LAPD

Critical Mass avoided controversy on Friday night, rolling to the Westside to UCLA Medical Center (where the last hospitalized victim from the Culver City Crash a couple of weeks ago is still recovering) to the traditional stop at Western and Sunset.  Tickets were kept to a minimum, I could count on one hand the number of times I saw officers pulling over cyclists, and I heard more discussion of New York's decision to allow gay marriage than I did complaints about the LAPD's handling of the aforementioned crash. The LAPD estimated that at its peak, there were 1,300 riders taking part in the ride.

After a parade of public speakers rose to speak on whether or not the L.A. City Council should overrule the Police Commission and not allow Los Angeles' red light cameras to come down, Councilman Tony Cardenas motioned to delay the final vote until Tuesday so that more City Council Members could be present.  At the time, there were eight Council Members in the room, and all ten would have had to vote for the Cardenas/Parks motion for it to pass.

Apparently, the number is higher than eleven.

Last week the Los Angeles Police Commission, the citizen panel that oversees the LAPD, unanimously voted to reject the LAPD's recommendation to extend the city's contract with an Arizona based group that provides, maintains, and utilizes "red light cameras" at 32 Los Angeles intersections.  The move came as a shock to the LAPD, but has been widely praised, including two editorials in the city's two largest newspapers.

Late last month, I asked you to submit questions for Los Angeles Police Department Sargent David Krumer, the officer who has been the point person for bicycle issues for over a year.  Many of you responded with solid questions, and Krumer was good enough to respond to each of them.

Over the past year, LAPD Sergent David Krumer has emerged as one of the key figures in the Los Angeles bicycle scene.  Charged with improving relationships between the LAPD and the bicycling community Krumer has been involved with the LAPD's presence at Critical Mass, the "Give ME 3" Poster Campaign that is now being used to rally cyclists statewide, better LAPD training videos and even an outreach plan to help cyclists better lock their bikes.

(While working on the Wilbur Road Diet Story, I received this letter from Sargent David Krumer of the LAPD announcing that the Department had posted their fifteen minute bicycle training course online.  Krumer's email is posted in its entirety after the video.  I'll leave the commenting up to you. - DN)

Tomorrow morning, Councilmember Bill Rosendahl, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the families of two hit-and-run victims will publicly ask for help in solving two separate crashes from last January.  During the news conference, Rosendahl and the investigating detectives will announce a $50,000 reward in each case for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.