel schedule saw me out of town for the LAFD's latest Major Emergency Structure that went down on Feb. 16th. The official <a href="http://lafd.blogspot.com/">LAFD Blog</a> tells the story <a href="http://lafd.blogspot.com/2010/02/3-story-building-under-construction.html">here</a>.<br /><br />Granted, it's unlikely I would have been awake and scanning at 2 a.m. (these days, midnight is "late" for me), but there's been a dry spell of good, big fires recently. And I tend to be out of town when they hit. Luckily, the city has no end of fire-traps that are just waiting for the call.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />photo: LAFD Photo Harry Gavin</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-79984349443137510992010-02-10T15:36:00.000-08:002010-02-10T17:51:28.511-08:00Small Town Vibe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.policegiftshop.co.uk/SiteData/Default/Products/Images/XL/Wooden_Toy_Police_Station.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 219px; height: 219px;" src="http://www.policegiftshop.co.uk/SiteData/Default/Products/Images/XL/Wooden_Toy_Police_Station.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />On rare occasions, I have the patience to lock in the Bearcat on one LAPD frequency. Usually, I choose to avoid the busiest areas, like Southeast, Rampart, 77th or Van Nuys. I can't really handle the steady slew of Domestics, Code 30 Ringers, or the dozens of "ID check by name"'s foisted onto gangsters who wander around the hood without any ID.<br /><br />I tend to like listening to Wilshire (my home division), Hollywood (for the sheer absurdity of the calls), Pacific (close to the beach and includes LAX) or West L.A. (rich neighborhoods produce interesting calls). It's also easier to hear the units when they switch to simplex, because they're geographically close to my house.<br /><br />On a recent Sunday night, I locked into Wilshire and spent a leisurely evening being entertained by the various happenings in my home district. A few traffic stops here, a "critical missing" there, and a brand new Jeep Commander stolen directly off the dealership lot at closing time by two white dudes. That call led to an amusing, if pained, exchange from the copper on 7Adam22 who called up an Airship on the Tac channel to advise him to BOLO for the white Jeep. He informed the amused observer on the helo that the stolen Jeep had no Lojack, but did sport bright orange paper plates from the dealership, not seeming to consider that the perps could easily remove those.<br /><br />The Jeep was boosted by two white guys in their mid-to-late 30s (not a common descriptor for GTA suspects in that neighborhood) who took the vehicle with the keys still in it as the dealership employees were moving cars around before closing for the night. I figured the Jeep was a goner, but an hour and half later, an enterprising sergeant, patrolling on his own, apparently located the vehicle--and at least one suspect--about four blocks from where it had been stolen. About six A-cars blasted to the scene Code 3, but it was an uneventful recovery.<br /><br />And I realized as I shut the scanner off when I went to bed that L.A. can at times--on a quiet Sunday night--boast a police department (and scanner traffic) that resembles that of any small town in America. Pretty cool.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-63955596540717397502010-02-10T14:22:00.000-08:002010-02-10T15:24:34.246-08:00Fits & StartsSo it's been going on nine months since my last post here. As I have said in the past, these things take a modicum of energy that I can sometimes not muster. But I do miss musing about things that relatively few people care about and I find that writing here regularly assists me in my other writing pursuits. So I'll try to be back here a bit more often in the next few months.<br /><br />Onward!<br /><br />C6CCode6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-60954077450623373352009-06-01T23:53:00.000-07:002009-06-02T00:15:54.368-07:00Just Another Night...So I'm back in town after a week of general relaxation on a tropical island. Been <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">jonesing</span> hard on the scanner since I got back and have been rewarded with some good shit going down. I missed a bunch of BIG calls over Memorial Day weekend while I was gone. Check out the <a href="http://lafd.blogspot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LAFD</span> blog</a> (scroll down for the incidents) to see what I'm <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">sayin</span>.<br /><br />As I type, the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">LAFD</span> is working a nice big Major Emergency Structure out in North Hollywood at some carpet factory. It's been going an hour with active fire still breathing. Two <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">FF's</span> are being treated by medics. One of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">them's</span> a captain on the roof who felt weak and dizzy. He's being brought down by the RIC units via a litter basket and will be transported shortly. Just another night in LA.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-83873890748307629172009-05-14T13:12:00.001-07:002009-05-14T16:27:26.898-07:00Urban ParamedicBlogs didn't exist during my glory days in EMS. If they had, I'm sure I wouldn't have had the patience to write one as well as a longtime medic in Boston who writes <a href="http://urbanparamedic.blogspot.com/2006_12_01_archive.html">other people's emergencies: random thoughts of an urban paramedic</a>.<br /><br />The medic, who identifies himself on the blog by his initials TS, writes clear, thoughtful and relatively jargon-free posts about his life as a paramedic. It's a consistently good read and reminds me of my years on the job.<br /><br />These days, I'm too jaded and cynical to approach things as rationally and even-handed as he does. Thus, I salute him and direct you to his blog.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-88999757063742182032009-05-13T13:44:00.000-07:002009-05-14T16:31:10.418-07:00You're LIVE on local news...*<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01156f8fda55970c-pi"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; width: 220px; cursor: pointer; height: 157px;" alt="" src="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef01156f8fda55970c-pi" border="0" /></a>...after you've just arrested a suspect who foot-bailed from his car after a lengthy high-speed pursuit. There are news choppers overhead with their cameras trained on the scene in the backyard as the suspect is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">proned</span> out. You have just kicked the suspect (in the head) after he's gone down on his own accord. Then he's cuffed.<br /><br />Do you:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.) Act professionally, search the suspect for weapons and contraband and then pick him up and walk him to the patrol car; at the same time keeping all of your adrenaline fueled emotions in check?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2.) Do you complete the above-mentioned, but before that, give a high-five to the K-9 officer standing the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">suspect's</span> feet holding back the dog?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3.) Do you do ALL of what I mention in 1. and 2. but also <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">backslap</span> one of your fellow arresting officers and then proceed to fist-bump another cop who comes up to the scene after the suspect is cuffed?</span><br /><br />If you answered #3 then guess what? You're as a big of a FUCKING IDIOT as the <a href="http://www.empd.org/">El Monte</a> patrol officer who did all of those things on <a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/traffic_autos/transit/CHP-Pursues-Pickup-in-Diamond-Bar-Area-.html">live TV</a> this afternoon. The video is <a href="http://www.nbclosangeles.com/traffic_autos/transit/CHP-Pursues-Pickup-in-Diamond-Bar-Area-.html">here</a>, as well. It took the media all of about two hours to pick up this angle. One would think that even the dumbest rookie cop in Southern California would know--after so many years of high profile cases of cops doing stupid shit on camera--that this kind of behavior should be avoided.<br /><br />And, please, spare me the "adrenaline" argument. As true as it may be--cops get amped up during high speed pursuits, etc., etc.--it doesn't tend to pan out against city officials who end up shelling out millions of dollars to asshole criminals and their families just to avoid juries who order them to do the same.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">*UPDATE*</span> Unsurprisingly, Johnny Kicks-A-Lot has been re-assigned to desk duty while the El Monte PD and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department run their investigations regarding his behavior.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-87716650539963430642009-05-13T12:49:00.000-07:002009-05-13T12:53:53.242-07:00Jesusita Fire Photos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/05/07/calif-fire-cp-w6670626.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 392px; height: 238px;" src="http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/images/news/photos/2009/05/07/calif-fire-cp-w6670626.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />They're scattered all over the Internets, but <a href="http://www.mercurynewsphoto.com/2009/05/santabarbarawildfire/">this slideshow</a> from the San Jose Mercury News is probably the best I've seen.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />photo: Mike Meadows/AP</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-71339223611263050902009-05-12T13:00:00.000-07:002009-05-12T13:09:15.735-07:00Gangsters, Party, Rocks, BottlesThis weekend's full moon brought out the typical complement of crazies and things were jumping all over town. The best call I heard (I think it was Friday night) dropped around midnight and came out as a Help Call from the LASD. Apparently, some deputies were trying to break up a gangbanger fiesta down in Lynwood and they began "taking rocks and bottles." They put out the help call and I assume the LAPD came to the rescue, though I didn't bother to drill down to find out.<br /><br />Also, the ghetto bird clattered loudly over my house on the same night as they busted some dude for beating on his lady about half a block away. The next day his blacked-out Suburban was parked just where they said it would be.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-19221852353812667732009-05-12T12:47:00.000-07:002009-05-12T12:49:12.306-07:00Tweaking My MissionMade a small change to the masthead, as I've been commenting beyond the niche of scannerland and into public safety writ large over the past few months. Otherwise, it's business as usual here at C6C.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-60014568067472450882009-05-07T17:32:00.000-07:002009-05-07T17:41:07.752-07:00Engine 23 will handle...With Santa Barbara up in flames and brushers breaking out in Santa Clarita and Yucaipa, everyone's on high alert. So it was unsurprising to hear the brusher call drop for a burn out in ritzy Pacific Palisades and LAFD sent out a full Channel 9 assignment. Enroute, old Engine 23 said they saw some smoke that was more likely a structure than a brusher. A minute later, Engine 23 said they could handle the call. OCD put out the broadcast:<br /><br />"Units responding to 17420 Camino de Yatasto, Engine 23 will handle.....sandblasting at a mansion."Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-66122783122918775102009-05-05T21:45:00.000-07:002009-05-05T21:49:45.891-07:00Santa Barbara ReduxIt's only May but things are hot again <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fire6-2009may06,0,4249343.story">up in Santa Barbara County</a>. Winds are blowin' again and small brusher that lit off this afternoon has already eaten about 450 acres by 2130 hours. So far, no homes have been lost but up to 2,000 are threatened. The fire started about a mile west of last Fall's nasty Tea fire. A bunch of strike teams have been mobilized and this one has the capability to get ugly, again.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-49955462373445114602009-05-05T21:10:00.000-07:002009-05-05T21:40:32.519-07:00Big Hazmats<a href="http://www.pullman-wa.gov/content/WYSIWYG/Fire/hazmat13.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 298px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 173px" alt="" src="http://www.pullman-wa.gov/content/WYSIWYG/Fire/hazmat13.jpg" border="0" /></a> Been a rash of fairly dramatic hazmats in recent days. First up was big rig crash on the 405 Freeway in Sherman Oaks that shut the freeway down for many hours and merited a balls-out Hazmat response from the LAFD. The reason: the overturned semi was carrying 8,600 gallons of butane--enough to make the news at 11 if the truck blew up. Good pics over at the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lafd/sets/72157617424684881/">LAFD flickr</a>. Then, a few nights later just a few miles south LAFD pushed the big button again when there were abnormally high readings of hydrocarbons coming out of a manhole on Sepulveda Boulevard near Moraga Drive. Sepulveda was shut down for a few hours while the threat was investigated and found to be a big fat nothing--as many Hazmat's are.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Saw a few more cross the wire out in LA County, Pasadena and down in the OC courtesy of <a href="http://incidentpage.net/">Incidentpage.net</a>.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:78%;">photo: Pullman (WA) FD</span></div>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-78318152783902887672009-05-05T21:05:00.000-07:002009-05-05T21:10:16.286-07:00Cinco de DrunkoDriving home from a quick dinner and saw two BHPD motor units on traffic stops and didn't know why the motor units were working after dark. Fired up the scanner a little while ago and heard a bunch of BH motor and T-units doing tons of traffic stops...chewed on it for a few minutes and then realized it's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_mayo">Cinco de Drunko</a>. Other than Halloween, New Year's Eve and July 4, there are no better nights to pull traffic enforcement looking for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuce_(DUI)">deuces</a>.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-61212386244330851372009-05-03T23:49:00.000-07:002009-05-03T23:54:48.261-07:00A whole slew......of new posts coming shortly. For now, content yourself with <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-hitandrun4-2009may04,0,4436957.story">this ridiculously painful and obvious story</a> courtesy of not one, but two, L.A. Times reporters. They found, lo and behold, that pretty coeds from Santa Barbara who get run down in front of USC in the middle of the night--and have one of the suspects actually get out of the car to throw a victim off the hood--get a shitload of publicity. That publicity leads to an outsized number of LAPD resources being thrown at the case resulting in a quick resolution. However, when some poor Guatemalan immigrant gets rundown on the Eastside on the same day he doesn't get the same star treatment; thus, his case will go unsolved forever. The end.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-15005300568502435632009-04-24T15:54:00.003-07:002009-04-24T16:43:26.550-07:00LAPD Code 3 Policy Revised<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/2211780064_c8fc48dd3c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 282px; height: 179px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2329/2211780064_c8fc48dd3c.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />The LA City Council today formally approved <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-codethree14-2009apr14,0,4308149.story">the LAPD's new Code 3 policy</a>, which gives all officers discretion in deciding when to respond to a call with lights and siren. Until today, the rules under Chief Bratton's administration had dispatchers assigning one patrol unit a Code 3 response based upon the nature of the 911 call (or request from field units/allied agencies). Other units, including back-up units to emergency calls that already had one unit responding Code 3, were required to respond Code 2 (no lights or sirens). Earlier this month, a council committee had approved changes to the policy.<br /><br />So, effective immediately, it's up to individual officers to decide what calls will be handled Code 3 and multiple units can respond to the same call Code 3, as well. So, starting tonight, expect to see a lot more LAPD black and whites blasting around the city Code 3.<br /><br />I remember listening to my scanner 20 years ago (when I had an old Sony brick that I bought from <a href="http://www.sportys.com/">Sporty's Pilot Shop</a> and could only tune in to LAPD's 154.830 HOTSHOT freq.) and being terrified/horrified at the number of seemingly life-and-death level calls that the LAPD dispatchers would send out "Code 2 High" or even Code 2. Back then, it seemed the only thing that warranted a Code 3 response were actual shootings in progress. Otherwise, everything was a much slower response.<br /><br />When Chief Bratton a few years ago liberalized the Code 3 policy to include pretty much every serious crime you'd expect a cop to respond to with his lights and sirens turned on, I thought that was a huge improvement. Now, if you called 911 in LA, you would get at least one unit running hot (and fast) to come to your aid. This improved response times, raised morale within the department and has helped residents overall.<br /><br />Allowing more units to respond to more calls more quickly = a good thing overall. It eliminates the dangerous practice of "Code 2.5," which has officers basically driving in an emergency manner without their warning lights activated.<br /><br />But mark my words: This new policy will be frozen the minute the first LAPD unit responding Code 3 to some bullshit call gets involved in a serious accident--with either civilians or fellow officers. Part of the problem is leaving things like this up to the discretion of patrol officers plays directly into the few bad apples among thousands of good ones theory. This whole thing will be undone by one or two boneheads who drive like the idiots they are.<br /><br />Ironically, the City Council and LAPD brass pushed for the change because the cost of litigating cases that stemmed from accidents involving LAPD units going Code 2.5 has hit $11 million in the past three years. Only two council members opposed the change--one of them, Ex-LAPD Chief Bernard Parks. I don't really care for Mr. Parks as a councilman and he wasn't a great police chief either, but he's clearly on the right track here and knows what his former officers are capable of. He's rightly worried that putting the greater responsibility of emergency driving along LA's busy streets directly in the hands of the rank-and-file is a recipe for disaster.<br /><br />Let's just see how long it takes for one to happen.<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><br />photo: flickr</span>Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-82317519563912792312009-04-24T11:57:00.000-07:002009-04-24T16:45:24.313-07:00Wilshire Mess IncomingEvery year, on a certain day in late April, Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle-Mile area gets completely fucked by the thousands of Armenian protesters who descend on the street to scream, wave signs and flags and drive around in circles honking their horns and displaying huge Armenia flags and banners to voice their displeasure over what was either a "genocide" or what wasn't. Depends on who you ask.<br /><br />Today is that day. Expect the LAPD and DOT to have their hands full beginning in a few hours and expect to find an alternative route if your travels take you along Wilshire during the evening commute.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-15391623026818455692009-04-21T17:33:00.001-07:002009-04-22T18:16:14.787-07:00LAFD and OvertimeEarlier this week, the <a href="http://dailynews.com/">Daily News</a>, which the recession has decimated even worse than it has the L.A. Times, wrote its annual LAFD-earns-too-much-overtime piece. First, let me say bravo to reporter Jason Kandel who compiled the <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/ci_12175241">piece</a> and an <a href="http://www.dailynews.com/ci_12165738">accompanying database</a> that proves as interesting as his article. I am sure the entire project was a gigantic pain in the ass.<br /><br />The database is basically a searchable list of how much overtime nearly LAFD member has earned since 2000. I am of a few different minds regarding the issue of fire overtime. On one hand, I think that firefighters (and ESPECIALLY paramedics) deserve to be well compensated for their efforts. I won't go through the litany of reasons supporting this because they include all the common cliches ("lives on the line," "available 24/7 to answer the call," "danger" etc. etc.). These are all valid reasons.<br /><br />And from my experience in Public Safety, I can say that the overtime often made many parts of the job totally worth it. There was something refreshing about being compensated not only for my time, but for my EXTRA time and giving me some incentive to either work an extra unplanned shift, or agree to stay late if my relief was running late or called in sick etc. etc. Being paid for the exact amount of time you are at work is--in my mind--inherently fair.<br /><br />The extra cash was always nice come pay-day and beyond. If my expenses were a little higher one month, I could always work an extra shift or two to help balance that out. If I wanted to buy a plane ticket to jet off to somewhere far away and exotic I simply worked a few extra shifts to earn the cash. For folks with families and complicated expenses (divorce, sick kids, mortgages etc.) there's a dependence on that overtime cash flow.<br /><br />The trade off was that I was stuck working those extra days. I worked a few different places that made overtime attractive and the last stop on my public safety tour was an agency that worked 24-hour shifts (like the LAFD and LACoFD). So while I got paid nicely for a full extra shift, it meant that I was away from home for two full days and then only had one day to recover before going back to work on my regular shift. In LA with the <a href="http://www.lacity.org/LAFD/shift.htm">modified kelly schedule</a>, that often means guys and gals who are working overtime can be gone from home for as long as three or four days at a stretch--something that 9-to-5'ers might have a hard time comprehending.<br /><br />Granted, that time at work includes getting paid time and a half to eat, sleep, watch TV, train and enjoy some ice cream, but still, it's days away from family, friends, errands and whatever else you might do on your down time. Overtime pay helps make an inherently dangerous job more "worth it" and allows SoCal residents (and those who work and live elsewhere) to better afford the high cost of living in this part of the world.<br /><br />On the OTHER HAND, there are guys in the LAFD (and elsewhere, but since there aren't handy databases elsewhere) who abuse the shit out of this opportunity. And the LAFD brass (and union, natch) argue that even though there are 120 vacant positions that have been effectively frozen, paying the overtime is more cost effective than hiring more firefighters.<br /><br />As for the most egregious offenders, a few names keep popping up year-after-year including FF/PM Alan Naeole, who is based at the extremely cush Air Ops station out in Van Nuys. He used to rake in the dough at the retirement house in Bel-Air at FS 71. Last year, he took home $164,785 in overtime and $100,000 in base salary. Two words: Fucking Ridiculous. The number one overtime earner on the DN's list is FF/PM Donn D. Thompson, who took home more than $173,000 in overtime (which is down from $206,000 in 2006). All this while "working" at the do-nothing FS19 in Brentwood.<br /><br />The article--<a href="http://www.dailynews.com/ci_12175241">which I recommend</a>--raises the various points from all sides including the outraged taxpayer groups, the LAFD Chief who's on the defensive and the fire union president who is outraged that anyone is outraged. And in a year when the city is facing a $500 million budget shortfall that could increase to $1 billion by next year and there are layoffs city-wide it seems like an especially bad time for the guys to be raking in such obscene amounts of dough.<br /><br />Especially, as Kandel notes, since the city has spent 60% more on overtime in the last 10 years while growing the department by only 17%. And remember, a lot of these old-timers (FF/PM's, not even officers!) are making $100,000 as a BASE salary owing to their seniority (not to mention any guys who are still on the early retirement racket).<br /><br />So there's an aging department with guys who are already doing just fine on their base; probably socking away hundreds of thousands of dollars of deferred comp over the course of their careers; getting excellent medical benefits and life insurance policies as well as an extremely generous pension payout (for life). Not only is this a recipe for more municipal and state fiscal pain, but it makes it hard to garner any sympathy for the guys who are taking home outsized overtime checks.<br /><br />I know as well as anyone that there's almost no better feeling in the world than seeing a big, red fire truck or ambulance blasting to the scene of an emergency on the rare occasions that the average citizen has to dial 911. But I think the LAFD is probably in for a rude wake up call down the line when various items that have become sacred cows over the past few years (like EMS captains in every district, ambulances in every station, four-man engines, and multiple unit responses to even basic EMT calls, et. al) begin to disappear.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-91221486460593193322009-04-21T10:52:00.000-07:002009-04-21T17:34:26.407-07:00Back in Business...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.cofc.edu/admissions/files/2009/01/open_sign.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 135px;" src="http://blogs.cofc.edu/admissions/files/2009/01/open_sign.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />So I've been out of town for the last four weekends in a row (and many weekdays, too) to places near and far. Didn't see too much in the way of public safety action on my travels except a pretty serious looking bunch of dudes who are "volunteer" firefighters in the fine city of Kyoto, Japan; some crazy Japanese ambulances rolling Code 3 through the streets of Tokyo; and a whole bunch of <a href="http://www.emtbravophotos.com/PhotoHunt/Wor26.jpg">Massachusetts State Troopers</a> doing their radar thing along the Mass. Pike this last weekend. Luckily, my turquoise Toyota Corolla didn't actually go fast enough to be a threat.<br /><br />A few items on my mind:<br /><br />1. It is fucking hot outside. Like mid-summer, shrivel up and die hot. Not only is it wreaking havoc on my backyard plants, but it's causing the scanner to jump and bump like it's mid-August. Last night saw a cavalcade of the usual mid-summer bullshit with drunks, fights, robberies and a few little brushers and stucture fires thrown in for good measure.<br /><br />2. I missed two incidents of some note on the fire side: A big <a href="http://lafd.blogspot.com/2009/04/fire-extinguished-quickly-in-city.html">tarpot lit-off at a City facility</a> in North Hollywood on April 10. Though it put on a good show with lots of smoke and fire, the location was literally right around the corner from FS60, so folks were on scene fast and things got knocked down. The second was this<a href="http://www.truveo.com/Overnight-Fire-Ravages-Chatsworth-Mansion/id/1240871041"> big-time fire</a> at a 10,000 sq.-foot mansion out in unincorporated Chatsworth the other night. LA City, County and Ventura County units rolled into. The fire was blasting through the roof when units arrived (some good photos on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lafd/3462247946/in/photostream/">LAFD's flickr</a>, and probably elsewhere on the Internets). One FF suffered a broken ankle and another was txspt'd with general malaise. I guess the homeowners have a big winery operation and the house was a total loss. With the various water pressure problems et al., the firefight resembled one of those big multi-agency vollie responses out in the boonies somewhere, where it takes nine fire agencies 12 hours to put down a house fire. Other news outlets are reporting today that the initial alarm call was delayed because the home's security system hadn't been re-programmed to dial the "1-818" 10-digit sequence of numbers that went into effect last week.<br /><br />3. A bunch of random fatal fires within LA, including a luxury Motor Home in South LA and an old man in a house in the classy Brentwood neighborhood of the city.<br /><br />4. The LAFD has filled the <a href="http://code6charles.blogspot.com/2009/02/so-long-capt-myers.html">vacant PSO position</a> down in OCD on the "A" shift with a firefighter named Devin Gales. I didn't catch an official announcement of his appointment on the LAFD blog, but I may have missed it. Mr. Gales replaces Ron Myers who promoted to Captain I and is now working at Station 90 out in sweltering Van Nuys.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-26604380574735953922009-04-03T21:24:00.000-07:002009-04-03T21:25:55.826-07:00Leaving......on a jet plane for a faraway land tonight. Probably on hiatus for about a week or so...<br /><br />Stay safe! C6CCode6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-51789341690677503522009-03-31T15:44:00.000-07:002009-03-31T16:06:28.099-07:00LAFD Rescue 100 MashedSome good photos on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lafd/3394372712/in/photostream/">flickr</a> of the recent intersection crash out in the Valley where RA100 was responding to a call and got T-boned. Doesn't look like there were any serious injuries, but the brand new RA got banged up. My bet is that the alignment will be off forever and it'll pull to the left forevermore.Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11930596.post-59322830109690551422009-03-31T15:34:00.000-07:002009-03-31T15:42:18.004-07:00Capt. Steve Ruda is back...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/2228047928_a559a0d4a8.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 280px; height: 197px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2228/2228047928_a559a0d4a8.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />...as the LAFD's highest ranking mouthpiece. It's a least his second stint as head of the Public Information Unit. I will say nothing more on this topic (for now) other than......."GROAN."Code6Charleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06659733574135851999noreply@blogger.com4